Wnt–β-catenin signalling in liver development, health and disease

The canonical Wnt–β-catenin pathway is a complex, evolutionarily conserved signalling mechanism that regulates fundamental physiological and pathological processes. Wnt–β-catenin signalling tightly controls embryogenesis, including hepatobiliary development, maturation and zonation. In the mature healthy liver, the Wnt–β-catenin pathway is mostly inactive but can become re-activated during cell renewal and/or regenerative processes, as well as in certain pathological conditions, diseases, pre-malignant conditions and cancer. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the two most prevalent primary liver tumours in adults, Wnt–β-catenin signalling is frequently hyperactivated and promotes tumour growth and dissemination. A substantial proportion of liver tumours (mainly HCC and, to a lesser extent, CCA) have mutations in genes encoding key components of the Wnt–β-catenin signalling pathway. Likewise, hepatoblastoma, the most common paediatric liver cancer, is characterized by Wnt–β-catenin activation, mostly as a result of β-catenin mutations. In this Review, we discuss the most relevant molecular mechanisms of action and regulation of Wnt–β-catenin signalling in liver development and pathophysiology. Moreover, we highlight important preclinical and clinical studies and future directions in basic and clinical research.