Interaction between PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways mediates diverse cellular effects through downstream messengers

Interaction between PI3K/Akt and Wnt signaling pathways mediates diverse cellular effects through downstream messengers. (A) PI3K/Akt pathway (left) is activated by binding of insulin or growth factors to the PI3K receptor. Activation of PI3K in turn activates AKT, eliciting a broad range of downstream signaling events. The canonical WNT pathway (right) is activated by the binding of WNT ligand to the Frizzled receptor, activating Disheveled and disrupting the GSK3β/Axin complex, stabilizing β-catenin which is then able to translocate to the nucleus and activate WNT target genes. These pathways converge both at the GSK3β node and at the level of β-catenin nuclear translocation. Additional points of interaction are possible as well. (B) In inflammatory bowel disease, the progression from inflammation to carcinoma progresses through a number of steps. Immune modulators (red) suppress inflammation and proliferation directly. PI3K and AKT inhibitors inhibit the growth of carcinomas. In this study, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was shown to inhibit inflammation and progression to dysplasia. Other PI3K and AKT inhibitors may also be useful in preventing inflammation and progression to dysplasia and carcinoma.

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Caught in the Akt: Regulation of Wnt signaling in the intestine. () Eric C. Anderson, et al. Gastroenterology. ;139(3):718-722. Figure: F1. All organisms Homo sapiens Mus musculus Rattus norvegicus Drosophila melanogaster

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