How the cell-surface protein Dlp controls Wnt signaling
Official title: Mechanisms of Wg/Wnt regulation by glypican Dlp
Funded at University of Massachusetts Lowell · NIH-11251301 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how Dlp, a cell-surface protein, helps control Wnt signals that guide tissue growth and can be disrupted in some cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Lowell NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lowell, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00GM141414-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251301 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with epithelial cancers or conditions known to involve abnormal Wnt signaling would be the most likely eventual beneficiaries of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to Wnt pathway dysregulation are unlikely to see direct benefit from this lab-based work.
What this research studies
The team uses a fruit fly ovary (Drosophila germarium) model to follow how Dlp binds, releases, and changes location to control Wnt availability. They combine genetics, cell biology, and biochemical methods to test how cleavage by the enzyme Mmp2 alters Dlp function. Experiments will track Wnt distribution and signaling range after manipulating Dlp or Mmp2. The goal is to define molecular steps that balance long-range and local Wnt signaling.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal molecular targets to better control Wnt-driven tissue growth in epithelial cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous basic research has linked glypicans and matrix metalloproteases to Wnt regulation in model systems, but the specific Dlp/Mmp2 mechanism described here is relatively new and needs further validation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waghmare, Indrayani — University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Study coordinator: Waghmare, Indrayani
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.