Function
Beta-catenin is an adherens junction protein. Beta-Catenin is a multifunctional protein related to the adherens junction and to signal transduction.
Beta-catenin is a key molecule of cell proliferation. Its role is central to epithelial architecture, regulating the polarity of cells and tissues.
Beta-catenin (CTNNB1) (MIM.116806) and plakoglobin are substrates for tyrosine phosphorylation following EGF stimulation of cells.
Features
cadherin-catenin complex
beta-catenin/APC pathway
Targets - Ligands
Wnt
Pathology
somatic mutations in tumors
- somatic mutations in colorectal adenocarcinoma
- somatic mutations in hepatoblastoma (9927029, 10398436, 10698519, 10754205, 11309340, 11666046, 11813174, 12101426)
- somatic mutations in endometrioid ovarian carcinoma
- somatic mutations in medulloblastoma
- somatic mutations in deep desmoid fibromatosis (deep desmoid tumor)
- somatic mutations in pilomatricoma (pilomatrixoma) (MIM.116806) (11472567)
- somatic mutations in adenoid cystic carcinoma (15195113)
- somatic mutations in pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary tumor (83%) (11731417)
- somatic mutations in pancreatoblastoma (11696422)
- somatic mutations in Wilms tumor (10463574, 11103785)
- missense mutations in classic pulmonary blastoma (15223963)
- somatic mutations in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma
- somatic mutations in calcifying odontogenic cysts (14578169)
- somatic mutations in nasopharyngeal juvenile angiofibroma (11238055)
- somatic mutations in sporadic fundic gland polyps (11238048)
- somatic mutations in poorly differentiated (25%) and undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas (21.4%) (11238046)
- somatic mutations in low-stage hepatocellular carcinoma negative for hepatitis B virus
promoter swapping
- promoter swapping between the genes for zinc finger protein PLAG1 and beta-catenin CTNNB1 in pleiomorphic adenoma with t(3;8)(p21;q12) translocations
Diagnostic immunochemistry
desmoid fibromatosis vs low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma differential diagnosis
- beta-catenin expression in desmoid fibromatosis / negative in low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma
Reviews
Mizumoto K, Sawa H. Two betas or not two betas: regulation of asymmetric division by beta-catenin. Trends Cell Biol. 2007 Oct;17(10):465-73. Epub 2007 Oct 4. Review. PMID: 17919911
Nathke I. Cytoskeleton out of the cupboard: colon cancer and cytoskeletal changes induced by loss of APC. Nat Rev Cancer. 2006 Dec;6(12):967-74. PMID: 17093505
Lilien J, Balsamo J. The regulation of cadherin-mediated adhesion by tyrosine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of beta-catenin. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2005 Oct;17(5):459-65. PMID: 16099633
Brembeck FH, Rosario M, Birchmeier W. Balancing cell adhesion and Wnt signaling, the key role of beta-catenin. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2006 Feb;16(1):51-9. PMID: 16377174
Harris TJ, Peifer M. Decisions, decisions: beta-catenin chooses between adhesion and transcription. Trends Cell Biol. 2005 May;15(5):234-7. PMID: 15866026
Bhattacharya B, Dilworth HP, Iacobuzio-Donahue C, Ricci F, Weber K, Furlong MA, Fisher C, Montgomery E. Nuclear beta-Catenin Expression Distinguishes Deep Fibromatosis From Other Benign and Malignant Fibroblastic and Myofibroblastic Lesions. Am J Surg Pathol. 2005 May;29(5):653-659. PMID: 15832090
Bienz M. beta-Catenin: A Pivot between Cell Adhesion and Wnt Signalling. Curr Biol. 2005 Jan 26;15(2):R64-7. PMID: 15668160
Moon RT, Kohn AD, Ferrari GV, Kaykas A. WNT and beta-catenin signalling: diseases and therapies. Nat Rev Genet. 2004 Sep;5(9):691-701. PMID: 15372092
References
Amary MF, Pauwels P, Meulemans E, Roemen GM, Islam L, Idowu B, Bousdras K, Diss TC, O’Donnell P, Flanagan AM. Detection of beta-catenin mutations in paraffin-embedded sporadic desmoid-type fibromatosis by mutation-specific restriction enzyme digestion (MSRED): an ancillary diagnostic tool. Am J Surg Pathol. 2007 Sep;31(9):1299-309. PMID: 17721184