Naked cuticle 1

Naked cuticle 1 (NKD1) is a human gene that encodes the protein Nkd1, a member of the Naked cuticle (Nkd) family of proteins that regulate the Wnt signaling pathway.^[1][2][3] Insects typically have a single Nkd gene, whereas there are two Nkd genes, Nkd1 and Nkd2, in most vertebrates studied to date (zebrafish appear to have additional homologous genes such as Nkd3).^[4][5] Nkd1 binds to the Dishevelled (Dvl) family of proteins (DVL1, DVL2, DVL3). Specific truncating NKD1 mutations identified in DNA mismatch repair deficient colon cancer that disrupt Nkd1/Dvl binding implicate these mutations as a cause of increased Wnt signaling in a subset of human colon cancers, the majority of which have increased Wnt signaling due to mutations the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), AXIN2, or rarely the beta-catenin genes.^[6]