Open AccessThe Wnt/β‐Catenin Signaling Pathway Tips the Balance Between Apoptosis and Reprograming of Cell Fusion Hybrids
Author(s) -
Lluis Frederic,
Pedone Elisa,
Pepe Stefano,
Cosma Maria Pia
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.515
Subject(s) - wnt signaling pathway , biology , cell fusion , microbiology and biotechnology , somatic cell , somatic fusion , stem cell , cellular differentiation , catenin , beta catenin , cell growth , cell , signal transduction , genetics , gene
Abstract Cell‐cell fusion contributes to cell differentiation and developmental processes. We have previously showed that activation of Wnt/β‐catenin enhances somatic cell reprograming after polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐mediated fusion. Here, we show that neural stem cells and ESCs can fuse spontaneously in cocultures, although with very low efficiency (about 2%), as the hybrids undergo apoptosis. In contrast, when Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is activated in ESCs and leads to accumulation of low amounts of β‐catenin in the nucleus, activated ESCs can reprogram somatic cells with very high efficiency after spontaneous fusion. Furthermore, we also show that different levels of β‐catenin accumulation in the ESC nuclei can modulate cell proliferation, although in our experimental setting, cell proliferation does not modulate the reprograming efficiency per se. Overall, the present study provides evidence that spontaneous fusion occurs, while the survival of the reprogramed clones is strictly dependent on induction of a Wnt‐mediated reprograming pathway. STEM CELLS 2010;28:1940–1949