MAP3K1 functionally interacts with Axin1 in the canonical Wnt signalling pathway

Biol Chem. 2010 Feb-Mar;391(2-3):171-180. doi: 10.1515/bc.2010.028.

Abstract

A central point of regulation in the Wnt/beta-catenin signalling pathway is the formation of the beta-catenin destruction complex. Axin1, an essential negative regulator of Wnt signalling, serves as a scaffold within this complex and is critical for rapid turnover of beta-catenin. To examine the mechanism by which Wnt signalling disables the destruction complex, we used an immunoprecipitation-coupled proteomics approach to identify novel endogenous binding partners of Axin1. We found mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1 (MAP3K1) as an Axin1 interactor in Ls174T colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Importantly, confirmation of this interaction in HEK293T cells indicated that the Axin1-MAP3K1 interaction is induced and modulated by Wnt stimulation. siRNA depletion of MAP3K1 specifically abrogated TCF/LEF-driven transcription and Wnt3A-driven endogenous gene expression in both HEK293T as well as DLD-1 CRC. Expression of ubiquitin ligase mutants of MAP3K1 abrogated TCF/LEF transcription, whereas kinase mutants had no effect in TCF-driven activity, highlighting the essential role of the MAP3K1 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity in regulation of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. These results suggest that MAP3K1, previously reported as an Axin1 inter-actor in c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase pathway, is also involved in the canonical Wnt signalling pathway and positively regulates expression of Wnt target genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Axin Protein
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1 / genetics
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction* / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • AXIN1 protein, human
  • Axin Protein
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP3K1 protein, human