β-Catenin is essential for Müllerian duct regression during male sexual differentiation

• Published in: Development (Cambridge) Vol. 138; no. 10; pp. 1967 - 1975
• Main Authors: Kobayashi, Akio, Stewart, C Allison, Wang, Ying, Fujioka, Kaoru, Thomas, Nicholas C, Jamin, Soazik P, Behringer, Richard R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Company of Biologists 01.05.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Mullerian Hormone; Anti-Mullerian Hormone - physiology; Base Sequence; beta Catenin; beta Catenin - deficiency; beta Catenin - genetics; beta Catenin - physiology; DNA Primers; DNA Primers - genetics; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genitalia, Female; Genitalia, Female - embryology; Genitalia, Female - metabolism; Life Sciences; Male; Mesoderm; Mesoderm - embryology; Mesoderm - metabolism; Mice; Mice, 129 Strain; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; Models, Biological; Mullerian Ducts; Mullerian Ducts - embryology; Mullerian Ducts - metabolism; Pregnancy; Receptors, Peptide; Receptors, Peptide - deficiency; Receptors, Peptide - genetics; Receptors, Peptide - physiology; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta - deficiency; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta - genetics; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta - physiology; Reproductive Biology; Sex Differentiation; Sex Differentiation - genetics; Sex Differentiation - physiology; Signal Transduction; Testis; Testis - embryology; Testis - metabolism; Wnt Proteins; Wnt Proteins - deficiency; Wnt Proteins - genetics; Wnt Proteins - physiology; Wnt4 Protein; β-Catenin; Mouse; AMH; MIS; Wnt4; Müllerian duct regression
• ISSN: 0950-1991; 1477-9129
• DOI: 10.1242/dev.056143

During male sexual differentiation, the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling molecule anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH; also known as Müllerian inhibiting substance, MIS) is secreted by the fetal testes and induces regression of the Müllerian ducts, the primordia of the female reproductive tract organs. Currently, the molecular identity of downstream events regulated by the AMH signaling pathway remains unclear. We found that male-specific Wnt4 expression in mouse Müllerian duct mesenchyme depends upon AMH signaling, implicating the WNT pathway as a downstream mediator of Müllerian duct regression. Inactivation of β-catenin, a mediator of the canonical WNT pathway, did not affect AMH signaling activation in the Müllerian duct mesenchyme, but did block Müllerian duct regression. These data suggest that β-catenin mediates AMH signaling for Müllerian duct regression during male sexual differentiation.