Figure 3. Wnt/Frizzled signaling restores the normal mitochondrial phenotype in Alex3-overexpressing cells.

(A–F) Co-expression of Alex3 (green) and several members of the Wnt/Frizzled signaling pathway; Wnt1, Fz2, Wnt5a and Wnt11 reverse the aggregated mitochondrial phenotypes induced by Alex3 overexpression in HEK293AD cells. (G–L) High magnifications of boxed areas shown in (A–F). Note that the aggregated phenotype induced by the expression of Alex3 (G,H) is reversed by the co-expression of different members of the Wnt pathway (I–L). (M) Quantification and graphical representation (mean ± standard deviation) of mitochondrial phenotypes resulting after transfection with distinct Wnts and Fz2, demonstrating different degrees of mitochondrial aggregation reversion by the constructs used. Alex3 protein was visualized in green, control mitochondrial distribution (A) in red (MitDsRed), β-catenin in red (B–F) and nuclei in blue (bisbenzimide). Scale bar: 10 µm.