Voluntary Faculty
Voluntary faculty are typically clinicians or others who are employed outside of the School but make significant contributions to department programs at the medical center or at affiliate institutions.
Voluntary rank detailsHe (Howard) Zhang
Assistant Clinical ProfessorAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Circulating Anti-Nephrin Antibodies in Adult Chinese Patients with IgA Nephropathy and Nephrotic-Range Proteinuria
Si F, Shu Y, Tang C, Huang J, Chen P, Lv J, Zhu L, Shi S, Zhou X, Zhang H, Zhao M, Cui Z, Liu L. Circulating Anti-Nephrin Antibodies in Adult Chinese Patients with IgA Nephropathy and Nephrotic-Range Proteinuria. Kidney International Reports 2026, 106640. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2026.106640.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMinimal change diseaseNephrotic-range proteinuriaFocal segmental glomerulosclerosisAnti-nephrin antibodiesNephrotic syndromeSeropositive patientsIgA nephropathySingle-center retrospective studyPrimary focal segmental glomerulosclerosisComposite renal endpointUrinary red blood cellsBiopsy-proven IgANHigher CR rateLow serum albuminAdult Chinese patientsCR rateRenal endpointsNS patientsClinicopathological featuresIgAN patientsRetrospective studyHeavy proteinuriaChange diseaseChinese patientsRed blood cellsTime-updated Hematuria and Kidney Disease Progression in IgA nephropathy
Tang C, Si F, Chen P, Hou W, Yang H, Lv J, Shi S, Zhou X, Liu L, Zhang H. Time-updated Hematuria and Kidney Disease Progression in IgA nephropathy. Kidney International Reports 2026, 106653. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2026.106653.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchKidney disease progressionIgA nephropathyPrimary outcomeKidney outcomesDisease progressionPre-existing renal impairmentBiopsy-proven IgA nephropathyBaseline eGFR <Median Follow-UpComposite kidney outcomeRisk of progressionCox proportional hazards modelsConventional Cox proportional hazard modelProportional hazards modelBaseline proteinuriaRenal impairmentClinical parametersHematuriaBaseline Cox modelFollow-upCox modelHazards modelNephropathyElevated riskStandard cutoffsHematuria Remission and Prognosis in IgA Nephropathy: A Post hoc Analysis of The TESTING Randomized Clinical Trial
Wu J, Kim D, Guo L, Wang J, Yang H, Chen P, Li J, Monaghan H, Wong M, Perkovic V, Lv J, Zhang H. Hematuria Remission and Prognosis in IgA Nephropathy: A Post hoc Analysis of The TESTING Randomized Clinical Trial. American Journal Of Kidney Diseases 2026 PMID: 42214605, DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2026.02.649.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTherapeutic Efficacy and Antigenicity of a Novel PEGylated IgA Protease in Preclinical Models of IgA Nephropathy
Shen X, Shu C, Dong Y, Li J, Li R, Zan J, Xie X, Jin J, Zhang H, Lv J. Therapeutic Efficacy and Antigenicity of a Novel PEGylated IgA Protease in Preclinical Models of IgA Nephropathy. Kidney International 2026 PMID: 42176777, DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2026.04.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIgA nephropathySustained clearancePreclinical modelsTherapeutic efficacyIgA depositionAnti-drug antibody developmentRisk of progression to kidney failureTreatment of IgA nephropathyProgression to kidney failureImmune complex levelsPharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic profileComplement C3 depositionPlasma B cellsModel of IgA nephropathyEx vivo potencyIgA proteaseGlomerular IgAEndocapillary hypercellularitySafety profileWeeks treatmentPreclinical studiesPrimary glomerulonephritisB cellsHuman commensal bacteriumMesangial proliferationTelitacicept for IgA Nephropathy — Interim Analysis of a Phase 3 Trial
Lv J, Liu L, Wang W, Wang X, Zuraw Q, Perkovic V, Fang J, Zhang H. Telitacicept for IgA Nephropathy — Interim Analysis of a Phase 3 Trial. The New England Journal Of Medicine 2026, 394: 1916-1924. PMID: 42127391, DOI: 10.1056/nejmoa2514415.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultB-Cell Activating FactorCreatinineDisease ProgressionDouble-Blind MethodFemaleGlomerular Filtration RateGlomerulonephritis, IGAHumansInjections, SubcutaneousMaleMiddle AgedProteinuriaRecombinant Fusion ProteinsSignal TransductionTreatment OutcomeTumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13ConceptsProtein-to-creatinine ratioUrinary protein-to-creatinine ratioIgA nephropathyInterim analysisAdverse eventsWeeks relative to baselineBiopsy-proven IgA nephropathyB-cell activating factorPlacebo-controlled trialGeometric mean ratiosPhase 3 trialProliferation-inducing ligandWeeks of treatmentPathogenesis of IgA nephropathyDouble-blindSafety findingsTelitaciceptPersistent proteinuriaActive medicationB cellsPlaceboMean ratiosSupportive careHigh riskNephropathyAsian expert consensus on high-quality hypertension management
Liu J, Kario K, Ding X, Li Z, Gao T, Li Y, Zhang Y, Chen W, Chia Y, Fan Y, Hoshide S, Mao H, Shin J, Sukonthasarn A, Teo B, Turana Y, Yao L, Zhang H, Wang J. Asian expert consensus on high-quality hypertension management. Hypertension Research 2026, 1-15. PMID: 42120775, DOI: 10.1038/s41440-026-02644-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBlood pressure variabilityBlood pressureLong-acting antihypertensive agentsHypertension managementReduce blood pressure variabilityBP measurementsOut-of-office BP measurementsOut-of-officeAsian hypertensive patientsHome BP monitoringRenal complicationsAntihypertensive agentsHypertensive patientsFull doseBP monitoringBP assessmentComplement factor H supplementation rather than complete C3 knockout provides therapeutic benefits in IgA nephropathy
Li X, Ni X, Yuan X, Wu H, Shi S, Liu L, Lv J, Zhang H, Zhu L. Complement factor H supplementation rather than complete C3 knockout provides therapeutic benefits in IgA nephropathy. Molecular Biomedicine 2026, 7: 61. PMID: 42060028, PMCID: PMC13133335, DOI: 10.1186/s43556-026-00463-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune complex clearanceIgA nephropathyIgA depositionComplement activationKidney injuryMacrophage infiltrationC3 depositionComplex clearanceImmune complexesComplement regulatorsPlasma CFH levelsPathogenic immune complexesInflammatory kidney injuryComplement factor HIgA immune complexesMacrophage-mediated phagocytosisInflammatory cytokine expressionGlomerular IgA depositionMesangial IgA depositionGlomerular IgARegulate complement activationCFH levelsComplement dysregulationIgAN patientsComplement inhibitionGut Virome Characteristics and Network Alterations in IgA Nephropathy
Wang X, Wang H, Liu J, Zhang H, Zhou X. Gut Virome Characteristics and Network Alterations in IgA Nephropathy. Kidney International Reports 2026, 11: 106550. PMID: 42205184, PMCID: PMC13206739, DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2026.106550.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBacterial alpha diversityEstimated glomerular filtration rateRibosomal RNAAlpha diversityIgA nephropathyHealthy controlsGut microbiota dysbiosisBiopsy-proven IgANGlomerular filtration ratePathogenesis of IgA nephropathyCase-control studyBacteriophage compositionGut viromeMetagenomic sequencingVirome diversityBacterial communitiesMicrobiota dysbiosisSevere IgANGross hematuriaMild diseaseClinical indicesFiltration rateViromeIgANViral-like particlesEndothelin Receptor Antagonist Ambrisentan, Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Henagliflozin, and Their Combination in IgA Nephropathy: A Randomized Crossover Trial.
Chen Q, Chen P, Liu L, Shi S, Zhou X, Yang H, Li Y, Guo L, Zhu S, Wang J, Bao Y, Zhang Q, Liu M, Ning X, Cai Y, He R, Liu Y, Wang Q, Lv J, Zhang H. Endothelin Receptor Antagonist Ambrisentan, Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Henagliflozin, and Their Combination in IgA Nephropathy: A Randomized Crossover Trial. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2026 PMID: 41949916, DOI: 10.1681/asn.0000001097.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEstimated glomerular filtration rateSodium-glucose cotransporter 2Urine protein-creatinine ratioEndothelin receptor antagonistsSodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitorsCombination therapyFluid retentionIgA nephropathyBaseline estimated glomerular filtration rateCrossover trialEstimated glomerular filtration rate changesRenin-angiotensin system blockadeSingle-agent therapySixty-five patientsGlomerular filtration rateImmunoglobulin A nephropathyProtein-creatinine ratioRandomized crossover trialAntagonist ambrisentanKidney progressionPrimary endpointReceptor antagonistSecondary endpointsCotransporter 2Safety endpointsSingle-cell transcriptomic analysis of the terminal ileum identifies BCMA as a therapeutic target in IgA nephropathy
Zhang Y, Wang L, Wu J, Wan N, Liu X, Lin M, Li J, Wang J, Wu J, Peng J, Dang S, Xie T, Yang H, Zhang X, Li Y, Zhou X, Liu L, Shi S, Lu T, Wung P, Haddon D, Jiang Y, Gaowa N, Lv J, Zhang Z, Li C, Cheng R, Zhang H. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of the terminal ileum identifies BCMA as a therapeutic target in IgA nephropathy. HLife 2026, 4: 233-248. DOI: 10.1016/j.hlife.2025.12.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchB-cell maturation antigenIgAN patientsPlasma cellsB cell maturation antigen expressionIgA nephropathyCynomolgus monkeysHealthy controlsClinical evaluationSerum immunoglobulinsCellular driversEstimated glomerular filtration rateAberrant mucosal immune responseTerminal ileal biopsiesTherapeutic targetGlomerular filtration rateMucosal immune responsesIgA+ plasma cellsReceptors B-cell maturation antigenSingle-cell transcriptome analysisBioinformatic profilingIgG+ plasma cellsMaturation antigenT cellsB cellsFiltration rate