Dickkopf-1 is a member of a new family of secreted proteins and functions in head induction
Abstract
The Spemann organizer in amphibian embryos is a tissue with potent head-inducing activity, the molecular nature of which is unresolved. Here we describe dickkopf-1 (dkk-1), which encodes Dkk-1, a secreted inducer of Spemann's organizer in Xenopus and a member of a new protein family. Injections of mRNA and antibody indicate that dkk-1 is sufficient and necessary to cause head induction. dkk-1 s a potent antagonist of Wnt signalling, suggesting that dkk genes encode a family of secreted Wnt inhibitors.
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A number of secreted proteins that bind to Wnts and prevent their interaction with either Fz or LRP5/6 to antagonize Wnt signaling have been identified, including Dickkopf (Dkk) proteins, Wnt-inhibitor protein (WIF), soluble Frizzled-related proteins (SFRP), Cerebrus, Frzb and Wise.
“In the extra-cellular matrix, a number of secreted proteins that bind to Wnts and prevent their interaction with either Fz or LRP5/6 to antagonize Wnt signaling have been identified. These include Dickkopf (Dkk) proteins,16 Wnt-inhibitor protein (WIF),17 soluble Frizzled-related proteins (SFRP),18 Cerebrus,19 Frzb20 and the context dependent Wnt inhibitor Wise.21”
From Wnt signal transduction pathways (2008) · cites this paper as [16]
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- Authors
- Glinka, A., Wu, W., Delius, H., Monaghan, A. P., Blumenstock, C., & Niehrs, C.
- Affiliations
- German Cancer Research Center (DE)
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 1998-01
- Volume
- 391
- Issue
- 6665
- Pages
- 357-362
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W1564357553
- Cited by
- 1,608
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 41 · 2018: 57 · 2017: 71 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 65 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 63 · 2012: 75
- FWCI
- 18.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Renal and related cancers
- Keywords
- DKK1, Spemann organizer, head induction, Wnt signaling, Wnt inhibitors, secreted proteins, Xenopus embryo, amphibian embryonic development, gene family
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cloning, Molecular, Embryonic Induction, Multigene Family, Head, Molecular Sequence Data, Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Xenopus, Signal Transduction, Xenopus Proteins, Zebrafish Proteins, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Embryonic Development, Wnt Proteins
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