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Novel Wnt antagonists target porcupine and Axin

Wnt signals are seemingly ubiquitous in biology, controlling processes as diverse as bristle patterning in flies and tissue regeneration in humans. A new report describes the discovery of small molecules that inhibit Wnt signaling by two unprecedented mechanisms, paving the way for fundamental studies and perhaps improved treatment of colon cancer.

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Figure 1: Mechanisms of small-molecule Wnt antagonism, new and old.

Kim Caesar

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Yeh, JR., Peterson, R. Novel Wnt antagonists target porcupine and Axin. Nat Chem Biol 5, 74–75 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio0209-74

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