Huanxing Sun, PhD
Staff Scientist I, Research CORESCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Skin Transcriptomics Reveal Shared Molecular Mechanisms for Skin and Lung Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis
Zielonka J, Li N, Liu Y, Yan X, Wang Z, Ramirez M, Figueroa A, Korde A, Yin H, Britto C, Singh I, Sun H, Herzog E, Feghali‐Bostwick C, Hinchcliff M, Ryu C, Gomez J. Skin Transcriptomics Reveal Shared Molecular Mechanisms for Skin and Lung Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2026 PMID: 41930625, DOI: 10.1002/art.70163.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSSc-ILDSystemic sclerosisStromal cellsMultiorgan involvementSSc-related interstitial lung diseaseKRAS pathwaySevere multiorgan involvementSystemic sclerosis skinInterstitial lung diseaseCutaneous signaturesLung involvementDysregulated immunityCause of deathGene Set Enrichment AnalysisImmune cellsProgressive fibrosisSkin fibrosisLung fibrosisSingle-cell RNA sequencingLung diseaseMicrovascular damageLung impairmentLung functionGene correlation analysisKRAS
2025
Dysregulated alveolar type 2 epithelial cell proteostasis promotes fibrogenic macrophage migration inhibitory factor–CD74 signaling
Kim S, Nouws J, Ruwisch J, Woodard G, Cooley J, Khoury J, Sun H, Doherty E, Piecychna M, Manning E, Kang M, Bruscia E, Wei H, Zhang Y, Yarovinsky T, Hwa J, Zacharias W, Ingram J, Lee C, Elias J, Kaminski N, Redente E, Herzog E, Prasse A, Bucala R, Sauler M. Dysregulated alveolar type 2 epithelial cell proteostasis promotes fibrogenic macrophage migration inhibitory factor–CD74 signaling. Science Translational Medicine 2025, 17: eadr2277. PMID: 41337540, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adr2277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAlveolar Epithelial CellsAnimalsAntigens, Differentiation, B-LymphocyteBleomycinDisease Models, AnimalHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIHumansIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisIntramolecular OxidoreductasesLungMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMacrophagesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicProteasome Endopeptidase ComplexProteostasisSignal TransductionUbiquitinConceptsIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisMacrophage migration inhibitory factorBronchoalveolar lavage fluidPharmacological inhibition of MIFBleomycin-induced lung injury modelMouse modelPharmacological inhibitionC-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1Human precision-cut lung slicesTransforming growth factor-b1Inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factorSignals to macrophagesPrecision-cut lung slicesFibrotic lung diseaseType 2 epithelial cellsAlveolar type 2 epithelial cellsChemokine receptor 1Lung injury modelMigration inhibitory factorMIF-2Study participantsUbiquitin-proteasome systemSpontaneous fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisLavage fluidToll-like Receptor 9 Inhibition Mitigates Fibroproliferative Responses in Translational Models of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Trujillo G, Regueiro-Ren A, Liu C, Hu B, Sun Y, Ahangari F, Fiorini V, Ishikawa G, Al Jumaily K, Khoury J, McGovern J, Lee C, Peng X, Pivarnik T, Sun H, Walia A, Woo S, Yu S, Antin-Ozerkis D, Sauler M, Kaminski N, Herzog E, Ryu C. Toll-like Receptor 9 Inhibition Mitigates Fibroproliferative Responses in Translational Models of Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2025, 211: 91-102. PMID: 39189851, PMCID: PMC11755360, DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202401-0065oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchToll-like receptor 9Model of pulmonary fibrosisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisFibroproliferative responseLung diseaseIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cohortsExpression of toll-like receptor 9Toll-like receptor 9 activationTransplant-free survivalExpression of MCP-1Cohort of patientsSlow clinical progressionFibrotic lung diseaseAccelerated disease courseFatal lung diseaseIP-10Pharmacodynamic endpointsPreclinical modelsDisease courseClinical progressionPlasma mtDNAMCP-1Receptor 9Mouse model
2024
The effect of adrenalectomy on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice
McGovern J, Perry C, Ghincea A, Herzog E, Shao S, Sun H. The effect of adrenalectomy on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. American Journal Of Physiology - Lung Cellular And Molecular Physiology 2024, 328: l15-l29. PMID: 39470613, PMCID: PMC11905795, DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00062.2024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLung fibrosisSurgical adrenalectomyBronchoalveolar lavageLung tissueBleomycin-Induced Pulmonary FibrosisAlpha-smooth muscle actinModel of lung fibrosisBleomycin model of lung fibrosisProgressive lung fibrosisLimited treatment optionsSmooth muscle actinWild type miceEffects of adrenalectomyProduction of catecholaminesDecrease of lymphocytesAdrenal ablationAldosterone levelsBleomycin administrationBleomycin modelSham surgeryAld levelsLung remodelingPulmonary fibrosisType miceAdrenal glandProteolysis and Contractility Regulate Tissue Opening and Wound Healing by Lung Fibroblasts in 3D Microenvironments
Xiao H, Sylla K, Gong X, Wilkowski B, Rossello‐Martinez A, Jordan S, Mintah E, Zheng A, Sun H, Herzog E, Mak M. Proteolysis and Contractility Regulate Tissue Opening and Wound Healing by Lung Fibroblasts in 3D Microenvironments. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2024, 13: e2400941-e2400941. PMID: 38967294, PMCID: PMC11617280, DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400941.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
α1 Adrenoreceptor antagonism mitigates extracellular mitochondrial DNA accumulation in lung fibrosis models and in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Ishikawa G, Peng X, McGovern J, Woo S, Perry C, Liu A, Yu S, Ghincea A, Kishchanka A, Fiorini V, Hu B, Sun Y, Sun H, Ryu C, Herzog E. α1 Adrenoreceptor antagonism mitigates extracellular mitochondrial DNA accumulation in lung fibrosis models and in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. American Journal Of Physiology - Lung Cellular And Molecular Physiology 2023, 324: l639-l651. PMID: 36648147, PMCID: PMC10110730, DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00119.2022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdrenergic nerve supplyIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisΑ1 adrenoreceptorsPulmonary fibrosisNerve supplyCultured normal human lung fibroblastsInnate immune ligandsLung fibrosis modelNormal human lung fibroblastsSmooth muscle actinHuman lung fibroblastsAdrenal resectionAdrenoreceptor antagonismExtracellular mtDNAIPF cohortImproved survivalΑ1-adrenoreceptor antagonistsLung fibrosisAdrenal sourceFibroblast accumulationAdrenoreceptor antagonistBleomycin modelFibrosis modelLung fibrogenesisMouse model
2018
Decoupling of Biochemical and Biophysical Contributions to Fibrocyte Accumulation, Density and Aspect Ratio in the Scleroderma Lung Microenvironment
Sun H, Winkler J, Minasyan M, Pan H, Omkar D, Gonzalez A, Pellowe A, Meng J, Peng X, Herzog E. Decoupling of Biochemical and Biophysical Contributions to Fibrocyte Accumulation, Density and Aspect Ratio in the Scleroderma Lung Microenvironment. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2018, 197: a2926-a2926. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2018.197.1_meetingabstracts.a2926.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDifferential Regulation of Fibrocyte Accumulation by Discrete Components of the SSc-ILD Matrisome
Winkler J, Minasyan M, Pan H, Desai O, Peng X, Meng J, Herzog E, Sun H. Differential Regulation of Fibrocyte Accumulation by Discrete Components of the SSc-ILD Matrisome. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2018, 197: a2357-a2357. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2018.197.1_meetingabstracts.a2357.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2017
Mitochondrial DNA is Released from Lung Fibroblasts in Response to the Fibrotic Lung Microenvironment and is Predictive of Mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Ryu C, Sun H, Gulati M, Herazo-Maya J, Osafo-Addo A, Brandsdorfer C, Blaul C, Faunce J, Pan H, Slade M, Mehal W, Chen Y, Gonzalez A, Bogenhagen D, Feghali-Bostwick C, Gibson K, Lindell K, Kaminski N, Trujillo G, Herzog E. Mitochondrial DNA is Released from Lung Fibroblasts in Response to the Fibrotic Lung Microenvironment and is Predictive of Mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2017, 195: a6917-a6917. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2017.195.1_meetingabstracts.a6917.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRegulation of Fibrocyte Accumulation in the Fibrotic Lung Microenvironment By Netrin-1/GRB2 is Associated With Progression of Scleroderma Interstitial Lung Disease
Sun H, Pan H, Ding H, Carol F, Ryu C, Gulati M, Fares W, Carrano D, Peng X, Herzog E. Regulation of Fibrocyte Accumulation in the Fibrotic Lung Microenvironment By Netrin-1/GRB2 is Associated With Progression of Scleroderma Interstitial Lung Disease. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2017, 195: a6374-a6374. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2017.195.1_meetingabstracts.a6374.Peer-Reviewed Original Research