Retinoic acid-inducible G protein-coupled receptors bind to frizzled receptors and may activate non-canonical Wnt signaling

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Jul 13;358(4):968-75. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.04.208. Epub 2007 May 11.

Abstract

Frizzled (Fz) seven-pass transmembrane receptors are Wnt receptors and function in a variety of developmental pathways. Here we identify retinoic acid-inducible gene-1, 2, 3, and 4 (RAIG1, 2, 3, and 4) as potential Fz binding proteins. RAIG proteins are seven-pass transmembrane receptors, and Xenopus RAIG2, 3, and 4 are expressed in early gastrula. XRAIG2 can activate small GTPases, such as RhoA, Rac, and Cdc42, and c-jun N-terminal kinase, thus exhibit activities that overlap with non-canonical Wnt/Fz signaling. Injection of XRAIG2 mRNA into Xenopus embryo causes a severe shortened and bent body axis due to defective gastrulation movements, reminiscent of abnormal non-canonical Wnt signaling. XRAIG2 affects convergent extension in activin-treated animal caps, which can be partially rescued by co-injection of a dominant-negative form of Cdc42. In zebrafish embryo, XRAIG2 also causes Ca(2+) flux, one of the consequences of non-canonical Wnt signaling. These results suggest a possible crosstalk/integration between Wnt/Frizzled and RAIG signal transduction pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Embryonic Development / drug effects
  • Embryonic Development / physiology
  • Frizzled Receptors / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Tretinoin / pharmacology*
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenopus laevis / embryology*
  • Xenopus laevis / metabolism*
  • Zebrafish / embryology*
  • Zebrafish / metabolism*

Substances

  • Frizzled Receptors
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Tretinoin