Breakthrough publication! Our recent paper in Nature Communications explains the novel structure-function mechanism by which cholesterol promotes colon cancer. From a functional perspective, Wnt factors organize to form specialized plasma membrane (PM) domains. Dysregulation of Wnt domain structure can promote oncogenic Wnt signaling. Here, we describe an intricate Wnt signaling-associated mechanism involving oncogenic truncated APC and the loss of PM cholesterol homeostasis, which alters the organization of Wnt signaling nanoassemblies (biomolecular condensates) and drives aberrant Wnt signaling and CRC tumorigenesis. These highly significant findings are relevant to the nascent field of “membrane therapy”.
