WNT16: A Key Signaling Molecule in Bone Homeostasis and Cancer
Comprehensive genomic and proteomic overview of WNT16, a member of the WNT ligand family involved in development, bone density regulation, and tumor progression.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | WNT16 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Wnt family member 16 |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 7q31.31 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 51384 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/51384 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000102755 |
| UniProt ID | Q9UBV4 |
| OMIM ID | 606267 |
| HGNC ID | 16200 |
| Aliases | WNT16B, WNT16A |
Description
WNT16 is a member of the WNT gene family, which encodes secreted signaling proteins involved in developmental processes, cell proliferation, and differentiation. WNT16 plays a critical role in bone homeostasis by regulating osteoblast and osteoclast activity. It also contributes to cancer progression, particularly in prostate cancer and multiple myeloma, where it promotes tumor growth and therapy resistance. Alternative splicing generates two isoforms: WNT16A and WNT16B.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis | WNT16 variants influence bone mineral density by modulating WNT/β-catenin signaling in osteoblasts and osteoclasts. | GWAS studies (OMIM #606267) |
| Prostate cancer | WNT16B is upregulated in the tumor microenvironment and promotes resistance to androgen deprivation therapy via paracrine signaling. | PMID: 22751019; COSMIC analysis |
| Multiple myeloma | WNT16 expression in bone marrow stromal cells supports myeloma cell survival and drug resistance through non-canonical WNT signaling. | PMID: 25624453 |
| Fracture risk | WNT16 polymorphisms are associated with cortical bone thickness and fracture risk independent of bone mineral density. | ClinVar; PMID: 22504419 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Bone marrow | 0.2 | Low |
| Prostate | 1.5 | Medium |
| Kidney | 0.8 | Low |
| Lung | 0.3 | Low |
| Breast | 0.1 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC-3 (prostate cancer) | 2.1 | Androgen-independent line; high WNT16B expression |
| LNCaP (prostate cancer) | 0.5 | Androgen-sensitive; lower expression |
| MCF-7 (breast cancer) | 0.2 | Low expression |
| HEK293 (embryonic kidney) | 0.1 | Basal expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1A>G | missense | <0.01% | Uncertain significance; ClinVar ID: 132456 |
| c.215C>T | missense | <0.01% | Likely benign; ClinVar ID: 789012 |
| c.340G>A | missense | <0.01% | Uncertain significance; ClinVar ID: 345678 |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
No confirmed loss-of-function mutations reported in ClinVar or COSMIC for WNT16.
Gain of Function (GOF)
WNT16B overexpression in prostate cancer acts as a gain-of-function paracrine signal; no specific activating mutations documented.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative mutations described for WNT16.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Wnt signaling pathway (KEGG: hsa04310)
• Wnt/β-catenin signaling (Reactome: R-HSA-201681)
• Non-canonical Wnt signaling (Reactome: R-HSA-4086400)
• Osteoclast differentiation (KEGG: hsa04380)
Protein Summary
WNT16 is a secreted glycoprotein of approximately 40 kDa, belonging to the WNT ligand family. It contains a conserved WNT domain and a signal peptide for secretion. WNT16 activates both canonical (β-catenin-dependent) and non-canonical (planar cell polarity, calcium) signaling pathways. The protein is post-translationally modified by palmitoylation, which is essential for its secretion and receptor binding. Isoform WNT16B lacks the N-terminal signal peptide and may function intracellularly or in a truncated form.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WNT16 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ349 | Human | 51384 | Details Get a Quote |
| WNT16 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18532 | Human | 51384 | Details Get a Quote |
| WNT16 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ56304 | Human | 51384 | Details Get a Quote |
| WNT16 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ64793 | Human | 51384 | Details Get a Quote |
