Wnt Network: A Brief Review of Pathways and Multifunctional Components

Abstract

The Wnt signaling pathway appears to activate intracellular signaling transduction in embryonic development, cell migration, hematopoiesis, and several diseases. Wnt signaling is basically recognized as a canonical β-catenin-dependent signaling pathway. However, in recent years, generally three Wnt-mediated pathways have been investigated, which operate independently of β-catenin and include calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II and protein kinase C, planar cell polarity, and a third one recruits hetrotrimeric GTP-binding proteins to stimulate phospholipase C and phosphodiesterase. We provide an overview of the noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway and then will focus on canonical Wnt signaling components, Wnt ligands, agonists, and antagonist. This review will also discuss β-catenin, both cytoplasmic and nuclear mechanisms, through signaling transduction, and, as a consequence, we have briefly highlighted potential implications of Wnt/β-catenin in some cancers.