Fig. 11. Wnt/ß-catenin activates the transcription of ß-crystallin. (A) Explants were cultured for 5 days with control medium, Wnt3a CM, 10 mM NaCl, or 10 mM LiCl in the absence of stimulation by FGF2. Total RNA was prepared from each explant and ßB2-crystallin expression was assayed by RT-PCR. (B) To analyze the transcriptional activity of ß-crystallin, mouse lens cells were transiently transfected with pßB2-crystallin-luciferase plasmid, and co-transfected with an expression plasmid of GSK-3ß, ICAT or GFP (as a control). Cells were stimulated by Control medium, Wnt CM, 10 mM NaCl, 10 mM LiCl or a co-transfection of ß-catenin and stabilized ß-catenin (S37A). The activity was measured by dual luciferase analysis. Values present the mean±s.d. (n=5) and are expressed as an n-fold increase relative to the control medium.