WNT-β Catenin Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective

Kakarla Ramakrishna; Lakshmi Vineela Nalla; Dumala Naresh; Kojja Venkateswarlu; Matte Kasi Viswanadh; Buchi N Nalluri; Guntupalli Chakravarthy; Sajusha Duguluri; Payal Singh; Sachchida Nand Rai; Ashish Kumar; Veer Singh; Santosh Kumar Singh

doi:10.3390/diseases11030089

WNT-β Catenin Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective

Diseases. 2023 Jun 25;11(3):89. doi: 10.3390/diseases11030089.

Affiliations

¹ KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India.
² Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT BHU, Varanasi 221005, India.
³ Department of Biotechnology, Bharathi Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, India.
⁴ Department of Zoology, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
⁵ Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
⁶ ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India.

Abstract

Wnt/β-catenin (WβC) signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis from the embryonic developmental stages to adulthood. The canonical pathway of WβC signaling is essential for neurogenesis, cell proliferation, and neurogenesis, whereas the noncanonical pathway (WNT/Ca²⁺ and WNT/PCP) is responsible for cell polarity, calcium maintenance, and cell migration. Abnormal regulation of WβC signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Hence, the alteration of WβC signaling is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. In the present review, we have used the bibliographical information from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to address the current prospects of WβC signaling role in the abovementioned neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords: WNT; homeostasis; neurodegenerative diseases; neurogenesis; β-catenin.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

S.K.S. lab is supported by funding from the Institution of Eminence Incentive Grant Scheme and funding from the Institute of Medical Sciences intramural grant, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.