Wnts are secreted signaling molecules that are implicated in a variety of growth-related processes. Frizzled proteins have been identified as receptors for Wnt ligands in vertebrates and invertebrates, but a functional role for dioecious flatworm Frizzleds has not been determined. To evaluate the endogenous role of Frizzled proteins during development, we have identified and characterized a Schistosoma japonicum frizzled gene (Sjfz7). We found that Sjfz7 encodes a 698 amino acid protein with typical characteristics of Frizzled proteins. The immunohistochemical localization pattern showed that Sjfz7 protein was extensively distributed in almost all tissues of S. japonicum, including subtegumental muscle cells, parenchymal cells, intestinal epithelial cells and male and female germ cells. This indicated that Sjfz7-mediated Wnt signaling might be associated with the development of musculature, intestinal tract and reproductive organs in schistosome. Comparing mRNA levels between frizzled family members showed that Sjfz7 mRNA was consistently higher in the developmental stages analyzed, suggesting that Sjfz7 may be responsible for more functional tasks than other frizzled family members. Comparing frizzled mRNA levels between not fully developed and normal worms suggested that Wnt signaling might be abnormal in not fully developed worms.

Wnt是分泌的信号分子，与多种与生长相关的过程有关。在脊椎动物和无脊椎动物中，毛躁蛋白被鉴定为Wnt配体的受体，但是雌雄异体扁虫毛躁蛋白的功能性作用尚未确定。为了评估卷曲蛋白在发育过程中的内源性作用，我们鉴定并鉴定了日本血吸虫卷曲蛋白基因（Sjfz7）。我们发现Sjfz7编码698个氨基酸的蛋白质，具有卷曲蛋白的典型特征。免疫组化定位结果表明，Sjfz7蛋白广泛分布在日本血吸虫的几乎所有组织中包括皮下肌细胞，实质细胞，肠上皮细胞以及雌雄生殖细胞。这表明Sjfz7介导的Wnt信号可能与血吸虫中肌肉组织，肠道和生殖器官的发育有关。比较翻毛家族成员之间的mRNA水平，可以发现在分析的发育阶段Sjfz7 mRNA始终较高，这表明Sjfz7可能比其他翻毛家族成员承担更多的功能性任务。比较未完全发育的蠕虫和正常蠕虫之间的卷曲的mRNA水平表明，在未完全发育的蠕虫中Wnt信号可能异常。