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. 2009 Jan-Feb;2(1):46–49. doi: 10.4161/cib.2.1.7503

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Conversations between Wnt/β-catenin and MAPK signaling pathways. Wnt ligands apart from activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway also activate MAPK pathways. Wnts induce a strong activation of p38 MAPK and this activation is G-protein and Dishevelled dependent. Wnt-activated p38 MAPK regulates Wnt/β-catenin signalling by inactivating GSK3β kinase activity. Similarly, Wnt-induced JNK activation occurs through G-proteins, Dishevelleds, small molecular weight GTPases (RhoA, Rac1, Cdc42), MEKKs and MKKs. Activated JNK phosphorylates its prime substrate, c-Jun, that ultimately leads induction of planar cell polarity. The phosphorylated c-Jun may also translocate into the nucleus and along with nuclear Dishevelled regulates Lef/Tcf-sensitive gene transcription. ERKs are also activated by Wnt through Raf1/MEK/pERK pathway and induce cell proliferation. In addition, the activated ERKs may also translocate into the nucleus and regulate the Lef/Tcf-sensitive gene transcription.