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 14TNFR1Arthritis14-3-3 epsilon is an intracellular component of TNFR2 receptor complex and its activation protects against osteoarthritis
Fu W, Hettinghouse A, Chen Y, Hu W, Ding X, Chen M, Ding Y, Mundra J, Song W, Liu R, Yi Y, Attur M, Samuels J, Strauss E, Leucht P, Schwarzkopf R, Liu C. 14-3-3 epsilon is an intracellular component of TNFR2 receptor complex and its activation protects against osteoarthritis. Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases 2021, 80: 1615-1627. PMID: 34226187, PMCID: PMC8595573, DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220000.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPathogenesis of osteoarthritisTNFR2 complexTherapeutic effectSingle-cell RNA-seqIntracellular componentsReceptor complexExtracellular signal-regulated kinaseNuclear factor kappa BSignal-regulated kinaseCommon joint diseaseFactor kappa BChondrocyte-specific deletionProteomic screenElk-1RNA-seqTranscription factorsCell-based assaysTNF signalingTNFR2 pathwayInducible componentJoint diseaseActivity screenTherapeutic targetKappa BOsteoarthritis
2023
Tau deficiency inhibits classically activated macrophage polarization and protects against collagen-induced arthritis in mice
Chen M, Fu W, Xu H, Liu C. Tau deficiency inhibits classically activated macrophage polarization and protects against collagen-induced arthritis in mice. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2023, 25: 146. PMID: 37559125, PMCID: PMC10410869, DOI: 10.1186/s13075-023-03133-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsArthritis, ExperimentalArthritis, RheumatoidCytokinesMacrophagesMiceTau ProteinsConceptsInflammatory cell infiltrationPro-inflammatory cytokinesRheumatoid arthritisAnkle jointSerum levelsCell infiltrationMacrophage polarizationOsteoclast activityCartilage damagePathogenesis of RACollagen-induced arthritis modelTau-/- miceCollagen-induced arthritisInflammatory joint diseasePro-inflammatory functionsProgression of CIAPotential therapeutic targetRole of tauInflammatory arthritisBone erosionArthritis incidenceBone lossClinical scoresArthritis modelInflammatory disorders
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 linePathologyPenfluridol targets acid sphingomyelinase to inhibit TNF signaling and is therapeutic against inflammatory autoimmune diseases
Chen Y, Liu R, Cui Y, Hettinghouse A, Fu W, Zhang L, Zhang C, Liu C. Penfluridol targets acid sphingomyelinase to inhibit TNF signaling and is therapeutic against inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2022, 24: 27. PMID: 35045889, PMCID: PMC8767691, DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02713-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInflammatory autoimmune diseaseAnti-TNF activityNF-κB activationInflammatory arthritisAutoimmune diseasesAcid sphingomyelinase activityTherapeutic effectTumor necrosis factor αInhibitory effectTNFα-transgenic miceCollagen-induced arthritisSeverity of arthritisInflammatory cytokine productionM1 macrophage polarizationBone marrow-derived macrophagesNecrosis factor αNF-κB activitySphingomyelinase activitySmall molecule drug libraryRAW 264.7 macrophage cell lineMarrow-derived macrophagesAcid sphingomyelinaseDrug affinity responsive target stabilityCytokine productionChronic schizophrenia
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
Monitoring Atsttrin-Mediated Inhibition of TNFα/NF-κβ Activation Through In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging
Hettinghouse A, Fu W, Liu C. Monitoring Atsttrin-Mediated Inhibition of TNFα/NF-κβ Activation Through In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging. Methods In Molecular Biology 2020, 2248: 201-210. PMID: 33185877, PMCID: PMC8140391, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1130-2_14.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTumor necrosis factorDouble mutant miceNF-κBOverexpression of TNFMutant miceBioluminescence imagingTransgenic reporter mouse modelNF-κB luciferaseNF-κβ activationVivo bioluminescence imagingReporter mouse modelAutoimmune conditionsTNF-TgNF-κβNecrosis factorImmune responseMouse modelMolecular mediatorsTransgenic modelTherapeutic objectivesVivo efficacyProgranulinPotential therapeuticsAtsttrinLuciferase activity
2019
Fexofenadine inhibits TNF signaling through targeting to cytosolic phospholipase A2 and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis
Liu R, Chen Y, Fu W, Wang S, Cui Y, Zhao X, Lei Z, Hettinghouse A, Liu J, Wang C, Zhang C, Bi Y, Xiao G, Chen Z, Liu C. Fexofenadine inhibits TNF signaling through targeting to cytosolic phospholipase A2 and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis. Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases 2019, 78: 1524. PMID: 31302596, PMCID: PMC8157820, DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-215543.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnti-TNF activityCytosolic phospholipase A2Inflammatory arthritisTNF-α transgenic miceInflammatory arthritis modelInflammatory rheumatic diseasesCollagen-induced arthritisAnti-inflammatory activityPhospholipase A2New therapeutic interventionsActivated B cellsTNF-α signalingNecrosis factor-alpha signalingDrug affinity responsive target stabilityDBA/1 miceRheumatic diseasesArthritis modelAutoimmune diseasesCellular thermal shiftSerial screeningB cellsTransgenic miceArthritisDrug AdministrationTherapeutic interventions
2018
Role of ADAMTS‐12 in Protecting Against Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice By Interacting With and Inactivating Proinflammatory Connective Tissue Growth Factor
Wei J, Fu W, Hettinghouse A, He W, Lipson K, Liu C. Role of ADAMTS‐12 in Protecting Against Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice By Interacting With and Inactivating Proinflammatory Connective Tissue Growth Factor. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2018, 70: 1745-1756. PMID: 29750395, PMCID: PMC6203634, DOI: 10.1002/art.40552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsConnective tissue growth factorCIA mouse modelADAMTS-12Inflammatory arthritisTissue growth factorMouse modelCollagen-induced arthritis modelGrowth factorRheumatoid arthritis developmentEnzyme-linked immunosorbentRA patientsArthritis developmentPannus formationSerum levelsCartilage destructionArthritis modelInflammatory cytokinesEnhanced osteoclastogenesisHealthy subjectsArthritisAnkle jointTomography scanningInflammationSusceptibility genesCritical regulatorp204 Is Required for Canonical Lipopolysaccharide-induced TLR4 Signaling in Mice
Yi Y, Jian J, Gonzalez-Gugel E, Shi Y, Tian Q, Fu W, Hettinghouse A, Song W, Liu R, He M, Qi H, Yang J, Du X, Xiao G, Chen L, Liu C. p204 Is Required for Canonical Lipopolysaccharide-induced TLR4 Signaling in Mice. EBioMedicine 2018, 29: 78-91. PMID: 29472103, PMCID: PMC5925582, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.02.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsCells, CulturedCytokinesGenotypeImmunity, InnateInflammasomesInflammation MediatorsInterferon Regulatory Factor-3Interferon-betaLipopolysaccharidesMacrophage ActivationMacrophagesMiceMice, KnockoutModels, BiologicalNF-kappa BNuclear ProteinsPhosphoproteinsProtein BindingProtein MultimerizationRAW 264.7 CellsShock, SepticSignal TransductionToll-Like Receptor 4ConceptsPro-inflammatory cytokinesLPS challengeIRF-3 pathwayDimerization of TLR4Serum levelsLPS-TLR4TLR4 signalingNF-ĸBAnimal modelsPyrin domainInnate immunityExtracellular LPSInterferon-inducible p200 familyInfectious diseasesLPSMicePotential targetTLR4IFNCytokinesMacrophagesBacterial DNASignificant defectsDramatic reductionPathwayChitinase-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
2017
Progranulin derivative Atsttrin protects against early osteoarthritis in mouse and rat models
Wei J, Fu W, Ding Y, Hettinghouse A, Lendhey M, Schwarzkopf R, Kennedy O, Liu C. Progranulin derivative Atsttrin protects against early osteoarthritis in mouse and rat models. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2017, 19: 280. PMID: 29258611, PMCID: PMC5735869, DOI: 10.1186/s13075-017-1485-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTherapeutic effectOA modelPain-related markersAnti-catabolic effectsRole of progranulinDegenerative joint diseaseMurine OA modelMultiple murine modelsNew therapeutic alternativesTumor necrosis factor receptorIntra-articular deliveryNecrosis factor receptorInflammatory arthritisPGRN deficiencyOA phenotypeSafranin O stainingTherapeutic alternativeRat modelJoint diseaseOsteoarthritis progressionPreventative effectMurine modelCartilage degradationDegenerative factorsEarly osteoarthritis
2016
Foxo4‐ and Stat3‐dependent IL‐10 production by progranulin in regulatory T cells restrains inflammatory arthritis
Fu W, Hu W, Shi L, Mundra J, Xiao G, Dustin M, Liu C. Foxo4‐ and Stat3‐dependent IL‐10 production by progranulin in regulatory T cells restrains inflammatory arthritis. The FASEB Journal 2016, 31: 1354-1367. PMID: 28011648, PMCID: PMC5349791, DOI: 10.1096/fj.201601134r.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsArthritis, ExperimentalCell Cycle ProteinsCells, CulturedForkhead Transcription FactorsGranulinsIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsInterleukin-10MAP Kinase Signaling SystemMiceMice, Inbred DBAPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProgranulinsSTAT3 Transcription FactorT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryConceptsIL-10 productionRegulatory T cellsInflammatory arthritisIL-10T cellsAnti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10Forkhead box protein O4PI3K pathwayCollagen-induced arthritisCytokine IL-10Green fluorescent protein reporter miceTranscription factorsSequencing screenSignal transducerJNK signalingTranscription 3K pathwayImmunological mechanismsAutoimmune diseasesInflammatory conditionsMouse modelArthritisPresent new insightsReporter miceProgranulin