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Yiqiang Cai, PhD, MD

Associate Research Scientist in Medicine (Nephrology)

Contact Information

Yiqiang Cai, PhD, MD

Mailing Address

  • Internal Medicine

    PO Box 208056, 333 Cedar Street

    New Haven, CT 06520-8056

    United States

Extensive Research Description

My current research is focused on the study of molecular basis of ADPKD pathogenesis. By establishing cell-based model and BAC-transgenic mouse model, we are trying to answer the following questions: 1) How are polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 trafficking to cilia regulated; 2) What is the consequence that trafficking defect of the polycystins cause in the cystogenesis/PKD pathogenesis; 3) What is the molecular basis underlying the mutations of PKD1 and PKD2 genes, 4) How is the polycystin-2 phosphorylation regulated, and 5) What is the role that regulation of polycystin-2 phosphorylation plays on the PKD pathogenesis.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Diseases

Selected Publications

  • Altered trafficking and stability of polycystins underlie polycystic kidney disease.Cai Y, Fedeles SV, Dong K, Anyatonwu G, Onoe T, Mitobe M, Gao JD, Okuhara D, Tian X, Gallagher AR, Tang Z, Xie X, Lalioti MD, Lee AH, Ehrlich BE, Somlo S. Altered trafficking and stability of polycystins underlie polycystic kidney disease. The Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2014, 124:5129-44.
  • A genetic interaction network of five genes for human polycystic kidney and liver diseases defines polycystin-1 as the central determinant of cyst formation.Fedeles SV, Tian X, Gallagher AR, Mitobe M, Nishio S, Lee SH, Cai Y, Geng L, Crews CM, Somlo S. A genetic interaction network of five genes for human polycystic kidney and liver diseases defines polycystin-1 as the central determinant of cyst formation. Nature Genetics 2011, 43:639-47.
  • Arachidonic acid cytochrome P450 4F2 in hypertension: what can we learn from a transgenic mouse model??Cai Y. Arachidonic acid cytochrome P450 4F2 in hypertension: what can we learn from a transgenic mouse model?? Kidney International 2009, 75:1253-1254.
  • Too much of a good thing: does Nek8 link polycystic kidney disease and nephronophthisis?Cai Y, Somlo S. Too much of a good thing: does Nek8 link polycystic kidney disease and nephronophthisis? Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology : JASN 2008, 19:418-20.
  • Mutations in SEC63 cause autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease.Davila S, Furu L, Gharavi AG, Tian X, Onoe T, Qian Q, Li A, Cai Y, Kamath PS, King BF, Azurmendi PJ, Tahvanainen P, Kääriäinen H, Höckerstedt K, Devuyst O, Pirson Y, Martin RS, Lifton RP, Tahvanainen E, Torres VE, Somlo S. Mutations in SEC63 cause autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease. Nature Genetics 2004, 36:575-7.
  • Calcium dependence of polycystin-2 channel activity is modulated by phosphorylation at Ser812.Cai Y, Anyatonwu G, Okuhara D, Lee KB, Yu Z, Onoe T, Mei CL, Qian Q, Geng L, Wiztgall R, Ehrlich BE, Somlo S. Calcium dependence of polycystin-2 channel activity is modulated by phosphorylation at Ser812. The Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2004, 279:19987-95.
  • Polycystin-2 is an intracellular calcium release channel.Koulen P, Cai Y, Geng L, Maeda Y, Nishimura S, Witzgall R, Ehrlich BE, Somlo S. Polycystin-2 is an intracellular calcium release channel. Nature Cell Biology 2002, 4:191-7.
  • Cardiac defects and renal failure in mice with targeted mutations in Pkd2.Wu G, Markowitz GS, Li L, D'Agati VD, Factor SM, Geng L, Tibara S, Tuchman J, Cai Y, Park JH, van Adelsberg J, Hou H, Kucherlapati R, Edelmann W, Somlo S. Cardiac defects and renal failure in mice with targeted mutations in Pkd2. Nature Genetics 2000, 24:75-8.
  • Identification and characterization of polycystin-2, the PKD2 gene product.Cai Y, Maeda Y, Cedzich A, Torres VE, Wu G, Hayashi T, Mochizuki T, Park JH, Witzgall R, Somlo S. Identification and characterization of polycystin-2, the PKD2 gene product. The Journal Of Biological Chemistry 1999, 274:28557-65.
  • Polycystin-2 expression is developmentally regulated.Markowitz GS, Cai Y, Li L, Wu G, Ward LC, Somlo S, D'Agati VD. Polycystin-2 expression is developmentally regulated. The American Journal Of Physiology 1999, 277:F17-25.
  • Somatic inactivation of Pkd2 results in polycystic kidney disease.Wu G, D'Agati V, Cai Y, Markowitz G, Park JH, Reynolds DM, Maeda Y, Le TC, Hou H, Kucherlapati R, Edelmann W, Somlo S. Somatic inactivation of Pkd2 results in polycystic kidney disease. Cell 1998, 93:177-88.
  • PKD1 interacts with PKD2 through a probable coiled-coil domain.Qian F, Germino FJ, Cai Y, Zhang X, Somlo S, Germino GG. PKD1 interacts with PKD2 through a probable coiled-coil domain. Nature Genetics 1997, 16:179-83.
  • PKD2, a gene for polycystic kidney disease that encodes an integral membrane protein.Mochizuki T, Wu G, Hayashi T, Xenophontos SL, Veldhuisen B, Saris JJ, Reynolds DM, Cai Y, Gabow PA, Pierides A, Kimberling WJ, Breuning MH, Deltas CC, Peters DJ, Somlo S. PKD2, a gene for polycystic kidney disease that encodes an integral membrane protein. Science (New York, N.Y.) 1996, 272:1339-42.
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