Canonical Wnt signaling and its antagonist regulate anterior-posterior axis polarization by guiding cell migration in mouse visceral endoderm.

Chiharu Kimura-Yoshida, Hiroshi Nakano, Daiji Okamura, Kazuki Nakao, Shigenobu Yonemura, Jose A Belo, Shinichi Aizawa, Yasuhisa Matsui, Isao Matsuo

Vertebrate Body Plan Group, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB), 2-2-3 Minatojima-minami-cho, Chuou-ku Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.

Developmental cell 2005 Nov

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The mouse embryonic axis is initially formed with a proximal-distal orientation followed by subsequent conversion to a prospective anterior-posterior (A-P) polarity with directional migration of visceral endoderm cell s. Importantly, Otx2, a homeobox gene, is essential to this developmental process. However, the genetic regulatory mechanism governing axis conversion is poorly understood. Here, defective axis conversion due to Otx2 deficiency can be rescued by expression of Dkk1, a Wnt antagonist, or following removal of one copy of the beta-catenin gene. Misexpression of a canonical Wnt ligand can also inhibit correct A-P axis rotation. Moreover, asymmetrical distribution of beta-catenin localization is impaired in the Otx2-deficient and Wnt-misexpressing visceral endoderm. Concurrently, canonical Wnt and Dkk1 function as repulsive and attractive guidance cues, respectively, in the migration of visceral endoderm cell s. We propose that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling mediates A-P axis polarization by guiding cell migration toward the prospective anterior in the pregastrula mouse embryo.

Citation

Chiharu Kimura-Yoshida, Hiroshi Nakano, Daiji Okamura, Kazuki Nakao, Shigenobu Yonemura, Jose A Belo, Shinichi Aizawa, Yasuhisa Matsui, Isao Matsuo. Canonical Wnt signaling and its antagonist regulate anterior-posterior axis polarization by guiding cell migration in mouse visceral endoderm. Developmental cell. 2005 Nov;9(5):639-50