Wnt/β-catenin and D2 receptor signaling crosstalk in disease mechanisms
- 1College of Basic Medicine, Xinjiang Second Medical College, Karamay, 834000, China
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a fundamental regulator of development, tissue homeostasis, and disease progression. Recent studies have suggested functional interactions between Wnt signaling and dopamine D2 receptor (D2DR) pathways, with the AKT–GSK3β axis emerging as a key point of convergence that influences β-catenin stability and transcriptional activity. Through this signaling interface, D2DR may shape diverse biological processes, including neuronal survival, synaptic remodeling, and tumor progression. Importantly, the functional consequences of Wnt–D2DR crosstalk appear to be highly context-dependent, differing substantially between neurological disorders and colorectal cancer. In parallel, advances in organoid systems, single-cell technologies, and real-time biosensing approaches are beginning to provide mechanistic insights into the dynamic regulation of these pathways. Although therapeutic strategies directly targeting Wnt–D2DR interactions remain unavailable, growing evidence supports their potential relevance to disease-specific therapeutic interventions. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of this signaling network may provide new opportunities for both mechanistic investigation and translational development.
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BibTeX
@article{peikun2026wntβcatenin,
title = {{Wnt/β-catenin and D2 receptor signaling crosstalk in disease mechanisms}},
author = {Zhang Peikun and Ge Yuanyan and Zhang Xu},
journal = {Open Life Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1515/biol-2025-1385},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1515/biol-2025-1385},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Wnt/β-catenin and D2 receptor signaling crosstalk in disease mechanisms
AU - Zhang Peikun
AU - Ge Yuanyan
AU - Zhang Xu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Open Life Sciences
DO - 10.1515/biol-2025-1385
UR - https://doi.org/10.1515/biol-2025-1385
AB - Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a fundamental regulator of development, tissue homeostasis, and disease progression. Recent studies have suggested functional interactions between Wnt signaling and dopamine D2 receptor (D2DR) pathways, with the AKT–GSK3β axis emerging as a key point of convergence that influences β-catenin stability and transcriptional activity. Through this signaling interface, D2DR may shape diverse biological processes, including neuronal survival, synaptic remodeling, and tumor progression. Importantly, the functional consequences of Wnt–D2DR crosstalk appear to be highly context-dependent, differing substantially between neurological disorders and colorectal cancer. In parallel, advances in organoid systems, single-cell technologies, and real-time biosensing approaches are beginning to provide mechanistic insights into the dynamic regulation of these pathways. Although therapeutic strategies directly targeting Wnt–D2DR interactions remain unavailable, growing evidence supports their potential relevance to disease-specific therapeutic interventions. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of this signaling network may provide new opportunities for both mechanistic investigation and translational development.
SN - 2391-5412
ER -