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 evidence
2022
PGRN deficiency exacerbates, whereas a brain penetrant PGRN derivative protects, GBA1 mutation-associated pathologies and diseases
Zhao X, Lin Y, Liou B, Fu W, Jian J, Fannin V, Zhang W, Setchell K, Grabowski G, Sun Y, Liu C. PGRN deficiency exacerbates, whereas a brain penetrant PGRN derivative protects, GBA1 mutation-associated pathologies and diseases. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2022, 120: e2210442120. PMID: 36574647, PMCID: PMC9910439, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210442120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBlood-brain barrierParkinson's diseaseGaucher diseasePGRN deficiencyPD-like phenotypesRelevant mouse modelRare lysosomal storage diseaseCommon neurodegenerative disorderVisceral symptomsNeurobehavioral deficitsSevere neuroinflammationPD pathologyLysosomal storage diseaseTherapeutic studiesMouse modelNeuronopathic involvementProgranulinImpaired autophagyNeurodegenerative disordersGD phenotypeEarly onsetMiceDiseaseFirst linePathology
2021
Roles and Mechanisms of Irisin in Attenuating Pathological Features of Osteoarthritis
Li X, Zhu X, Wu H, Van Dyke T, Xu X, Morgan E, Fu W, Liu C, Tu Q, Huang D, Chen J. Roles and Mechanisms of Irisin in Attenuating Pathological Features of Osteoarthritis. Frontiers In Cell And Developmental Biology 2021, 9: 703670. PMID: 34650969, PMCID: PMC8509718, DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.703670.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMechanisms of irisinOA progressionKI miceKO miceOA mouse modelIntra-articular injectionNovel therapeutic targetPrimary chondrocytesPathological tissue samplesInflammatory factorsOA pathogenesisPathological featuresIntraarticular injectionInflammatory conditionsOA tissuesOsteoarthritis pathophysiologySevere OAIrisinJoint tissuesMouse modelCartilage degradationKnockout miceTherapeutic targetCartilage developmentTherapeutic potential
2020
Monitoring Atsttrin-Mediated Inhibition of TNFα/NF-κβ Activation Through In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging
Hettinghouse A, Fu W, Liu C. Monitoring Atsttrin-Mediated Inhibition of TNFα/NF-κβ Activation Through In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging. Methods In Molecular Biology 2020, 2248: 201-210. PMID: 33185877, PMCID: PMC8140391, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1130-2_14.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTumor necrosis factorDouble mutant miceNF-κBOverexpression of TNFMutant miceBioluminescence imagingTransgenic reporter mouse modelNF-κB luciferaseNF-κβ activationVivo bioluminescence imagingReporter mouse modelAutoimmune conditionsTNF-TgNF-κβNecrosis factorImmune responseMouse modelMolecular mediatorsTransgenic modelTherapeutic objectivesVivo efficacyProgranulinPotential therapeuticsAtsttrinLuciferase activity
2018
Role of ADAMTS‐12 in Protecting Against Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice By Interacting With and Inactivating Proinflammatory Connective Tissue Growth Factor
Wei J, Fu W, Hettinghouse A, He W, Lipson K, Liu C. Role of ADAMTS‐12 in Protecting Against Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice By Interacting With and Inactivating Proinflammatory Connective Tissue Growth Factor. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2018, 70: 1745-1756. PMID: 29750395, PMCID: PMC6203634, DOI: 10.1002/art.40552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsConnective tissue growth factorCIA mouse modelADAMTS-12Inflammatory arthritisTissue growth factorMouse modelCollagen-induced arthritis modelGrowth factorRheumatoid arthritis developmentEnzyme-linked immunosorbentRA patientsArthritis developmentPannus formationSerum levelsCartilage destructionArthritis modelInflammatory cytokinesEnhanced osteoclastogenesisHealthy subjectsArthritisAnkle jointTomography scanningInflammationSusceptibility genesCritical regulator
2016
Foxo4‐ and Stat3‐dependent IL‐10 production by progranulin in regulatory T cells restrains inflammatory arthritis
Fu W, Hu W, Shi L, Mundra J, Xiao G, Dustin M, Liu C. Foxo4‐ and Stat3‐dependent IL‐10 production by progranulin in regulatory T cells restrains inflammatory arthritis. The FASEB Journal 2016, 31: 1354-1367. PMID: 28011648, PMCID: PMC5349791, DOI: 10.1096/fj.201601134r.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsArthritis, ExperimentalCell Cycle ProteinsCells, CulturedForkhead Transcription FactorsGranulinsIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsInterleukin-10MAP Kinase Signaling SystemMiceMice, Inbred DBAPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProgranulinsSTAT3 Transcription FactorT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryConceptsIL-10 productionRegulatory T cellsInflammatory arthritisIL-10T cellsAnti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10Forkhead box protein O4PI3K pathwayCollagen-induced arthritisCytokine IL-10Green fluorescent protein reporter miceTranscription factorsSequencing screenSignal transducerJNK signalingTranscription 3K pathwayImmunological mechanismsAutoimmune diseasesInflammatory conditionsMouse modelArthritisPresent new insightsReporter miceProgranulin