Review Volume 12, Issue 3 pp 3095—3113

Figure 1. The canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway. Inactivated WNT: Under physiologic circumstances, the cytoplasmic β-catenin is linked to its destruction complex, consisting of APC, AXIN and GSK-3β. β-catenin is phosphorylated by GSK-3β. Thus, phosphorylated β-catenin is destroyed into the proteasome. Then, cytoplasmic level of β-catenin is kept low in the non-presence of WNT ligands. If β-catenin is not accumulated in the nucleus, the TCF/LEF complex does not stimulate the target genes. DKK1 inhibits the WNT/β-catenin pathway through the bind to WNT ligands or LRP5/6. Activated WNT: When WNT ligands activate both FZD and LRP5/6, DSH is stimulated and phosphorylated by FZD. Phosphorylated DSH in turn activates AXIN, which comes off β-catenin destruction complex. Thus, β-catenin escapes from phosphorylation and then accumulates in the cytoplasm. The accumulated cytosolic β-catenin moves into the nucleus, where it interacts with TCF/LEF and stimulates the transcription of target genes.