Targeting Wnt Pathways in Disease
- 1Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
- 2Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109
- 3Department of Pharmacology and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
- 4Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
- Correspondence: andchien{at}u.washington.edu
Abstract
Wnt-mediated signal transduction pathways have long been recognized for their roles in regulating embryonic development, and have more recently been linked to cancer, neurologic diseases, inflammatory diseases, and disorders of endocrine function and bone metabolism in adults. Although therapies targeting Wnt signaling are attractive in theory, in practice it has been difficult to obtain specific therapeutics because many components of Wnt signaling pathways are also involved in other cellular processes, thereby reducing the specificity of candidate therapeutics. New technologies, and advances in understanding the mechanisms of Wnt signaling, have improved our understanding of the nuances of Wnt signaling and are leading to promising new strategies to target Wnt signaling pathways.
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