The Adenoviral E1B-55k Protein Present in HEK293 Cells Mediates Abnormal Accumulation of Key WNT Signaling Proteins in Large Cytoplasmic Aggregates.

ABSTRACT: HEK293 cells are one of the most widely used cell lines in research, and HEK293 cells are frequently used as an in vitro model for studying the WNT signaling pathway. The HEK293 cell line was originally established by transfection of human embryonic kidney cells with sheared adenovirus 5 DNA, and it is known that that HEK293 cells stably express the adenoviral E1A and E1B-55k proteins. Here, we show that HEK293 cells display an unexpected distribution of key components of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway where AXIN1, APC, DVL2 and tankyrase are all co-localized in large spherical cytoplasmic aggregates. The cytoplasmic aggregates are enclosed by a narrow layer of the adenoviral E1B-55k protein. The reduction of E1B-55k protein levels leads to the disappearance of the cytoplasmic aggrega

SUBMITTER: Olsen PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8701144 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature