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.

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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.

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