β-catenin is dispensable for hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis

M Cobas, A Wilson, B Ernst, SJC Mancini… - The Journal of …, 2004 - rupress.org
M Cobas, A Wilson, B Ernst, SJC Mancini, HR MacDonald, R Kemler, F Radtke
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2004rupress.org
β-catenin–mediated Wnt signaling has been suggested to be critically involved in
hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and development of T and B cells in the immune
system. Unexpectedly, here we report that inducible Cre-loxP–mediated inactivation of the β-
catenin gene in bone marrow progenitors does not impair their ability to self-renew and
reconstitute all hematopoietic lineages (myeloid, erythroid, and lymphoid), even in
competitive mixed chimeras. In addition, both thymocyte survival and antigen-induced …
β-catenin–mediated Wnt signaling has been suggested to be critically involved in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and development of T and B cells in the immune system. Unexpectedly, here we report that inducible Cre-loxP–mediated inactivation of the β-catenin gene in bone marrow progenitors does not impair their ability to self-renew and reconstitute all hematopoietic lineages (myeloid, erythroid, and lymphoid), even in competitive mixed chimeras. In addition, both thymocyte survival and antigen-induced proliferation of peripheral T cells is β-catenin independent. In contrast to earlier reports, these data exclude an essential role for β-catenin during hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis.
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