Regulation of LECT2 expression by β-catenin.

<p>A. Strategy to identify biomarker for β-catenin activation. Microarray analysis was performed using liver tissue from hepatocyte-specific β-catenin knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, which identified 14 secreted targets. <i>Lect</i>2 expression was 117-fold lower in KO livers. B. β-Catenin expression in Hep3B cells and stable cell lines established with wild-type β-catenin (Hep3B WT)- or mutated β-catenin (Hep3B S33Y)-transfected cells. C. Representative Western blot shows increased LECT2 protein levels in Hep3B S33Y cells as compared to Hep3B WT. D. Hep3B S33Y cells transfected with either <i>β-catenin</i> or <i>control</i> siRNA showed decreased β-catenin and LECT2 protein levels in a representative Western blot. E. Increased LECT2 protein levels were observed in culture media collected from Hep3B S33Y cells as compared to Hep3B WT as analyzed by ELISA. Basal media was used as a negative control. F. Occupation of <i>Lect2</i> promoter by TCF4 especially in Hep3B S33Y cells was as assessed by ChIP. Albumin promoter is not regulated by β-catenin but by HNF1α, which is used as quality control for chromatin.