Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Tissue Injury: Roles in Pathology and Therapeutic Opportunities for Regeneration

June 2016 in “ The FASEB Journal ”

Dikshya Bastakoty, Pampee P. Young

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway fibrosis stem cell maintenance organ homeostasis pharmacologic Wnt inhibition small-molecule Wnt inhibitors regenerative medicine

TLDR The Wnt/β-catenin pathway helps tissue regeneration but can also cause fibrosis, and drugs that inhibit this pathway may aid in healing skin and heart tissues.

The document reviews the dual role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in tissue injury and regeneration, emphasizing its importance in both promoting regeneration and contributing to fibrosis in various organs. It explains that while the pathway is crucial for stem cell maintenance and organ homeostasis, its reactivation in response to injury can lead to fibrotic diseases in nonregenerating organs like the heart. The review also discusses the potential of pharmacologic Wnt inhibition to enhance regeneration and reduce fibrosis, particularly in the skin and heart. It notes the complexity of the pathway's role across different tissues and cell types, which presents challenges in developing therapeutic strategies. Nonetheless, the document highlights several small-molecule Wnt inhibitors that have shown promise in preclinical models, suggesting that targeting the Wnt pathway could be a significant step forward in regenerative medicine.

View this study on fasebj.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

7 / 7 results

research Inhibition of Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Promotes Regenerative Repair of Cutaneous and Cartilage Injury

41 citations, August 2015 in “The FASEB Journal”

Blocking the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway can speed up wound healing, reduce scarring, and improve cartilage repair.

research Targeting the Wnt Pathways for Therapies

112 citations, January 2014 in “Molecular and cellular therapies”

Blocking the Wnt pathway could lead to new treatments for cancer and tissue repair but requires careful development to avoid side effects.

research Wnt1/β-Catenin Injury Response Activates the Epicardium and Cardiac Fibroblasts to Promote Cardiac Repair

248 citations, November 2011 in “The EMBO Journal”

Wnt1/βcatenin signaling is crucial for heart repair after injury.

research Review of Hair Follicle Dermal Cells

321 citations, December 2009 in “Journal of Dermatological Science”

Dermal cells are key in controlling hair growth and could potentially be used in hair loss treatments, but more research is needed to improve hair regeneration methods.

research Epidermal Stem Cell Diversity and Quiescence

168 citations, August 2009 in “EMBO molecular medicine”

Epidermal stem cells are diverse and vary in activity, playing key roles in skin maintenance and repair.

research Wnt Signaling, Lgr5, and Stem Cells in the Intestine and Skin

326 citations, February 2009 in “The American journal of pathology”

Lgr5 is a marker for active, self-renewing stem cells in the intestine and skin, important for tissue maintenance.

research Wnt-Dependent De Novo Hair Follicle Regeneration in Adult Mouse Skin After Wounding

829 citations, May 2007 in “Nature”

Hair follicles can regrow in wounded adult mouse skin using a process like embryo development.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 60 results

community Hair theory Scar tissue and Verteporfin

in Chat 26 upvotes 6 months ago

A user suggests that deeper microneedling with Verteporfin injections might help regrow hair in areas with scar tissue, alongside a DHT blocker. Another user explains that hair loss might be due to reduced Wnt/β-Catenin signaling and suggests that treatments like Minoxidil, Finasteride, and microneedling could potentially reverse it.

community The Real Cause Of Androgenetic Alopecia

in Research/Science 667 upvotes 2 months ago

Androgenetic alopecia is caused by DHT affecting hair growth. Finasteride and minoxidil are used to manage hair loss by blocking DHT and promoting hair growth.

community Opinions on Scalp fibrosis and DHT?

in Research/Science 9 upvotes 2 years ago

The conversation discusses the theory that scalp fibrosis contributes to male pattern baldness (MPB) by increasing DHT concentration, and mentions treatments like Minoxidil. The user seeks opinions on the theory and the effectiveness of scalp massages.

community JW Pharmaceutical shows superiority of 'JW0061' in hair growth over existing treatments in US

in Research/Science 99 upvotes 7 months ago

JW0061 shows superior hair growth results compared to existing treatments, with significant increases in hair follicles. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is crucial for hair growth, and JW0061 activates this pathway effectively.

community Does melatonin dissolve in isopropyl alcohol

in Technology 7 upvotes 1 year ago

The conversation discusses making a topical melatonin solution for hair loss treatment, questioning if isopropyl alcohol can dissolve melatonin. Melatonin is soluble in lipids and alcohol, but it's unstable and should be mixed fresh regularly; it may help hair growth by affecting certain cellular signaling pathways and has anti-androgenic effects.

community Improvements, features, announcements

in General 169 upvotes 6 months ago

The conversation discusses improvements to a platform and mentions hair loss treatments including Minoxidil, finasteride, RU58841, and melatonin. It also highlights the addition of features like Google login, reply by email, keyword extraction, and a term glossary for better understanding of hair-related terminologies.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

Role of the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Keratoacanthoma