Blocking the Wnt pathway, a unifying mechanism for an angiogenic inhibitor in the serine proteinase inhibitor family

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Apr 13;107(15):6900-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0906764107. Epub 2010 Mar 29.

Abstract

The Wnt pathway regulates multiple biological and pathological processes including angiogenesis and inflammation. Here we identified a unique inhibitor of the Wnt pathway, SERPINA3K, a serine proteinase inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and angiogenic activities. SERPINA3K blocked the Wnt pathway activation induced by a Wnt ligand and by diabetes. Coprecipitation and ligand binding assay showed that SERPINA3K binds to low-density lipoprotein receptor-like protein 6 (LRP6) with a K(d) of 10 nM, in the range of its physiological concentration in the retina. Under the same conditions, SERPINA3K did not bind to the frizzled (Fz) receptor or low-density lipoprotein receptor. Further, SERPINA3K bound to LRP6 at the extracellular domain and blocked its dimerization with the Fz receptor induced by a Wnt ligand. The antagonizing activity of SERPINA3K to LRP6 was further confirmed by Xenopus axis duplication assay. These results suggest that SERPINA3K is a high-affinity, endogenous antagonist of LRP6. The blockade of Wnt signaling may represent a unifying mechanism for the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects of SERPINA3K.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dimerization
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • LDL-Receptor Related Proteins / metabolism*
  • Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-6
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Rats
  • Receptors, LDL / metabolism*
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Serpins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenopus
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • LDL-Receptor Related Proteins
  • LRP6 protein, human
  • Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-6
  • Lrp6 protein, rat
  • Receptors, LDL
  • SERPINA3 protein, human
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Serpina3c protein, rat
  • Serpins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin