Targeting stem cell signaling pathways for drug discovery: advances in the Notch and Wnt pathways

Signaling pathways transduce extracellular stimuli into cells through molecular cascades to regulate cellular functions. In stem cells, a small number of pathways, notably those of TGF-beta/BMP, Hedgehog, Notch, and Wnt, are responsible for the regulation of pluripotency and differentiation. During embryonic development, these pathways govern cell fate specifications as well as the formation of tissues and organs. In adulthood, their normal functions are important for tissue homeostasis and regeneration, whereas aberrations result in diseases, such as cancer and degenerative disorders. In complex biological systems, stem cell signaling pathways work in concert as a network and exhibit crosstalk, such as the negative crosstalk between Wnt and Notch. Over the past decade, genetic and genomic studies have identified a number of potential drug targets that are involved in stem cell signaling pathways. Indeed, discovery of new targets and drugs for these pathways has become one of the most active areas in both the research community and pharmaceutical industry. Remarkable progress has been made and several promising drug candidates have entered into clinical trials. This review focuses on recent advances in the discovery of novel drugs which target the Notch and Wnt pathways.