Wnt7b induces changes in axonal development through regulation of microtubule behavior.

LORENA PAOLA NEILA; SILVANA B. ROSSO

Congreso; XXXV Reunión Anual SAN2020 . Modalidad virtual; 2020

In the nervous system, regulation of the dynamic and organization of microtubules is essential for the initiation, extension and maintenance of neuronal processes. Wnts proteins regulate cytoskeletal network and the activity of different effectors to control neuronal polarity, axon and dendrite development and maturation. In this work, we focus our attention on the role of Wnt7b during earlier neuronal development, particularly in axonal growth. We have previously shown that Wnt7b is specific involved in the establishment of neuronal polarity and in axonal outgrowth. Recently we discovered that wnt7b induces almost 30% increase in microtubule stability when compared with control condition. Moreover, Wnt7b significantly increases the proportion of growth cones containing looped microtubules. To go further, we will analyze in detail the distribution of microtubules in axonal growth cones of cultured neurons. Through pharmacological inhibition of non-canonical pathways our findings suggest that inhibition JNK (PCP pathway) abolished the Wnt7b mediated axonal effects over axonal architecture. Consistently, we then evidenced the JNK activation by Wnt7b using western blot and immunofluorescence techniques. In future experiments, we hope to determine whether changes in microtubule dynamics induced by wnt7b imply JNK involvement.