A bibliometric analysis of Wnt signaling pathway: from the top-100 cited articles to emerging trends

Background Wnt signaling pathway plays a vital role in the regulation of development. An increasing number of articles about Wnt pathway components have been published. By analyzing these studies' characteristics and qualities, we aim to reveal the current research focus and emerging trends in Wnt signaling. Methods The databases of Web of Science Core Collection, BIOSIS Citation Index, MEDLINE, etc. were utilized to identify articles on May 23rd, 2020. Wnt signaling pathway-related articles were identified, the 100 most cited articles and articles in the last decade were selected and calculated for citations without self-citation. The subsequent analysis included citation density (citations/article age), time-related flux, authorship, institution, journal, geographic distribution, and theme. Results These articles were published mainly from 2000 to 2009 (62%). Citations per article ranged from 599 to 3,780 with a median number of 880 times. Most studies (66%) came from the United States. Nusse Roel and Clevers Hans (15 and 13 papers) have contributed significantly to the field. The most highlighted study themes were cancer (15%), embryo development (14%), and cytoplasm signal transduction (11%). From 2011 to 2020, interest in emerging subtopics, including osteogenesis, immune, apoptosis, autophagy, microRNA, and cancer stem cell, are rising. Conclusions Cancer, embryo development, stem cell, and signal transduction process still play a major role in the field. With multiple emerging subtopics and investigation on an integrated view of the Wnt signal network, the association of Wnt with diseases was further revealed.