Human Wnt-5a (NP_003383.4) VersaClone cDNA

Wnt proteins are secreted glycoproteins that play critical roles in both carcinogenesis and embryonic development for a variety of organisms. Wnt-5a is part of the subgroup of Wnts that are not axis-inducing in Xenopus embryos and do not transform C57MG mammary epithelial cells. This subgroup is also implicated in the Wnt/Ca²⁺ pathway, playing roles in cell movements and cell adhesion. This non-canonical Wnt pathway can inhibit canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. In Wnt-5a deficient mouse embryos, beta-catenin accumulates in the limb bud suggesting that Wnt-5a normally promotes degradation of beta-catenin. Likewise, in Xenopus embryos Wnt-5a antagonizes the ability of the canonical Wnt subgroup to induce a secondary axis.

Wnt-5a is implicated in various types of cancer and has complex roles. Wnt-5a is known to act as a tumor suppressor for mammary, B-cell, colon, and uroepithelial cancer cells. In contrast, Wnt-5a is upregulated in melanomas, where expression levels correlate with severity of metastasis. Furthermore, aberrant Wnt-5a signaling results in other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Like other developmental growth factors Wnt-5a has diverse roles in development which range from early anterior-posterior development and gastrulation movements to maintaining hematopoietic stem cell population, lung morphogenesis, and limb outgrowth. Mouse and human Wnt-5a share 97% amino acid identity.