Pathophysiological Significance of WDR62 and JNK Signaling in Human Diseases

Yiqiang Zhi; Xiaokun Zhou; Jurui Yu; Ling Yuan; Hongsheng Zhang; Dominic C. H. Ng; Zhiheng Xu; Dan Xu

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.640753

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (Apr 2021)

Pathophysiological Significance of WDR62 and JNK Signaling in Human Diseases

Yiqiang Zhi,
Xiaokun Zhou,
Jurui Yu,
Ling Yuan,
Hongsheng Zhang,
Dominic C. H. Ng,
Zhiheng Xu,
Dan Xu

Affiliations

Yiqiang Zhi: College of Biological Science and Engineering, Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Xiaokun Zhou: College of Biological Science and Engineering, Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Jurui Yu: College of Biological Science and Engineering, Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Ling Yuan: Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
Hongsheng Zhang: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Dominic C. H. Ng: Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
Zhiheng Xu: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Dan Xu: Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.640753
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9

Abstract

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The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is highly evolutionarily conserved and plays important roles in a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. The WD40-repeat protein 62 (WDR62) is a scaffold protein that recruits different components of the JNK signaling pathway to regulate several human diseases including neurological disorders, infertility, and tumorigenesis. Recent studies revealed that WDR62 regulates the process of neural stem cell mitosis and germ cell meiosis through JNK signaling. In this review we summarize the roles of WDR62 and JNK signaling in neuronal and non-neuronal contexts and discuss how JNK-dependent signaling regulates both processes. WDR62 is involved in various human disorders via JNK signaling regulation, and may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of related diseases.

Published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

ISSN: 2296-634X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology

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Abstract

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