Featured Publications
Nav1.7 as a chondrocyte regulator and therapeutic target for osteoarthritis
Fu W, Vasylyev D, Bi Y, Zhang M, Sun G, Khleborodova A, Huang G, Zhao L, Zhou R, Li Y, Liu S, Cai X, He W, Cui M, Zhao X, Hettinghouse A, Good J, Kim E, Strauss E, Leucht P, Schwarzkopf R, Guo E, Samuels J, Hu W, Attur M, Waxman S, Liu C. Nav1.7 as a chondrocyte regulator and therapeutic target for osteoarthritis. Nature 2024, 625: 557-565. PMID: 38172636, PMCID: PMC10794151, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06888-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVoltage-gated sodium channelsOA progressionDorsal root ganglion neuronsStructural joint damagePain relief treatmentHuman OA chondrocytesCommon joint diseaseMultiple mouse modelsNav1.7 blockersPain behaviorGanglion neuronsPharmacological blockadeJoint damageJoint degenerationChannel blockersJoint diseaseOA chondrocytesMouse modelTherapeutic targetOsteoarthritisIntracellular Ca2Nav1.7Nav1.7 channelsGenetic ablationLimited evidence14-3-3 epsilon is an intracellular component of TNFR2 receptor complex and its activation protects against osteoarthritis
Fu W, Hettinghouse A, Chen Y, Hu W, Ding X, Chen M, Ding Y, Mundra J, Song W, Liu R, Yi Y, Attur M, Samuels J, Strauss E, Leucht P, Schwarzkopf R, Liu C. 14-3-3 epsilon is an intracellular component of TNFR2 receptor complex and its activation protects against osteoarthritis. Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases 2021, 80: 1615-1627. PMID: 34226187, PMCID: PMC8595573, DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220000.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPathogenesis of osteoarthritisTNFR2 complexTherapeutic effectSingle-cell RNA-seqIntracellular componentsReceptor complexExtracellular signal-regulated kinaseNuclear factor kappa BSignal-regulated kinaseCommon joint diseaseFactor kappa BChondrocyte-specific deletionProteomic screenElk-1RNA-seqTranscription factorsCell-based assaysTNF signalingTNFR2 pathwayInducible componentJoint diseaseActivity screenTherapeutic targetKappa BOsteoarthritis
2024
Versatility of 14-3-3 proteins and their roles in bone and joint-related diseases
Zhou R, Hu W, Ma P, Liu C. Versatility of 14-3-3 proteins and their roles in bone and joint-related diseases. Bone Research 2024, 12: 58. PMID: 39406741, PMCID: PMC11480210, DOI: 10.1038/s41413-024-00370-4.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2019
Progranulin deficiency exacerbates spinal cord injury by promoting neuroinflammation and cell apoptosis in mice
Wang C, Zhang L, Ndong J, Hettinghouse A, Sun G, Chen C, Zhang C, Liu R, Liu C. Progranulin deficiency exacerbates spinal cord injury by promoting neuroinflammation and cell apoptosis in mice. Journal Of Neuroinflammation 2019, 16: 238. PMID: 31775776, PMCID: PMC6882111, DOI: 10.1186/s12974-019-1630-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBasso Mouse ScaleNeurological recoverySpinal cord injuryCord injuryWestern blottingWild-type littermate miceMacrophages/microgliaPromising therapeutic approachWeight-drop techniqueNew therapeutic targetsHuge economic burdenPro-apoptotic effectsPLGA thermosensitive hydrogelFunctional recoveryPGRN deficiencyPGRN expressionLittermate miceIntrathecal spaceProgranulin deficiencyTherapeutic approachesTherapeutic targetEconomic burdenWT controlsDay 21Day 7Progranulin: A conductor of receptors orchestra, a chaperone of lysosomal enzymes and a therapeutic target for multiple diseases
Cui Y, Hettinghouse A, Liu C. Progranulin: A conductor of receptors orchestra, a chaperone of lysosomal enzymes and a therapeutic target for multiple diseases. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews 2019, 45: 53-64. PMID: 30733059, PMCID: PMC6450552, DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2019.01.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTherapeutic targetInflammatory autoimmune diseaseRare lysosomal storage diseaseCommon neurological diseasesPromising therapeutic targetPreclinical disease modelsDrug development strategiesExtracellular progranulinAutoimmune diseasesClinical trialsLysosomal storage diseaseTherapeutic strategiesNeurological diseasesKinds of diseasesProgranulinDiseaseDisease modelsStorage diseaseMultiple membrane receptorsPathological statesTissue repairMultiple diseasesLysosomal enzymesPleiotropic functionsDiverse pathological states
2018
Molecular regulations and therapeutic targets of Gaucher disease
Chen Y, Sud N, Hettinghouse A, Liu C. Molecular regulations and therapeutic targets of Gaucher disease. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews 2018, 41: 65-74. PMID: 29699937, PMCID: PMC8108120, DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2018.04.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGaucher diseaseHeat shock proteinsProper foldingMolecular regulationActivity of GCaseLysosomal localizationShock proteinsCommon lysosomal storage diseaseLysosomal appearanceIon channelsCalcium ion channelsLysosomal accumulationSaposin CLysosomal storage diseaseSubstrate glucosylceramideInflammatory mediatorsProinflammatory moleculesNew targetsPathogenic mechanismsTherapeutic targetGCaseNovel moleculesSmall moleculesDiseaseStorage disease
2011
Progranulin: A promising therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis
Liu C. Progranulin: A promising therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis. FEBS Letters 2011, 585: 3675-3680. PMID: 21550343, PMCID: PMC3162080, DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.04.065.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTNF receptorRheumatoid arthritisAntagonist of TNFαInflammatory arthritis modelPathogenesis of arthritisPromising therapeutic targetAutocrine growth factorNew therapeutic interventionsInflammatory arthritisArthritis modelInflammatory cytokinesArthritisTherapeutic targetTherapeutic interventionsProgranulinCell surface receptorsGrowth factorExtracellular matrix proteinsSurface receptorsReceptorsAtsttrinProteolytic enzymesMatrix proteinsInflammationCytokines