Non-canonical WNT signalling in the lung

J Biochem. 2015 Nov;158(5):355-65. doi: 10.1093/jb/mvv081. Epub 2015 Aug 10.

Abstract

The role of WNT signalling in metazoan organogenesis has been a topic of widespread interest. In the lung, while the role of canonical WNT signalling has been examined in some detail by multiple studies, the non-canonical WNT signalling has received limited attention. Reliable evidence shows that this important signalling mechanism constitutes a major regulatory pathway in lung development. In addition, accumulating evidence has also shown that the non-canonical WNT pathway is critical for maintaining lung homeostasis and that aberrant activation of this pathway may underlie several debilitating lung diseases. Functional analyses have further revealed that the non-canonical WNT pathway regulates multiple cellular activities in the lung that are dependent on the specific cellular context. In most cell types, non-canonical WNT signalling regulates canonical WNT activity, which is also critical for many aspects of lung biology. This review will summarize what is currently known about the role of non-canonical WNT signalling in lung development, homeostasis and pathogenesis of disease.

Keywords: WNT; development; lung; non-canonical.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fetal Organ Maturity
  • Humans
  • Lung / embryology
  • Lung / growth & development
  • Lung / metabolism*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / immunology
  • Lung Diseases / metabolism
  • Lung Diseases / pathology
  • Models, Biological*
  • Organogenesis*
  • Respiratory Mucosa / embryology
  • Respiratory Mucosa / growth & development
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Respiratory Mucosa / pathology
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway*