The Wnt pathway destabilizes adherens junctions and promotes cell migration via beta-catenin and its target gene cyclin D1

The Wnt pathway regulates cell proliferation, mobility and differentiation. Among the many Wnt target genes is CCND1 which codes for cyclin D1. Cyclin D1, in complex with cdk4 and cdk6, regulates G1/S phase transition during cell cycle. Independently of CDK, cyclin D1 also regulates the migration of macrophages. Here we analyzed the effects of cyclin D1 on the migration of cancer cell lines using the transwell migration and scratch assays. We also tested the effect of cyclin D1 and beta-catenin on E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts. Our results show that the Wnt pathway promotes cellular migration via its target gene cyclin D1. Moreover we show that cyclin D1 influences the actin cytoskeleton and destabilizes adherens junctions. (C) 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.