Teitell Lab Collaborates on Study Linking WNT Signaling and Metabolism to Colon Cancer

Los Angeles – It has been known for some time that Wnt signaling has been involved in the development of many cancers, including colon cancer. However, these effects have been attributed to the Wnt pathway action on the cell cycle. Researchers at UCI and UCLA decided to investigate whether Wnt had another unsuspected role in cancer, specifically in regulating energy metabolism, due to their observation of changes in the expression of metabolic enzymes in colon cancer cells. Their findings implicate Wnt signaling in energy metabolism in colon cancer and suggest the possible development of cancer therapies that target the Wnt signaling pathway.