Hong Zheng
Research Assistant 3 MSCards
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Research
Publications
2026
Half-Dose Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Improves Engraftment Timing and T-cell Chimerism Versus Conventional Dosing for GVHD Prophylaxis
Lal A, Vazquez-Urrutia J, Venugopal N, Rashid Y, Mukhtar H, Inoue Y, Zheng H, Cioccio J, Rakszawski K, Songdej N, Nickolich M, Naik S, Ehmann C, Sivik J, Mierski J, Silar B, Vajdic C, Bartram D, Shike H, Mineishi S, Minagawa K. Half-Dose Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Improves Engraftment Timing and T-cell Chimerism Versus Conventional Dosing for GVHD Prophylaxis. Transplantation And Cellular Therapy 2026, 32: s274-s275. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.12.392.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGraft-versus-host disease prophylaxisGraft-versus-host diseasePeripheral blood stem cell transplantationPost-transplant cyclophosphamideHalf-dose groupNon-relapse mortalityIncidence of chronic graft-versus-host diseaseAcute graft-versus-host diseaseChronic graft-versus-host diseaseStandard-dose groupMycophenolate mofetilAllo-HCTDose reductionCell transplantationCumulative incidenceHalf-doseCumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host diseaseGrade II-IV acute graft-versus-host diseaseHigher incidence of acute graft-versus-host-diseaseII-IV acute graft-versus-host diseaseIncidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host diseaseIncidence of acute graft-versus-host diseaseKarnofsky performance status <Blood stem cell transplantationAllogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantationAllogeneic Transplant Strategies Facilitating Donor Chimerism Might Improve Outcomes in Multihit TP53-Mutated AML/MDS
Santucci J, Vazquez-Urrutia J, Zhang R, Lal A, Inoue Y, Cioccio J, Rakszawski K, Songdej N, Nickolich M, Zheng H, Naik S, Ehmann C, Sivik J, Mierski J, Silar B, Vajdic C, Bartram D, Shike H, Mineishi S, Minagawa K. Allogeneic Transplant Strategies Facilitating Donor Chimerism Might Improve Outcomes in Multihit TP53-Mutated AML/MDS. Transplantation And Cellular Therapy 2026, 32: s405. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.12.580.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHematopoietic cell transplantationAcute myeloid leukemiaVariant allele frequencyMyelodysplastic syndromeTP53 mutationsConditioning regimensDonor chimerismT cellsComplex karyotypeOverall survivalCell transplantationTransplant outcomesDonor cellsPeripheral blood stem cell transplantationTP53-mutated acute myeloid leukemiaWhole bloodGraft-versus-leukemia effectMedian variant allele frequencyBlood stem cell transplantationAllogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantationHematopoietic cell transplantation outcomesLower-intensity groupMedian donor chimerismPost-transplant cyclophosphamideT-cell chimerismSurvival after intensive therapy or clofarabine in fit older adults with acute myeloid leukemia: E2906 phase 3 trial
Foran J, Sun Z, Luger S, Claxton D, Lazarus H, Arber D, Rowe J, Paietta E, Racevskis J, Garrett-Bakelman F, Zhang Y, Altman J, Al-Kali A, Zheng H, Pratz K, Broun E, Powell B, O’Dwyer K, Godwin J, Ofran Y, Litzow M, Tallman M. Survival after intensive therapy or clofarabine in fit older adults with acute myeloid leukemia: E2906 phase 3 trial. Blood Neoplasia 2026, 3: 100194. PMID: 41890705, PMCID: PMC13014643, DOI: 10.1016/j.bneo.2026.100194.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcute myeloid leukemiaMRD-negative remissionInduction mortalityOverall survivalIntensive therapyMyeloid leukemiaAssociated with 5-year OSSecond-generation purine nucleoside analogNewly diagnosed AMLProspective phase 3 studySecondary acute myeloid leukemiaStandard-intensity therapyMedian Follow-UpAssociated with OSPhase 3 studyMultiparameter flow cytometryPhase 3 trialLow-intensity therapyLong-term outcomesPurine nucleoside analogsNon-inferiority designMRD-positiveInferior OSMRD negativityComplete remission
2025
Androgen receptor signaling as a new target for intervention in acute myeloid leukemia
Qian F, Sarkar D, Arner B, Peduzzi V, Bai Y, Ruan B, Jia B, Zheng H, Paulson R, Prabhu K. Androgen receptor signaling as a new target for intervention in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Advances 2025, 9: 6326-6339. PMID: 40991369, PMCID: PMC12744263, DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024012639.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLeukemia-initiating cellsAcute myeloid leukemiaAR expressionMyeloid leukemiaAR levelsMurine modelAcute myeloid leukemia miceNormal bone marrow cellsPatient-derived AML cellsFood and Drug Administration-approved drugsLigand levelsAndrogen receptor signalingAcute myeloid leukemia cellsBone marrow cellsUnited States Food and Drug Administration-approved drugsAntiandrogen therapyAML treatmentProstate cancerAR signalingMarrow cellsAML cellsFemale recipientsReceptor 7Sex hormonesMouse modelEngineered suppressor T cells overexpressing IFN-α and PD-L1 inhibit GVHD but retain GVL effects in mice
Tian Y, Jia B, Lee C, Huang Q, Zhao C, Abraham C, Mo W, Zhang Y, Chen M, Wang Y, Blazar B, Zheng H, Zhang Y. Engineered suppressor T cells overexpressing IFN-α and PD-L1 inhibit GVHD but retain GVL effects in mice. Molecular Therapy 2025, 34: 898-915. PMID: 41234014, PMCID: PMC12882687, DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.11.019.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGraft-versus-host diseasePD-L1Allo-HCTT cellsIFN-aImmunocompetent miceGraft-versus-host disease controlXenogeneic graft-versus-host diseaseEfficacy of allo-HCTEngineered human T cellsExpression of PD-L1Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantationLive cell therapyImmune regulatory cellsHematopoietic cell transplantationSuppressor T cellsLife-threatening complicationsImmune modulatory functionsHuman T cellsPD-1+GVL effectStable expressionRegulatory cellsEffector differentiationCell transplantationA defined culture model for ex vivo expansion of primary AML cells preserves leukemic stem cells and clonal architecture for functional and therapeutic studies
Annageldiyev C, Golla U, Patel S, Gelfer R, Cioccio J, Minagawa K, Zheng H, Tan S, Feith D, Loughran T, Levine R, Sharma A, Claxton D. A defined culture model for ex vivo expansion of primary AML cells preserves leukemic stem cells and clonal architecture for functional and therapeutic studies. Blood 2025, 146: 3488-3488. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2025-3488.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcute myeloid leukemiaAcute myeloid leukemia casesLeukemia stem cellsEx vivo expansionAML casesFlt3-LStem cellsAML cellsClonal architecturePrimary human AML cellsTransplantation of cultured cellsClinically relevant disease modelsLeukemic stem cellsCD34+ cellsAcute myeloid leukemia cellsPrimary AML casesPrimary AML cellsCombination of cytokinesHuman AML cellsDay 0Ex vivo cultureSerum-free mediumRelevant disease modelsBlood/bone marrowSecondary transplantationOncofetal RNA-binding proteins IGF2BP suppress innate immunity signaling pathways in leukemia stem cells
Knox G, Agili-Shaban R, Morrissey A, Karamveer K, Polash A, Kinzy S, Wohlbowne M, Keller C, Moldovan G, Sharma A, Zheng H, Harhaj E, Hafner M, Liu Z, Uzun Y, Mahony S, Elcheva I. Oncofetal RNA-binding proteins IGF2BP suppress innate immunity signaling pathways in leukemia stem cells. Blood 2025, 146: 3236-3236. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2025-3236.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInterferon-stimulated genesPattern recognition receptorsDe novo expressionLeukemia stem cell phenotypePatient-derived leukemic cellsPattern recognition receptor agonistsTumor-specific antigen presentationCancer cellsRegulators of interferon signalingRIG-I signalingInferior overall survivalInhibitory effectRecognition receptorsGenetic inhibitionLeukemia stem cellsRIG-I stimulationExpression of interferon-stimulated genesStem cell phenotypeAnti-leukemia effectMHC class I.Innate inflammatory signalingRIG-IDownstream of pattern recognition receptorsInnate immune signalingAnticancer immunotherapyBoosting anti-tumor immunity in NRAS;ASXL1-driven Acute Myeloid Leukemia through combined inhibition of MEK and HDACs.
Bolisetti M, Veltri A, Cook J, Jia B, Li J, Yang M, Anandan V, Yao J, Chan K, Granozio S, Keewan E, Ranheim E, Zhu X, Nadiminti K, Marulasiddappa S, Zheng H, You X, Zhang J. Boosting anti-tumor immunity in NRAS;ASXL1-driven Acute Myeloid Leukemia through combined inhibition of MEK and HDACs. Blood 2025, 146: 5007-5007. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2025-5007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAbstract Acute myeloid leukemiaCD8 T cellsChronic myelomonocytic leukemiaAcute myeloid leukemiaT cell exhaustionT cellsMHC-II expressionMHC-IINRAS mutationsMyeloid leukemiaTreatment outcomesT cells in vitroT cells co-culturedTherapeutic effectMHC-IHistone deacetylasesImmune checkpoint blockadeImmune-suppressive microenvironmentInhibition of MEK/ERK signalingModerate survival benefitT central memoryAnti-tumor immunityT-cell depletionT-cell transferImmunodeficient NSG miceSafety and feasibility of intermediate-dose post-transplant cyclophosphamide for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis
Venugopal N, McGowan A, Inoue Y, Zheng H, Cioccio J, Rakszawski K, Songdej N, Nickolich M, Naik S, Ehmann C, Sivik J, Mierski J, Silar B, Vajdic C, Shike H, Mineishi S, Minagawa K. Safety and feasibility of intermediate-dose post-transplant cyclophosphamide for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. Annals Of Hematology 2025, 104: 6451-6462. PMID: 41081866, PMCID: PMC12764680, DOI: 10.1007/s00277-025-06657-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGraft-versus-host diseasePost-transplant cyclophosphamideGraft-versus-host disease prophylaxisHematopoietic stem-cell transplantationDonor chimerismHistorical cohortSevere chronic graft-versus-host diseaseAcute graft-versus-host diseaseAllogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantationChronic graft-versus-host diseaseOptimal doseMedian time to neutrophilIntermediate-dose groupStandard-dose groupComplete donor chimerismTime to neutrophilStem-cell transplantationPoor performance statusLymphocyte engraftmentPlatelet engraftmentNeutrophil engraftmentAcceptable toxicityAlveolar hemorrhageConsecutive patientsPerformance statusPrior status of graft‐versus‐host disease affects donor lymphocyte infusion outcomes in patients with relapsed haematological malignancies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Velasco C, Inoue Y, Cioccio J, Rakszawski K, Songdej N, Nickolich M, Zheng H, Naik S, Ehmann C, Mierski J, Silar B, Vajdic C, Greiner R, Brown V, Mineishi S, Shike H, Minagawa K. Prior status of graft‐versus‐host disease affects donor lymphocyte infusion outcomes in patients with relapsed haematological malignancies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. British Journal Of Haematology 2025, 207: 515-524. PMID: 40534233, PMCID: PMC12378914, DOI: 10.1111/bjh.20215.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGraft-versus-host diseaseHistory of graft-versus-host diseaseDonor lymphocyte infusionAllogeneic stem cell transplantationStem cell transplantationOverall survivalCell transplantationDeveloped graft-versus-host diseaseEffect of donor lymphocyte infusionsGraft-versus-leukemia effectRelapsed haematological malignanciesLymphocyte infusionDonor chimerismHaematological malignanciesNo significant differencePatientsSignificant differenceAlloHSCTRelapseTransplantationDiseaseFDCMalignancyChimerismInfusion
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