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Wnt Signaling in Kidney Development and Disease
Yongping Wang1, Chengji J Zhou2, Youhua Liu3
1National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science
|February 2, 2018
Summary
The Wnt signaling pathway is crucial for kidney development and repair. Dysregulation of this pathway contributes to kidney diseases, but targeting it offers therapeutic potential for kidney disorders.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Nephrology
Background:
- The Wnt signaling cascade is a conserved pathway regulating embryogenesis, tissue repair, and disease pathogenesis.
- Wnt signaling operates through canonical (β-catenin-dependent) and noncanonical (β-catenin-independent) mechanisms.
- This pathway is vital for early kidney development (nephrogenesis) and implicated in various kidney disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on the role of Wnt signaling in kidney development and disease.
- To highlight the involvement of Wnt signaling in congenital anomalies, cystic kidney disease, and renal carcinoma.
- To discuss the dual role of Wnt signaling in kidney injury repair and chronic kidney disease progression.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent findings on Wnt signaling in kidney development and diseases.
- Analysis of Wnt pathway components' roles in nephrogenesis, kidney disorders, and injury.
- Examination of Wnt signaling's mechanistic control over cellular processes relevant to kidney function.
Main Results:
- Wnt signaling is upregulated during nephron formation, mediating essential tissue interactions.
- Disrupted Wnt signaling is linked to renal cyst formation and tumorigenesis.
- Wnt/β-catenin activation aids kidney repair, but sustained activation contributes to chronic kidney diseases and fibrosis.
Conclusions:
- Wnt signaling is a critical regulator of kidney development, function, and disease.
- Aberrant Wnt signaling underlies diverse kidney abnormalities, from congenital defects to cancer.
- Targeting Wnt signaling presents a promising therapeutic strategy for treating various kidney disorders.
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