Faculty Profile
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Reen Wu
Professor Internal Medicine (School of Medicine) GBSF, Room 6523 Office 530-752-2648 Lab 530-752-6960 rwu@ucdavis.edu |
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| Gene expression and regulation in airway epithelium | |
Degrees:
1972 - PhD - University of Arkansas Medical Center - Biochemistry
Awards:
1972-74 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship
1974-76 NIH National Research Service Award
1993 Joan Oettinger Memorial Award, School of Medicine
1996 Faculty Research Award, School of Medicine
2000 NIH merit award, R37 HL35635
Department and Center Affiliations:
Department of Internal Medicine/Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
VM Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology
Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine
Professional Societies:
American Thoracic Society
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Oxygen Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association of Immunologist
Grad Group Affiliations and Specialties:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Developmental Biology
Genetics
Non-DBS Grad Group(s) - Comparative Pathology Graduate group, Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Group
Publications:
Chen, Y., Zhao, Y.H., Kalaslavadi, T.J., Hamati, E., Nehrke, K., Le, A.D., Ann, D.K., and Wu, R. Genome-wide search of novel gel-forming mucin genes and identification of MUC19/Muc19 as a new glandular tissue-specific mucin gene. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., 30: 155-165, 2004.
Chen, Y, Thai, P., Zhao, Y.H., Ho, Y.S., DeSouza, M.M., and Wu, R. Stimulation of airway mucin gene expression by IL-17 through IL-6 paracrine/autocrine loop. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 17036-17043, 2003.
Kao, C.Y, Chen, Y., Zhao, Y.H., and Wu, R. ORFeome based search of airway epithelial cell-specific novel human b-defensin genes. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 29: 71-80, 2003.
Di, Y.P., Zhao, Y.H., Harper, R., and Wu, R. Molecular cloning, and characterization of a human novel gene that is retinoic acid-inducible and encodes a secretory protein specific in upper respiratory tracts, SPURT. J. Biol. Chem. 278:1165-1173, 2003.
Kao, C.Y, Chen, Y, Thai, P., Wachi, S., Huang, F., Kim, C., Harper, R.W., and Wu, R. Interleukin-17 Markedly Up-Regulates b-Defensin 2 Expression in Human Airway Epithelium via JAK and NF-kB Signaling Pathways. J. Immunol. 173: 3482-3491, 2004.
Harper, R W, Xu C, Eiserich JP, Kao CY, Thai P, Setiadi H, and Wu, R. Differential regulation of dual NADPH oxidase/peroxidase, Duox 1 and Duox 2, by Th1 and Th2 cytokines in respiratory tract epithelium. FEBS Letter, 579: 4911-4917, 2005.
Kao CY, Huang F., Chen Y., Thai P, Wachi, S, Kim C, Tam L and Wu R. Up-regulation of CC chemokine ligand 20 expression in human airway epithelium by IL-17 through a JAK-independent but MEK/NF-kappaB-dependent signaling pathway. J. Immunol. 175: 6676-6685, 2005.
Thai, P., Chen Y, Dolganov G, and Wu, R. Differential regulation of MUC5AC/Muc5ac and hCLCA-1/mGob-5 expression in airway epithelium. American J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 33(6):523-30, 2005.
Wachi S., Yoneda K, and Wu R. Interactome-transcriptome analysis reveals the high centrality of genes differentially expressed in lung cancer tissues. Bioinformatics, 21(23):4205-8, 2005.
Chen,Y., Hamati, E., Lee, W.M., Wachi, S., Schnurr, D., Shigeo, Y., Dolganov, G., Boushey, H., and Wu, R. Rhinovirus induces airway epithelial gene expression through double-stranded RNA and IFN-dependent pathways. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 34: 192-203, 2006.
Wu, D.Y-C, Wu, R., Reddy, S.P., Lee, Y.C., and Chang, M. M-J. Distinctive EGFR/ERK-Independent and Dependent Signaling Pathways in the Induction of Airway MUC5B and MUC5AC Expression by PMA. J. Am. Pathol. 170(1) 20-32, 2007.
Wu DPC, Wu R, Chen Y, Tarasova N, and Chang MMJ. PMA stimulates MUC5B gene expression through an SP1-based mechanism in airway epithelial cells. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 37: 589-597, 2007.
Thai P, Loukoianov A, Wachi S, and Wu R. Regulation of airway mucin gene expression. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 70: 13.1-13.25, 2008.
Research Interests:
Lung diseases occur more often in industrialized countries. Most of the lung diseases are manifested with a dysfunction of the lining epithelial cells. Hyper-mucus secretion and accumulation are clinical hallmarks that are frequently associated with various airway diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, COPD, etc. The nature of this phenomenon is not clear. My lab has been working on airway epithelial cells for past 20 years. Our major contributions to the field are the cell culture model for studying cell differentiation, injury and repair, the mucin molecular biology, and the role of vitamin A in these cells. Currently, we focus on the role of inflammatory cytokines in the regulation of airway mucous cell differentiation and metaplasia, airway cell-specific novel gene expression, and trans-differentiation factor. Since most of airway epithelial diseases are caused by environmental air pollutants, which include ozone, tobacco smoke, particulates, bacteria and viruses, etc. we have extensive programs in our lab. These studies include effects of ozone and smoke on airway cell injury and repair, cytokine induction and change gene expression, anti-oxidant mechanism, and signaling transduction, etc. For microbial infection, we are interested in lung-specific innate immunity by discovering and characterization of airway cell-specific beta-defensin and other microbial killing agents. We are also interested in the role of virus in the induction of airway diseases and the exacerbation of the symptoms. For this, we have an ongoing Rhinovirus program that allows us to elucidate the molecular basis of virus-inducible genes and their functions in asthma. Lastly, we have microarray and bioinformatics programs. The microarray approach allows us to examine the change of thousands of gene expression in one chip. Program has been developed to analyze these data and to correlate with the biological events. The bioinformatics program has allowed us to discover new mucin, beta-defensin genes, other novel genes and new pathways in various biological events. All these research activities are currently supported by 2 NIH RO1 and 1 PPG grants, California State funding and several industrial companies.
Laboratory Personnel:
Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, GBSF - Dr. Mary Chang, Dr. Richart Harper, Dr. Philip Thai, Dr. Karen Oslund, Ken Chmiel, Fei Huang, Shinchiro Wachi, Laura Shih, Christy Kim, Li-Yin Hung, Keny Lin, Daphne Wu, Artem Loukoianov, Pimtip Sanvarinda
Teaching Interests:
I am interested to teach students the laboratory skills and how to conduct research. I am also interested to teach advance courses related to cell/molecular basis of the diseases, and also my
Courses Taught:
PMI 285 Cellular basis of disease - Term(s): Winter
APC 291 Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine seminar series - Term(s): Fall,Winter,Spring