Crosstalk Between β-CATENIN-Mediated Cell Adhesion and the WNT Signaling Pathway

Cell adhesion and stable signaling regulation are fundamental ways of maintaining homeostasis. Among them, the Wnt/beta-CATENIN signaling plays a key role in embryonic development and maintenance of body dynamic homeostasis. At the same time, the key signaling molecule beta-CATENIN in the Wnt signaling can also function as a cytoskeletal linker protein to regulate tissue barriers, cell migration, and morphogenesis. Dysregulation of the balance between Wnt signaling and adherens junctions can lead to disease. How beta-CATENIN maintains the independence of these two functions, or mediates the interaction and balance of these two functions, has been explored and debated for a long time. In this study, we will focus on five aspects of beta-CATENIN chaperone molecules, phosphorylation of beta-CATENIN and related proteins, epithelial mesenchymal transition, beta-CATENIN homolog protein gamma-CATENIN and disease, thus deepening the understanding of the Wnt/beta-CATENIN signaling and the homeostasis between cell adhesion and further addressing related disease problems.