Academic Section(s):
Oncology Science
Education:
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Clinical/Research Interests:
Our research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate Wnt signaling in cancer, with an emphasis on macropinocytosis and lysosomal function, as well as their interactions with focal adhesions.
Key areas of interest include:
- Investigating how Wnt signaling induces macropinocytosis and how this process contributes to cancer cell growth.
- Exploring the relationship between Wnt signaling and cellular adhesion and migration in tumor progression and metastasis.
- Developing novel therapeutic strategies to restore cell adhesion and limit cancer invasiveness by targeting the crosstalk between Wnt signaling and focal adhesions.
By targeting endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and lysosomal function, my research seeks to develop novel cancer therapies, particularly for Wnt-driven tumors. Wnt signaling is crucial for regulating cell growth, migration, and differentiation, which are often altered in cancer. Understanding the role of Wnt-induced macropinocytosis in promoting tumor progression could reveal new therapeutic targets. Additionally, my work explores how disrupting lysosomal pathways may impair cancer cells' ability to acquire nutrients, offering potential treatment strategies. Ultimately, I aim to identify molecular approaches that restore healthy cell behavior while limiting cancer invasiveness by modulating key cellular processes.
Select Publications:
Selected Publications:
- Tejeda-Muñoz N, Albrecht LV, Bui MH, De Robertis EM (2019). Wnt canonical pathway activates macropinocytosis and lysosomal degradation of extracellular proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 116: 10402-10411. (First author, discovered that Wnt induces macropinocytosis and stimulates cell growth). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903506116 PMCID: PMC6534993
- Albrecht LV*, Tejeda-Muñoz N*, Bui MH, Cicchetto AC, Azzolin L, Colozza G, Schmid E, Piccolo E, Christofk HR, De Robertis M (2020). GSK3 Inhibits Macropinocytosis and Lysosomal Activity through the Wnt Destruction Complex Machinery. Cell Rep. 32: 107973. (Co-first author, discovered Wnt-induced macropinocytosis regulation through GSK3 and the β-catenin destruction complex). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107973 Equal contributionPMCID: PMC7666578
- Tejeda-Muñoz N, De Robertis EM (2022). Lysosomes are Required for Early Dorsal Signaling in the Xenopus Embryo. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 119(17): e2201008119. (First author, discovered that Wnt signaling is regulated by lysosomal function). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201008119 PMCID: PMC9170039
- Tejeda-Muñoz N, Azbazdar Y, Monka J, Binder G, Dayrit A, Ayala R, O’Brien N, De Robertis EM (2023). The PMA Phorbol Ester Tumor Promoter Increases Canonical Wnt Signaling Via Macropinocytosis. eLife 12: RP89141. (First author, demonstrated that macropinocytosis, lysosomal activity, and membrane trafficking can be therapeutic targets for Wnt-driven cancers). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.89141 PMCID: PMC10274750
Complete list of published work in MyBibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/nydia.tejeda.1/bibliography/public/