ANP32A represses Wnt signaling across tissues tissues thereby protecting against joint and heart disease

Abstract

Wnt signaling is key to diverse homeostatic and pathological processes. This cascade is hyper-activated in osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease. Yet, fundamental aspects of Wnt signaling remain undiscovered. Here, we report that ANP32A negatively regulates Wnt signaling across tissues. In cartilage, loss of Anp32a triggered Wnt hyper-activation. Mechanistically, ANP32A directly interacted with Wnt pathway components and inhibited Wnt target genes via histone acetylation masking. Wnt antagonist treatment reduced severity of osteoarthritis in Anp32a-deficient mice preventing osteophyte formation, contrasting with cartilage-protective effects of ANP32A on oxidative stress. Hence, dual therapy targeting Wnt signaling and oxidative stress in Anp32a-deficient mice ameliorated more osteoarthritis features than individual treatments. Anp32a loss also resulted in Wnt hyper-activation in the heart with cardiac hypertrophy, and in the hippocampus, shedding light on mechanisms for reported links between ANP32A and Alzheimer’s disease. Collectively, this work reveals that ANP32A is a translationally relevant repressor of Wnt signaling, impacting homeostasis and disease across tissues.