# Targeting WNT7A Signaling in Pulmonary Fibrosis

> **NIH NIH R01** · CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $787,266

## Abstract

Project Summary
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal form of progressive lung fibrosis (scarring), resulting in a loss of
40,000 Americans a year - a number of deaths similar to that of breast cancer. The role of basal cells or basal-
like cells in IPF is unknown. Basal cells are stem cells in the airway. However, accumulation of aberrant basal-
like cells has been reported in IPF. Using the state-of-the-art technology, we identified that basal-like cells are
significantly expanded in IPF lungs, and may have a pathological role. Furthermore, dysregulated signaling
pathways in basal-like cells cause excessive production of WNT7A. Our preliminary studies showed that WNT7A
promotes fibroblast activation and impairs renewal of type 2 alveolar epithelial stem cells (AT2). We therefore
formed a unified hypothesis that the dysregulated signaling pathways in the pathogenically accumulated basal-
like cells in IPF promote fibrogenesis by activation of the WNT signaling, leading to impairment of AT2 renewal
and to exaggerated fibroblast activation. We will test this hypothesis in human samples collected from lung
transplants and also in genetically modified mouse models. Therapeutic strategy to target WNT7A could improve
alveolar progenitor activity and damper fibroblast activation, thus leading to alleviate lung injury and prevent lung
fibrosis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10856695
- **Project number:** 1R01HL172990-01
- **Recipient organization:** CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Dianhua Jiang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $787,266
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10856695

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10856695, Targeting WNT7A Signaling in Pulmonary Fibrosis (1R01HL172990-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10856695. Licensed CC0.

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