Screening for natural products that affect Wnt signaling activity

• Published in: Journal of natural medicines Vol. 73; no. 4; pp. 697 - 705
• Main Author: Ishibashi, Masami
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01-09-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Aromatic compounds; beta Catenin - genetics; Biological Products - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Complementary & Alternative Medicine; Embryos; Heterocyclic Compounds - pharmacology; Humans; Medicinal Chemistry; Natural products; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Phytochemicals; Plant Sciences; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - pharmacology; Review; Signal transduction; TCF Transcription Factors - genetics; Terpenes - pharmacology; Transcription; Tumors; Wnt protein; Wnt Signaling Pathway - drug effects; β-Catenin; Screening; Plants; Wnt; Natural products
• ISSN: 1340-3443; 1861-0293
• DOI: 10.1007/s11418-019-01320-9

Wnt signaling has been implicated in numerous aspects of development, cell biology, and physiology. When aberrantly activated, Wnt signaling can also lead to the formation of tumors. Thus, Wnt signaling is an attractive target for cancer therapy. Based on our screening program targeting Wnt signaling activity using a cell-based luciferase screening system assessing TCF/β-catenin transcriptional activity, we isolated a series of terpenoids and heterocyclic aromatic compounds that affect the Wnt signaling pathway at different points. Here, we describe our recent results in screening for natural products that inhibit or activate Wnt signaling.