TGFβ-1 and Wnt-3a interact to induce unique gene expression profiles in murine embryonic palate mesenchymal cells

Development of the secondary palate in mammals is a complex process under the control of numerous growth and differentiation factors that regulate key processes such as cell proliferation, synthesis of extracellular matrix molecules, and epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation. Alterations in any one of these processes either through genetic mutation or environmental insult have the potential to lead to clefts of the secondary palate. Members of the TGFβ family of cytokines are crucial mediators of these processes and emerging evidence supports a pivotal role for members of the Wnt family of secreted growth and differentiation factors. Previous work in this laboratory demonstrated cross-talk between the Wnt and TGFβ signaling pathways in cultured mouse embryonic palate mesenchymal cells. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that unique gene expression profiles are induced in murine embryonic palate mesenchymal cells as a result of this cross-talk between the TGFβ and Wnt signal transduction pathways.