Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Lung Cancer Pathogenesis
Summary
The Wnt/β-catenin signalling cascade is a highly conserved pathway that governs cellular proliferation, differentiation and tissue homeostasis. In lung cancer, aberrant activation arises through overexpression of Wnt ligands, loss of inhibitory factors or mutations in pathway components, leading to nuclear accumulation of β-catenin and transcriptional activation of oncogenic targets. This dysregulation contributes to tumour initiation, progression and metastasis by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, sustaining cancer stem cell phenotypes and modulating the tumour microenvironment. Crosstalk with growth factor receptors and non-coding RNAs further fine-tunes pathway output, influencing response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Emerging evidence indicates that Wnt/β-catenin signalling supports immune evasion and angiogenesis in lung tumours, heightening its global significance as a therapeutic target. Advances in molecular profiling have elucidated multiple regulatory nodes within this pathway, offering opportunities for precision therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Practical applications range from small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies to biomarker-driven patient stratification.
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Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Lung Cancer Pathogenesis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in wnt/β-catenin signaling in lung cancer pathogenesis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Canonical pathway: The branch of Wnt signalling that leads to β-catenin accumulation and TCF/LEF-mediated gene transcription.
β-catenin: A central effector protein that, upon stabilisation, translocates to the nucleus to regulate oncogenic target genes.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): The most common form of lung cancer, encompassing adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma subtypes.
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT): A process by which epithelial cells acquire migratory and invasive mesenchymal traits, facilitating metastasis.
Cancer stem cells: A subpopulation with self-renewal capacity and resistance to therapy, implicated in tumour recurrence.
References
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the development and therapeutic resistance of non-small cell lung cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine (2024).
- Natural compounds: Wnt pathway inhibitors with therapeutic potential in lung cancer. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2023).
- Restoration of Wnt-7a Expression Reverses Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cellular Transformation through Frizzled-9-mediated Growth Inhibition and Promotion of Cell Differentiation*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (2005).
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