The Mingle-Mangle of Wnt Signaling and Extracellular Vesicles: Functional Implications for Heart Research

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

Julia Christina Gross¹ 

关键词: extracellular vesicles;    exosomes;    Wnt signaling;    Wnt secretion;    heart remodeling;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcvm.2018.00010

学科分类：心脏病和心血管学

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Wnt signaling is an important pathway in health and disease and a key regulator of stem cell maintenance, differentiation, and proliferation. During heart development, Wnt signaling controls specification, proliferation and differentiation of cardiovascular cells. In this regard, the role of activated Wnt signaling in cardiogenesis is well defined. However, the knowledge about signaling transmission has been challenged. Recently, the packaging of hydrophobic Wnt proteins on extracellular vesicles (EVs) has emerged as a mechanism to facilitate their extracellular spreading and their functioning as morphogens. EVs spread systemically and therefore can have pleiotropic effects on very different cell types. They are heavily studied in tumor biology where they affect tumor growth and vascularization and can serve as biomarkers in liquid biopsies. In this review we will highlight recent discoveries of factors involved in the release of Wnts on EVs and its potential implications in the communication between physiological and pathological heart cells.

【 授权许可】

CC BY