| First Author | Enshell-Seijffers D | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 107 |
| Issue | 50 | Pages | 21564-9 |
| PubMed ID | 21098273 | Mgi Jnum | J:167151 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4867344 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.1007326107 |
| Citation | Enshell-Seijffers D, et al. (2010) Beta-catenin activity in the dermal papilla of the hair follicle regulates pigment-type switching. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107(50):21564-9 |
| abstractText | The switch between black and yellow pigment is mediated by the interaction between Melanocortin receptor 1 (Mc1r) and its antagonist Agouti, but the genetic and developmental mechanisms that modify this interaction to obtain different coat color in distinct environments are poorly understood. Here, the role of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in the regulation of pigment-type switching was studied. Loss and gain of function of beta-catenin in the dermal papilla (DP) of the hair follicle results in yellow and black animals, respectively. beta-Catenin activity in the DP suppresses Agouti expression and activates Corin, a negative regulator of Agouti activity. In addition, beta-catenin activity in the DP regulates melanocyte activity by a mechanism that is independent of both Agouti and Corin. The coordinate and inverse regulation of Agouti and Corin renders pelage pigmentation sensitive to changes in beta-catenin activity in the DP that do not alter pelage structure. As a result, the signals that specify two biologically distinct quantitative traits are partially uncoupled despite their common regulation by the beta-catenin pathway in the same cells. |
