2 These authors contributed equally 3 Correspondence to: r.vanamerongen@uva.nl Twitter: @wntlab WNT off Axin2 tetO-Tg GSK3 CTNNB1 WNT on Axin2 rtTA3 tetO-Tg CTNNB1 C T N N B 1 + DOX Axin2 rtTA3 tetO-Tg C T N N B 1 WNT onA novel mouse model to track and trace WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells 2 Abstract Wnt signal transduction controls tissue morphogenesis, maintenance and regeneration in all multicellular animals. In mammals, the WNT/CTNNB1 (Wnt/b-catenin) pathway controls cell proliferation and cell fate decisions before and after birth. It plays a critical role at multiple stages of embryonic development, but also governs stem cell maintenance and homeostasis in adult tissues. However, it remains challenging to monitor endogenous WNT/CTNNB1 signaling dynamics in vivo.Here we report the generation and characterization of a new knock-in mouse strain that doubles as a fluorescent reporter and lineage tracing driver for WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells. We introduced a multi-cistronic targeting cassette at the 3' end of the universal WNT/CTNNB1 target gene Axin2. The resulting knock-in allele expresses a bright fluorescent reporter (3xNLS-SGFP2) and a doxycyclineinducible driver for lineage tracing (rtTA3). We show that the Axin2 P2A-rtTA3-T2A-3xNLS-SGFP2 strain labels WNT/CTNNB1 cells at multiple anatomical sites during different stages of embryonic and postnatal development. It faithfully reports the subtle and dynamic changes in physiological WNT/CTNNB1 signaling activity that occur in vivo. We expect this mouse strain to be a useful resource for biologists who want to track and trace the location and developmental fate of WNT/CTNNB1 responsive stem cells in different contexts.

Summary Wnt signal transduction controls tissue morphogenesis, maintenance and regeneration in all multicellular animals. In mammals, the WNT/CTNNB1 (Wnt/β‐catenin) pathway controls cell proliferation and cell fate decisions before and after birth. It plays a critical role at multiple stages of embryonic development, but also governs stem cell maintenance and homeostasis in adult tissues. However, it remains challenging to monitor endogenous WNT/CTNNB1 signaling dynamics in vivo. Here, we report the generation and characterization of a new knock‐in mouse strain that doubles as a fluorescent reporter and lineage tracing driver for WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells. We introduced a multi‐cistronic targeting cassette at the 3′ end of the universal WNT/CTNNB1 target gene Axin2. The resulting knock‐in allele expresses a bright fluorescent reporter (3xNLS‐SGFP2) and a doxycycline‐inducible driver for lineage tracing (rtTA3). We show that the Axin2P2A‐rtTA3‐T2A‐3xNLS‐SGFP2 strain labels WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells at multiple anatomical sites during different stages of embryonic and postnatal development. It faithfully reports the subtle and dynamic changes in physiological WNT/CTNNB1 signaling activity that occur in vivo. We expect this mouse strain to be a useful resource for biologists who want to track and trace the location and developmental fate of WNT/CTNNB1 responsive stem cells in different contexts.

In the past forty years, the WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway has emerged as a key player in mammary gland development and homeostasis. While also evidently involved in breast cancer, much unclarity continues to surround its precise role in mammary tumor formation and progression. This is largely due to the fact that the specific and direct effects of hyperactive WNT/CTNNB1 signaling on the mammary epithelium remain unknown. Here we use a primary mouse mammary organoid culture system to close this fundamental knowledge gap. We show that hyperactive WNT/CTNNB1 signaling induces competing cell proliferation and differentiation responses. While proliferation is dominant at lower levels of WNT/CTNNB1 signaling activity, higher levels cause reprogramming towards an epidermal cell fate. We show that this involves de novo activation of the epidermal differentiation cluster (EDC) locus and we identify master regulatory transcription factors that likely control the process. This is the first time that the molecular and cellular dose-response effects of WNT/CTNNB1 signaling in the mammary epithelium have been dissected in such detail. Our analyses reveal that the mammary epithelium is exquisitely sensitive to small changes in WNT/CTNNB1 signaling and offer a mechanistic explanation for the squamous differentiation that is observed in some WNT/CTNNB1 driven tumors.

An increasing number of ‘-omics’ datasets, generated by labs all across the world, are becoming available. They contain a wealth of data that are largely unexplored. Not every scientist, however, will have access to the required resources and expertise to analyze such data from scratch. Fortunately, a growing number of investigators is dedicating their time and effort to the development of user friendly, online applications that allow researchers to use and investigate these datasets. Here, we will illustrate the usefulness of such an approach. Using regulation of Wnt7b expression as an example, we will highlight a selection of accessible tools and resources that are available to researchers in the area of mammary gland biology. We show how they can be used for in silico analyses of gene regulatory mechanisms, resulting in new hypotheses and providing leads for experimental follow up. We also call out to the mammary gland community to join forces in a coordinated effort to generate and share additional tissue-specific ‘-omics’ datasets and thereby expand the in silico toolbox.

An increasing number of ‘-omics’ datasets, generated by labs all across the world, are becoming available. They contain a wealth of data that are largely unexplored. Not every scientist, however, will have access to the required resources and expertise to analyze such data from scratch. Luckily, a growing number of investigators is dedicating their time and effort to the development of user friendly, online applications that allow researchers to use and investigate these datasets. Here, we will illustrate the usefulness of such an approach.Using regulation of Wnt7b as an example, we will highlight a selection of accessible tools and resources that are available to researchers in the area of mammary gland biology. We show how they can be used for in silico analyses of gene regulatory mechanisms, resulting in new hypotheses and providing leads for experimental follow up. We also call out to the mammary gland community to join forces in a coordinated effort to generate and share additional tissue-specific ‘-omics’ datasets and thereby expand the in silico toolbox.