Wnt/beta-catenin signaling promotes renal interstitial fibrosis.

ABSTRACT: Wnts compose a family of signaling proteins that play an essential role in kidney development, but their expression in adult kidney is thought to be silenced. Here, we analyzed the expression and regulation of Wnts and their receptors and antagonists in normal and fibrotic kidneys after obstructive injury. In the normal mouse kidney, the vast majority of 19 different Wnts and 10 frizzled receptor genes was expressed at various levels. After unilateral ureteral obstruction, all members of the Wnt family except Wnt5b, Wnt8b, and Wnt9b were upregulated in the fibrotic kidney with distinct dynamics. In addition, the expression of most Fzd receptors and Wnt antagonists was also induced. Obstructive injury led to a dramatic accumulation of beta-catenin in the cytoplasm and nuclei of renal tubula

SUBMITTER: He W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2663839 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature