- Zacarías-Fluck, Mariano F;
- Jauset, Toni;
- Martínez-Martín, Sandra;
- Kaur, Jastrinjan;
- Casacuberta-Serra, Sílvia;
- Massó-Vallés, Daniel;
- del Pozo, Erika Serrano;
- Martín-Fernández, Génesis;
- González-Larreategui, Íñigo;
- López-Estévez, Sergio;
- Brown-Swigart, Lamorna;
- Beaulieu, Marie-Eve;
- Whitfield, Jonathan R;
- Madan, Babita;
- Virshup, David M;
- Evan, Gerard I;
- Soucek, Laura
The huge cadre of genes regulated by Myc has obstructed the identification of critical effectors that are essential for Myc-driven tumorigenesis. Here, we describe how only the lack of the receptor Fzd9, previously identified as a Myc transcriptional target, impairs sustained tumor expansion and β-cell dedifferentiation in a mouse model of Myc-driven insulinoma, allows pancreatic islets to maintain their physiological structure and affects Myc-related global gene expression. Importantly, Wnt signaling inhibition in Fzd9-competent mice largely recapitulates the suppression of proliferation caused by Fzd9 deficiency upon Myc activation. Together, our results indicate that the Wnt signaling receptor Fzd9 is essential for Myc-induced tumorigenesis in pancreatic islets.