Circulating Wnt Ligands Activate the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Mature Erythrocytes

Objective: The deformation ability of erythrocytes is critical for their function and affects mobility in the circulation. To circulate travel through narrow vessels, must continuously alter shape by modifying cytoskeleton, which controls elasticity stability. Erythrocytes lack nuclei other major organelles, thus most known signaling cascades are thought to be inactive these cells. As noncanonical Wnt pathway cytoskeleton dynamics posttranslational modifications, we hypothesized that this may affect erythrocytes. Approach Results: We demonstrate components expressed incubation with ligands prolonged survival both ex vivo, under storage conditions, posttransfusion recipient mice. show modulate erythrocyte enhancing its flexibility strength. Importantly, Wnt-5A ligand secreted into plasma monocytes lymphocytes a possible source effectors blood Conclusions: These findings provide evidence intracellular activity enucleated cells signal transduction circulation open new exciting avenues studying pathways bloodstream.