Canonical Wnt signaling modulates cell adhesions

Activated Wnt signaling leads to stabilization and nuclear localization of β-catenin, which induces the expression of Wnt target genes:

I.   The transcription factors Slug and Twist both repress the expression of E-cadherin, and Twist activates the expression of N-cadherin.

II.  The cell adhesion molecule L1 interferes with E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion.

III. The proteases MMP3 and MMP7 modulate the extracellular matrix, and MMP3, MMP7, and ADAM10 cleave E-cadherin.

IV. The cell matrix molecules fibronectin and laminin favor cell-substrate adhesion.

V.  Wnt signaling inactivates GSK3β, leading to stabilization of Snail, which also inhibits the expression of E-cadherin.

VI. p120 relieves the repressor Kaiso from Wnt target genes.