Featured Publications
TNFR2/14-3-3ε signaling complex instructs macrophage plasticity in inflammation and autoimmunity
Fu W, Hu W, Yi Y, Hettinghouse A, Sun G, Bi Y, He W, Zhang L, Gao G, Liu J, Toyo-oka K, Xiao G, Solit D, Loke P, Liu C. TNFR2/14-3-3ε signaling complex instructs macrophage plasticity in inflammation and autoimmunity. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2021, 131 PMID: 34185706, PMCID: PMC8363273, DOI: 10.1172/jci144016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMacrophage polarizationMacrophage plasticityPI3K/Akt/mTORPathogenesis of inflammationMyeloid-specific deletionNF-κB activationAkt/mTORInflammatory arthritisAntiinflammatory pathwayImmunoregulatory roleAutoimmune diseasesProtective effectTherapeutic implicationsInflammationTNFR2 signalingAutoimmunityTNFR2TNFR2 activationReceptor complexDiseaseIntracellular regulatorsActivationMolecule 14TNFR1Arthritis
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
Progranulin associates with Rab2 and is involved in autophagosome-lysosome fusion in Gaucher disease
Zhao X, Liberti R, Jian J, Fu W, Hettinghouse A, Sun Y, Liu C. Progranulin associates with Rab2 and is involved in autophagosome-lysosome fusion in Gaucher disease. Journal Of Molecular Medicine 2021, 99: 1639-1654. PMID: 34453183, PMCID: PMC8541919, DOI: 10.1007/s00109-021-02127-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLysosomal storage diseaseGaucher diseaseAutophagosome-lysosome fusionCommon lysosomal storage diseasePGRN deficiencyNovel therapiesAnimal modelsProgranulinLC3-IIMolecular targetsCrucial mediatorCritical moleculesStorage diseaseDiseaseAutophagic fluxC-terminal fragmentImpaired fusionPatient fibroblastsAutophagyImpairmentKey regulator
2020
In Vitro Physical and Functional Interaction Assays to Examine the Binding of Progranulin Derivative Atsttrin to TNFR2 and Its Anti-TNFα Activity
Fu W, Hettinghouse A, Liu C. In Vitro Physical and Functional Interaction Assays to Examine the Binding of Progranulin Derivative Atsttrin to TNFR2 and Its Anti-TNFα Activity. Methods In Molecular Biology 2020, 2248: 109-119. PMID: 33185871, PMCID: PMC8112733, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1130-2_8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnti-TNFα activityAutoimmune diseasesTartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) stainingAnti-TNFα therapyCollagen-induced arthritisInflammatory disease modelsGood therapeutic effectAcid phosphatase stainingGrowth factor-like moleculesTNF inhibitorsTherapeutic effectTNFα activityProgranulinFunctional inhibitionTNFR2AtsttrinDisease modelsPhosphatase stainingTNFRTNFαDiseaseInhibitionCritical roleDirect bindingHigh affinity
2018
Chitinase-3-like Protein 1: A Progranulin Downstream Molecule and Potential Biomarker for Gaucher Disease
Jian J, Chen Y, Liberti R, Fu W, Hu W, Saunders-Pullman R, Pastores G, Chen Y, Sun Y, Grabowski G, Liu C. Chitinase-3-like Protein 1: A Progranulin Downstream Molecule and Potential Biomarker for Gaucher Disease. EBioMedicine 2018, 28: 251-260. PMID: 29396296, PMCID: PMC5835567, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.01.022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGD patientsHealthy controlsGaucher diseaseDownstream moleculesExpression of CHI3L1Serum CHI3L1Serum levelsPGRN levelsTherapeutic effectClinical biomarkersPatientsPotential biomarkersNull miceCHI3L1ProgranulinElevated levelsBiomarkersWhole-genome microarraysDiseaseCHIT1Genome microarraysNovel regulatorImmunohistochemistryLevelsMice