Wnt/β-Catenin and 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate/Protein Kinase A Signaling Pathways Alterations and Somatic β-Catenin Gene Mutations in the Progression of Adrenocortical Tumors

Abstract

The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is activated in PPNADs and ACAs with PRKAR1A mutations, suggesting a cross talk between the cAMP and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways in ACT development. In addition, the occurrence as an additional hit of a CTNNB1 somatic mutation is associated with larger or more aggressive ACTs. This underlines the importance of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in adrenal cortex tumorigenesis and the importance of genetic accumulation in the progression of ACTs.