Wnt signaling regulates hepatic metabolism

Sci Signal. 2011 Feb 1;4(158):ra6. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.2001249.

Abstract

The contribution of the Wnt pathway has been extensively characterized in embryogenesis, differentiation, and stem cell biology but not in mammalian metabolism. Here, using in vivo gain- and loss-of-function models, we demonstrate an important role for Wnt signaling in hepatic metabolism. In particular, β-catenin, the downstream mediator of canonical Wnt signaling, altered serum glucose concentrations and regulated hepatic glucose production. β-Catenin also modulated hepatic insulin signaling. Furthermore, β-catenin interacted with the transcription factor FoxO1 in livers from mice under starved conditions. The interaction of FoxO1 with β-catenin regulated the transcriptional activation of the genes encoding glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), the two rate-limiting enzymes in hepatic gluconeogenesis. Moreover, starvation induced the hepatic expression of mRNAs encoding different Wnt isoforms. In addition, nutrient deprivation appeared to favor the association of β-catenin with FoxO family members, rather than with members of the T cell factor of transcriptional activators. Notably, in a model of diet-induced obesity, hepatic deletion of β-catenin improved overall metabolic homeostasis. These observations implicate Wnt signaling in the modulation of hepatic metabolism and raise the possibility that Wnt signaling may play a similar role in the metabolic regulation of other tissues.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / genetics
  • Hepatocytes / cytology
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / metabolism
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / physiopathology
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase / genetics
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Starvation / metabolism
  • Starvation / physiopathology
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, mouse
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxo1 protein, mouse
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins
  • Irs1 protein, mouse
  • Irs2 protein, mouse
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase
  • Glucose