The Wnt genes encode a family of secreted extracellular signaling glycoproteins, which function in a variety of important developmental processes such as regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Wnt proteins also play roles in carcinogenesis. Wnt-14, rather than Wnt-15, is preferentially expressed in various types of human cancer. Wnt-15 is expressed in fetal and adult kidney and is most homologous to Wnt-14. Wnt-16, another member in the Wnt family, has two mRNA isoforms, Wnt-16a and Wnt-16b. These isoforms differ in the composition of their 5'UTR and first exon, which results in differential expression. Wnt-16a is expressed only in pancreas, whereas Wnt-16b is highly expressed in adult kidney, placenta, brain, heart and spleen, but not in bone marrow. However, Wnt-16 transcripts are present in bone marrow and cell lines derived from pre-B acute lymphoblastoid leukemia patients carrying the E2A-Pbx1 hybrid gene. Thus, Wnt-16 is a downstream target of E2A-Pbx1, and the Wnt-16-mediated autocrine growth mechanism may contribute to the development of t(1;19) pre-B acute lymphoblastoid leukemias.
Function: Ligand for members of the frizzled family of seven transmembrane receptors. Probable developmental protein. May be a signaling molecule which affects the development of discrete regions of tissues. Is likely to signal over only few cell diameters
Tissue Specificity: Isoform Wnt-16b is expressed in peripheral lymphoid organs such as spleen, appendix, and lymph nodes, in kidney but not in bone marrow. Isoform Wnt-16a is expressed at significant levels only in the pancreas.
Post-translational modifications: Palmitoylation at Ser-227 is required for efficient binding to frizzled receptors. It is also required for subsequent palmitoylation at Cys-81. Palmitoylation is necessary for proper trafficking to cell surface
