Research
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Yan Chen

Ph.D., Professor
Principal Investigator, Associate Director


Email: ychen3@sibs.ac.cn

        Dr. Chen got a Bachelor degree from the Medical School at West China University of Medical Sciences in 1983; got a Master degree from Department of Pediatrics, West China University of Medical Sciences in 1986; and got a Ph.D. from Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1994. Dr. Chen did his postdoctoral training in University of California at San Diego and Salk Institute. Dr. Chen had been working in Indiana University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor and Associate Professor. Dr. Chen joined the faculty of Institute for Nutritional Sciences at Shanghai, China in 2004.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
        The research interests of our laboratory are to apply tools of molecular biology, cell biology and animal models to understand the molecular mechanisms, signal transduction, gene regulation, and functional roles in human diseases in the areas of type 2 diabetes, cancer and embryonic development. Our current research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying adiponectin and apolipoprotein in type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, regulation of MAPK signaling pathway and its function in tumorigenesis, and TGF-beta related proteins in early development and human diseases.

RESEARCH TEAM:
Zhenzhen Wang, Co-Principal Investigator

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

  1. Ding Q, Wang Z, Chen, Y. Endocytosis of adiponectin receptor 1 through a clathrin- and Rab5-dependent pathway. Cell Research 2009 Mar;19(3):317-27.

  2. He J, Sun X, Qian KQ, Wang Z, Chen, Y. Protection of cerulein-induced pancreatic fibrosis by pancreas-specific expression of Smad7. Biochim Biophys Acta 2009 Jan;1792(1):56-60.

  3. Chen Q, Chen H, Zheng D, Kuang C, Fang H, Zou B, Zhu W, Bu G, Jin T, Wang Z, Zhang X, Chen J, Field LJ, Rubart M, Shou W, Chen Y. Smad7 is required for the development and function of the heart. J Biol Chem. 2009 Jan 2;284(1):292-300.

  4. Sun X, He J, Mao C, Han R, Wang Z, Liu Y, Chen Y. Negative regulation of adiponectin receptor 1 promoter by insulin via a repressive nuclear inhibitory protein element. FEBS Lett. 2008 Sep 19. [Epub ahead of print]

  5. Xie X, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Liu W, Ma H, Wang Z, Chen Y. Suppressive function of RKTG on chemical carcinogen-induced skin carcinogenesis in mouse. Carcinogenesis. 2008 Aug;29(8):1632-8.

  6. Luo X, Feng L, Jiang X, Xiao F, Wang Z, Feng GS, Chen Y. Characterization of the topology and functional domains of RKTG. Biochem J. 2008 Sep 15;414(3):399-406.

  7. Fan F, Feng L, He J, Wang X, Jiang X, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Chen Y. RKTG sequesters B-Raf to the Golgi apparatus and inhibits the proliferation and tumorigenicity of human malignant melanoma cells. Carcinogenesis. 2008 Jun;29(6):1157-63.

  8. Yang L, Wu Y, Li H, Yu Z, Li X, Liu Y, Lin X, Chen Y. Potential association of INSIG2 rs7566605 polymorphism with body weight in a Chinese subpopulation. Eur J Hum Genet. 2008 Jun;16(6):759-61.

  9. Feng L, Xie X, Ding Q, Luo X, He J, Fan F, Liu W, Wang Z, Chen Y. Spatial regulation of Raf kinase signaling by RKTG. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Sep 4;104(36):14348-53.

  10. Han R, Lai R, Ding Q, Wang Z, Luo X, Zhang Y, Cui G, He J, Liu W, Chen Y. Apolipoprotein A-I stimulates AMP-activated protein kinase and improves glucose metabolism. Diabetologia. 2007 Sep;50(9):1960-8.

  11. Ding Q, Jin T, Wang Z, Chen Y. Catalase potentiates retinoic acid-induced THP-1 monocyte differentiation into macrophage through inhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. J Leukoc Biol. 2007 Jun;81(6):1568-76.

  12. Xie X, Wang Z, Chen Y. Association of LKB1 with a WD-repeat protein WDR6 is implicated in cell growth arrest and p27(Kip1) induction. Mol Cell Biochem. 2007 Jul;301(1-2):115-22.

  13. Liu X, Chen Q, Kuang C, Zhang M, Ruan Y, Xu ZC, Wang Z, Chen Y. A 4.3 kb Smad7 promoter is able to specify gene expression during mouse development. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007 Feb;1769(2):149-52.

  14. Kuang C, Xiao Y, Yang L, Chen Q, Wang Z, Conway SJ, Chen Y. Intragenic deletion of Tgif causes defectsin brain development. Hum Mol Genet. 2006 Dec 15;15(24):3508-19.

  15. Sun X, Han R, Wang Z, Chen Y. Regulation of adiponectin receptors in hepatocytes by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist rosiglitazone. Diabetologia. 2006 Jun;49(6):1303-10.

  16. Kuang C, Xiao Y, Liu X, Stringfield TM, Zhang S, Wang Z, Chen Y. In vivo disruption of TGF-beta signaling by Smad7 leads to premalignant ductal lesions in the pancreas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Feb 7;103(6):1858-63.

  17. Lin L, Stringfield TM, Shi X, Chen Y. Arsenite induces a cell stress-response gene, RTP801, through reactive oxygen species and transcription factors Elk-1 and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein. Biochem J. 2005 Nov 15;392(Pt 1):93-102.

  18. Lin L, Qian Y, Shi X, Chen Y. Induction of a cell stress response gene RTP801 by DNA damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate through CCAAT/enhancer binding protein. Biochemistry. 2005 Mar 15;44(10):3909-14.

  19. Qian Y, Liu KJ, Chen Y, Flynn DC, Castranova V, Shi X.Cdc42 regulates arsenic-induced NADPH oxidase activation and cell migration through actin filament reorganization. J Biol Chem. 2005 Feb 4;280(5):3875-84.

  20. Kim YJ, Stringfield TM, Chen Y, Broxmeyer HE. Modulation of cord blood CD8+ T-cell effector differentiation by TGF-beta1 and 4-1BB costimulation. Blood. 2005 Jan 1;105(1):274-81.

  21. Kuang C, Chen Y. Tumor-derived C-terminal mutations of Smad4 with decreased DNA binding activity and enhanced intramolecular interaction. Oncogene. 2004 Feb 5;23(5):1021-9.

  22. Ogawa K, Chen F, Kim YJ, Chen Y. Transcriptional regulation of tristetraprolin by transforming growth factor-beta in human T cells. J Biol Chem. 2003 Aug 8;278(32):30373-81.

  23. Chen F, Ogawa K, Liu X, Stringfield TM, Chen Y. Repression of Smad2 and Smad3 transactivating activity by association with a novel splice variant of CCAAT-binding factor C subunit. Biochem J. 2002 Jun 1;364(Pt 2):571-7.

  24. Nagarajan RP, Chen Y. Structural basis for the functional difference between Smad2 and Smad3 in FAST-2 (forkhead activin signal transducer-2)-mediated transcription. Biochem J. 2000 Aug 15;350(Pt 1):253-9.

  25. Nagarajan RP, Zhang J, Li W, Chen Y. Regulation of Smad7 promoter by direct association with Smad3 and Smad4. J Biol Chem. 1999 Nov 19;274(47):33412-8.

  26. Nagarajan RP, Liu J, Chen Y. Smad3 inhibits transforming growth factor-beta and activin signaling by competing with Smad4 for FAST-2 binding. J Biol Chem. 1999 Oct 29;274(44):31229-35.

  27. Chen Y, Bhushan A, Vale W. Smad8 mediates the signaling of the ALK-2 [corrected] receptor serine kinase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 Nov 25;94(24):12938-43. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Feb 17;95(4):1968.

  28. Liu ZG, Baskaran R, Lea-Chou ET, Wood LD, Chen Y, Karin M, Wang JY. Three distinct signalling responses by murine fibroblasts to genotoxic stress. Nature. 1996 Nov 21;384(6606):273-6.

  29. Chen Y, Lebrun JJ, Vale W. Regulation of transforming growth factor beta- and activin-induced transcription by mammalian Mad proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996 Nov 12;93(23):12992-7.

  30. Chen Y, Knudsen ES, Wang JY. The RB/p107/p130 phosphorylation pathway is not inhibited in rapamycin-induced G1-prolongation of NIH3T3 cells. Oncogene. 1996 Oct 17;13(8):1765-71.

  31. Chen Y, Knudsen ES, Wang JY. Cells arrested in G1 by the v-Abl tyrosine kinase do not express cyclin A despite the hyperphosphorylation of RB. J Biol Chem. 1996 Aug 16;271(33):19637-40.

  32. Chen Y, Fan Y, Liu J, Mestek A, Tian M, Kozak CA, Yu L. Molecular cloning, tissue distribution and chromosomal localization of a novel member of the opioid receptor gene family. FEBS Lett. 1994 Jun 27;347(2-3):279-83.

  33. Chen Y, Yu L. Differential regulation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C of the mu opioid receptor coupling to a G protein-activated K+ channel. J Biol Chem. 1994 Mar 18;269(11):7839-42.

  34. Chen Y, Mestek A, Liu J, Yu L. Molecular cloning of a rat kappa opioid receptor reveals sequence similarities to the mu and delta opioid receptors. Biochem J. 1993 Nov 1;295 ( Pt 3):625-8.

  35. Chen Y, Mestek A, Liu J, Hurley JA, Yu L. Molecular cloning and functional expression of a mu-opioid receptor from rat brain. Mol Pharmacol. 1993 Jul;44(1):8-12.