Figure 1

Small molecule inhibitors of WNT/β-catenin signaling effectively block TCF/Lef-mediated activity of β-catenin. (A) Small molecules dose-dependently inhibit transcription factor/lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (TCF/LEF) reporter activity in HEK-293t cells, induced by the glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) inhibitor 6-bromoindirubin 3'-oxime (BIO) (1.0 µM). Data represent the means of three independent experiments with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). (B) Metabolic activity, measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in KS483-4C3 cells, was not affected by small molecules at lower concentrations; however, at 1.0 µM (except for CGP049090) and 3.0 µM, metabolic activity was significantly decreased. Data represent the means of three independent experiments with 95% CI. (C) Treatment with 50 mM LiCl induced nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Small molecules by themselves had no effect on cellular localization of β-catenin, whereas PKF118-310 and PKF115-584 blocked LiCl-induced translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus. CGP049090 did not affect nuclear accumulation of β-catenin after LiCl treatment. A representative example of three independent experiments is shown. Scale bar represents 10 µm *P < 0.05 placed in the order relative to the order of the data points below..