Disease relevance of Wnt4

• Wnt-4 mRNA and protein expression were strongly increased at 3 to 12 h and 6 to 24 h after ischemia, respectively [1].
• Expression and function of the developmental gene Wnt-4 during experimental acute renal failure in rats [1].
• Because the Wnt-4, -7b, and -11 genes are expressed in metanephric kidneys and code for secreted glycoproteins that may serve as mediators of the transformation of renal mesenchyme to epithelium, we investigated the pattern of Wnt gene expression in late metanephrogenesis and after ureteral obstruction [2].

High impact information on Wnt4

• The Wnt-4-beta-catenin pathway may regulate the transcription of cyclin D1 and control the regeneration of renal tubules in ARF [1].
• Wnt-4 is known to be expressed in the mesonephric duct in embryonic development [1].
• In addition, the overexpression of Wnt-4 and beta-catenin promoted the cell cycle and increased the promoter activity and protein expression of cyclin D1 in LLC-PK1 cells [1].
• Reverse transcription-polymerse chain reaction (RT-PCR) study revealed rKS56 expressed both immature cell markers such as Pax-2, Wnt-4, and WT-1 and mature tubular cell markers like aquaporin-1 and chloride channel. rKS56 cells grew exponentially and could be maintained over 300 days without transformation [3].
• RNase protection assays were used to quantify the amounts of mRNA encoding Wnt-4, -7b, and -11, E-cadherin, and cytokeratin-19 [2].

Biological context of Wnt4

• The upregulation of cyclin D1 and follistatin mRNA at the early phase after EE administration was considered to have been affected by the upregulation of Wnt4 [4].
• During normal development, the amounts of mRNA encoding Wnt-4 and Wnt-11 increased during gestation and then abruptly decreased after the completion of metanephrogenesis, 15 days after birth [2].
• Treatment of embryonic kidney organ cultures with RET-Ig results in a decrease in branching of the ureteric bud and a down regulation in expression of the Wnt-11, Wnt-4, and ld genes [5].

Anatomical context of Wnt4

• This study suggests that Wnt-4 and -11 are likely to be important mediators of the transformation of mesenchyme to epithelium in the kidney [2].

Other interactions of Wnt4

• Although the time courses of Wnt4, Wnt5a, and Wnt7a mRNA status varied until 12 h after EE administration, all of them were simultaneously downregulated at 24 and 48 h [4].
• Compared with expression in wild type cells, both PC12/flat and PC12/Wnt1 cells lost most or all expression of Wnt3a and Wnt4 and gained expression of Wnt7b [6].
• Wnt-4 (a Wingless-like morphogenic gene involved in MG development), ERbeta and ERbeta2 mRNA were evaluated by RT-PCR analysis [7].

References