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Frontline Science: Wnt/β‐catenin pathway promotes early engraftment of fetal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
Author(s) -
Kwarteng Edward O.,
HétuArbour Roxann,
Hein Krista M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.1hi0917-373r
Subject(s) - wnt signaling pathway , biology , progenitor cell , haematopoiesis , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , catenin , bone marrow , signal transduction , immunology
The switch from fetal to adult hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is associated with profound changes in several genetic programs. Although HSPC ageing corresponds to alterations in Wnt signaling, relatively little is known about the relative roles of different Wnt signaling pathways in HSPC ontogeny. We hypothesized that proliferating fetal HSPCs would be more dependent on canonical β‐catenin‐dependent Wnt signaling when compared to quiescent adult bone marrow HSPCs. We have compared here Wnt signaling activities in murine fetal and adult HSPCs and demonstrate a shift from Wnt/β‐catenin‐dependent signaling in fetal liver HSPCs to more predominantly noncanonical Wnt/polarity signaling in adult HSPCs. β‐Catenin was selectively required for fetal HSPC competitiveness shortly after transplant, and protected cells from oxidative stress. Our results emphasize the complexity of Wnt signaling dynamics in HSPC maintenance and function.