Fig. 9.

Wnt signaling reduces tau phosphorylation and increases sAPPα generation. In wild-type HEK293 cells, β-catenin assumes a cell-boundary localization (A). In cells transfected with wnt-1, and in surrounding cells, the localization of β-catenin changed and became cytoplasmic and nuclear, indicating the receipt of the wnt signal by these cells. Wnt signal reduced the phosphorylation of tau by GSK-3β as demonstrated by a loss of slow migrating bands visualized with the phosphate-independent antibody TP70 and a loss of bands reactive with the phosphorylation-dependent antibodies AT180 and PHF-1 (B). This reduction in tau phosphorylation was similar to that resulting from dvl-1 transfection. Wnt-1 transfection also reduced sAPPα generation relative to vector-only transfected cells (C). *p < 0.05. Scale bar, 20 μm.