Small molecules in Wnt signaling


There is significant interest in finding small molecules that can either activate or inhibit Wnt signaling. Blocking Wnt signaling, especially at the level of the nuclear complex between beta-catenin and TCF may be useful to intefere with tumor growth. The following table lists compounds that have been reported to modulate Wnt signaling by targeting various components of the pathway, resulting in either inhibition or activation (sometimes by blocking negative Wnt components). See Yang et al, (2022),  Dodge 2010Chen 2010, Barker 2006, Meijer 2004, Kahn 2014  for reviews. See Kulak et al (2015) for a discussion of side effects of Tankyrase inhibitors 

Compound

Target

Inhibitor/activator

of the target

Effect on signaling

reference

WAY-316606    SFRP Inhibitor activates Bodine et al 2009
ABC99NotumInhibitoractivatesSuciu et al, 2018
IWP Porcupine Inhibitor inhibits Chen et al (2009)
Other Porcupine inhibtorsPorcupineInhibitorInhibits

Dodge, 2012

Wang et al, 2013

LGK974PorcupineInhibitorInhibitsin trial
C59PorcupineInhibitorinhibitsProffitt et al, 2013
ETC-159PorcupineInhibitorinhibitsMadan 2016
Ant1.4Br/Ant 1.4Cl Wnt Inhibitor (free Wnt, not membrane-bound Wnt) inhibits Morell 2008
(hetero)arylpyrimidines ? Activator activates Gilbert, 2009
Niclosamide Frizzled Inhibitor inhibits Chen 2009
PeptideFrizzled inhibitsNile et al. 2018
apicularen and bafilomycin Vacuolar ATPase Inhibitor inhibits Cruciat 2010
XAV939 tankyrase 1/Axin Activates Axin inhibits Huang, 2009
IWR Axin Activates Axin inhibits

Chen et al (2009)

Kulak et al (2015)

G007-LK and G244-LMtankyrase, AxinActivates AxininhibitsLau, (2013)
IQ1 PP2A Activator activates Miyabayashi (2007)
pyrviniumCK1InhibitorinhibitsThorne (2010)
QS11 ARFGAP1 Activator activates Zhang et al 2007
NSC668036 Dsh Inhibitor inhibits Shan et al (2005)
SB-216763 GSK3 Inhibitor activates Coghlan et al (2000)
CHIR99021 GSK3 Inhibitor activates PubChem
BIO(6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime) GSK3 Inhibitor activates Sato et al, 2004
LY2090314    GSK3InhibitoractivatesAtkinson 2015
DCA beta-catenin Activator activates Pai et al (2004
2-amino-4-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzyl-amino]-6-(3-methoxyphenyl)pyrimidine unknown Activator activates Liu et al (2005)
2,4-diamino-quinazoline TCF/beta-catenin Inhibitor inhibits Chen 2009
Quercetin TCF Inhibitor inhibits Park et al (2005)
ICG-001 CREB-binding protein Inhibitor inhibits Emami 2004
PKF115-584 (and several other compounds) TCF/beta-catenin Inhibitor inhibits Lepourcelet et al (2004)
BC2059/Tegavivintß-catenin TBL interactionInhibitorInhibits 

Fiskus  et al (2011)

Fiskus (2015)

Clinical trial

Shizokaol DAxin? Inhibits

Tang et al, 2016