Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target
The involvement of Wnt signaling in normal tissue homeostasis and disease has been widely demonstrated over the last 20 years. In particular, dysregulation of Wnt pathway components has been suggested as a relevant hallmark of several neoplastic malignancies, playing a role in cancer onset, progress...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/5/729 |
| _version_ | 1797600980538228736 |
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| author | Lorenzo Manfreda Elena Rampazzo Luca Persano |
| author_facet | Lorenzo Manfreda Elena Rampazzo Luca Persano |
| author_sort | Lorenzo Manfreda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The involvement of Wnt signaling in normal tissue homeostasis and disease has been widely demonstrated over the last 20 years. In particular, dysregulation of Wnt pathway components has been suggested as a relevant hallmark of several neoplastic malignancies, playing a role in cancer onset, progression, and response to treatments. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the instructions provided by Wnt signaling during organogenesis and, particularly, brain development. Moreover, we recapitulate the most relevant mechanisms through which aberrant Wnt pathway activation may impact on brain tumorigenesis and brain tumor aggressiveness, with a particular focus on the mutual interdependency existing between Wnt signaling components and the brain tumor microenvironment. Finally, the latest anti-cancer therapeutic approaches employing the specific targeting of Wnt signaling are extensively reviewed and discussed. In conclusion, here we provide evidence that Wnt signaling, due to its pleiotropic involvement in several brain tumor features, may represent a relevant target in this context, although additional efforts will be needed to: (i) demonstrate the real clinical impact of Wnt inhibition in these tumors; (ii) overcome some still unsolved concerns about the potential systemic effects of such approaches; (iii) achieve efficient brain penetration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:55:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3255c4819fd94b5d8437b6e621b16785 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:55:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3255c4819fd94b5d8437b6e621b167852023-11-18T00:33:35ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372023-05-0112572910.3390/biology12050729Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic TargetLorenzo Manfreda0Elena Rampazzo1Luca Persano2Department of Women and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Via Giustininani, 3, 35128 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Women and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Via Giustininani, 3, 35128 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Women and Children’s Health, University of Padova, Via Giustininani, 3, 35128 Padova, ItalyThe involvement of Wnt signaling in normal tissue homeostasis and disease has been widely demonstrated over the last 20 years. In particular, dysregulation of Wnt pathway components has been suggested as a relevant hallmark of several neoplastic malignancies, playing a role in cancer onset, progression, and response to treatments. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the instructions provided by Wnt signaling during organogenesis and, particularly, brain development. Moreover, we recapitulate the most relevant mechanisms through which aberrant Wnt pathway activation may impact on brain tumorigenesis and brain tumor aggressiveness, with a particular focus on the mutual interdependency existing between Wnt signaling components and the brain tumor microenvironment. Finally, the latest anti-cancer therapeutic approaches employing the specific targeting of Wnt signaling are extensively reviewed and discussed. In conclusion, here we provide evidence that Wnt signaling, due to its pleiotropic involvement in several brain tumor features, may represent a relevant target in this context, although additional efforts will be needed to: (i) demonstrate the real clinical impact of Wnt inhibition in these tumors; (ii) overcome some still unsolved concerns about the potential systemic effects of such approaches; (iii) achieve efficient brain penetration.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/5/729Wnt signalingbrain developmentbrain cancerWnt targeting |
| spellingShingle | Lorenzo Manfreda Elena Rampazzo Luca Persano Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target Biology Wnt signaling brain development brain cancer Wnt targeting |
| title | Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target |
| title_full | Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target |
| title_fullStr | Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target |
| title_short | Wnt Signaling in Brain Tumors: A Challenging Therapeutic Target |
| title_sort | wnt signaling in brain tumors a challenging therapeutic target |
| topic | Wnt signaling brain development brain cancer Wnt targeting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/5/729 |
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