Developmental Pathway (Hh/Wnt) Set

Developmental Pathway (Hh/Wnt) Set contains 2,000 compounds.

The developmental proteins Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt are key regulators of cell fate, differentiation and proliferation. The Hh-signaling pathway is complex and involves numerous regulatory proteins. The activated pathway is capable to promote the transcription of target genes, which are responsible for cellular growth and differentiation during embryonic development, and are involved in cancer occurrence. Therefore, dysregulation of the Hh-signaling pathway affects various types of human malignancy.

The Wnt-signaling pathway participates in the physiological processes of embryonic development, proliferation, differentiation, and also plays an important role in the occurrence and development of various malignancies. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway results in the accumulation of β-catenin in the nucleus and initiates the expression of target genes. In normal situation Wnt pathway is inactivated. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has crosstalk with Hh-signaling pathway. [1]

Promising anticancer drugs target the Hh/Wnt pathways. Inhibitors of the Hh/Wnt pathways have proven their efficacy to induce tumor regression in preclinical assays. Well-known inhibitors such as cyclopamine act at the level of the Hh/Wnt receptor complexes. [2]

[1]         M. Ding and X. Wang, “Antagonism between hedgehog and wnt signaling pathways regulates tumorigenicity (Review),” Oncol. Lett., vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 6327–6333, 2017, doi: 10.3892/ol.2017.7030.

[2]         J. M. Muller, L. Chevrier, S. Cochaud, A. C. Meunier, and C. Chadeneau, “Hedgehog, Notch and Wnt developmental pathways as targets for anti-cancer drugs,” Drug Discov. Today Dis. Mech., vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 285–291, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.ddmec.2008.05.009.