Crosstalk of hedgehog and Wnt pathways in gastric cancer

Cancer Lett. 2008 May 8;263(1):145-56. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2007.12.030. Epub 2008 Feb 20.

Abstract

Morphogenic signals like Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt are reported to play critical roles in the progression of gastric cancer. We aimed to assess the relationship between Hh and Wnt signaling pathways. In 58 gastric cancer specimens, Wnt pathway activation was inversely correlated with Hh pathway activation. When AGS gastric cancer cells, in which Wnt signaling was constitutively active, were used as a target cell line, Gli1 overexpression suppressed Wnt transcriptional activity, nuclear beta-catenin accumulation and proliferation of AGS cells. Knock-down of beta-catenin by siRNA suppressed Wnt pathway activity and proliferation of AGS cells. Our data may provide some clues for the treatment of gastric cancer associated with Wnt signaling activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stomach Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Wnt Proteins