Frizzled-1 is involved in the neuroprotective effect of Wnt3a against Abeta oligomers

The activation of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway protects hippocampal neurons against the toxicity of Alzheimer's amyloid-beta-peptide (Abeta), however, the role played by the Wnt receptors Frizzleds, has not been studied. We report here that Frizzled-1 mediates the activation of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway by Wnt3a in PC12 cells. In addition, the protective effect of Wnt3a against the toxicity of Abeta oligomers was modulated by Frizzled-1 expression levels in both PC12 cells and hippocampal neurons. Over-expression of Frizzled-1 significantly increased cell survival induced by Wnt3a and diminished caspase-3 activation, while knocking-down Frizzled-1 expression by antisense oligonucleotides decreased the Wnt3a protection. Over-expression of wild-type beta-catenin, but not a transcriptionally inactive mutated version, prevented the toxicity of Abeta suggesting that the transcription of Wnt target genes may be involved in these events. This was confirmed by co-transfecting both Frizzled-1 and the inactive form of beta-catenin, which does not elicited protection levels similar to those showed with endogenous beta-catenin. Our results indicate that Wnt3a protects from Abeta-oligomers toxicity by activating the canonical Wnt signaling pathway through the Frizzled-1 receptor, suggesting a therapeutic potential for this signaling pathway in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.