Lombardi Ana Paola G, Royer Carine, Pisolato Raisa, Cavalcanti Fernanda N, Lucas Thaís F G, Lazari Maria Fatima M, Porto Catarina S
Section of Experimental Endocrinology; Department of Pharmacology; Escola Paulista de Medicina; Universidade Federal de São Paulo; São Paulo, SP Brazil.
Spermatogenesis. 2013 Jan 1;3(1):e23181. doi: 10.4161/spmg.23181.
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway controls several biological processes throughout development and adult life. Dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling underlies a wide range of pathologies in animals and humans, including cancer in different tissues. In this review, we provide an update of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the possible roles of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the biology of testis, epididymis and prostate. Data from our laboratory suggest the involvement of 17β-estradiol and estrogen receptors (ERs) on the regulation of β-catenin expression in rat Sertoli cells. We also provide emerging evidences of the involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in testis and prostate cancer. Our understanding of the role of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling in male reproductive tissues is still evolving, and several questions are open to be addressed in the future.
Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路在整个发育过程和成年期控制着多个生物学过程。Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号失调是动物和人类多种疾病的基础，包括不同组织的癌症。在本综述中，我们更新了Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路以及Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号在睾丸、附睾和前列腺生物学中的可能作用。我们实验室的数据表明，17β-雌二醇和雌激素受体（ERs）参与大鼠支持细胞中β-连环蛋白表达的调节。我们还提供了Wnt/β-连环蛋白通路参与睾丸癌和前列腺癌的新证据。我们对Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号在男性生殖组织中的作用的理解仍在不断发展，未来还有几个问题有待解决。
