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
2016
Analysis of Tissue Microenvironments Using Decellularized Mammalian Tissues
Sun H, Zhu Y, Herzog E. Analysis of Tissue Microenvironments Using Decellularized Mammalian Tissues. 2016, 55-64. DOI: 10.1142/9789814678735_0005.Chapters
2012
Increased Hyperoxia-Induced Lung Injury in Nitric Oxide Synthase 2 Null Mice Is Mediated via Angiopoietin 2
Bhandari V, Choo-Wing R, Harijith A, Sun H, Syed MA, Homer RJ, Elias JA. Increased Hyperoxia-Induced Lung Injury in Nitric Oxide Synthase 2 Null Mice Is Mediated via Angiopoietin 2. American Journal Of Respiratory Cell And Molecular Biology 2012, 46: 668-676. PMID: 22227562, PMCID: PMC3359903, DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2011-0074oc.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHyperoxic acute lung injuryNOS/nitric oxideNitric oxideLung injuryAngiopoietin-2Pathogenesis of HALIAlveolar-capillary protein leakAcute respiratory distress syndromeHyperoxia-Induced Lung InjuryAcute lung injuryRespiratory distress syndromeImportant protective roleCell deathBronchopulmonary dysplasiaDistress syndromeSupplemental oxygenNb miceProtein leakTissue injuryProtective roleNewbornsNull micePremature deathAdult controlsAng2
2011
A potential role of the JNK pathway in hyperoxia-induced cell death, myofibroblast transdifferentiation and TGF-β1-mediated injury in the developing murine lung
Li Z, Choo-Wing R, Sun H, Sureshbabu A, Sakurai R, Rehan VK, Bhandari V. A potential role of the JNK pathway in hyperoxia-induced cell death, myofibroblast transdifferentiation and TGF-β1-mediated injury in the developing murine lung. BMC Molecular And Cell Biology 2011, 12: 54. PMID: 22172122, PMCID: PMC3266206, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2121-12-54.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTransgenic mouse modelTGF-β1Myofibroblast transdifferentiationPulmonary responseMouse modelMurine lungJNK pathwayCell deathEpithelial cellsCultured human lung epithelial cellsFetal rat lung fibroblastsHuman lung epithelial cellsDose-dependent mannerRat lung fibroblastsLung epithelial cellsInhibits cell proliferationImpaired alveolarizationLung developmentCell death mediatorsHyperoxiaInhibition of JNKRoom airLung fibroblastsFibroblast proliferationLung