Research Fields

• Our research interest focused on the regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial metabolism and homeostasis and their possible implications on aging and related diseases. The Mitochondrial is the central hub for various metabolism, especially energy metabolism and reactive oxygen species. Maintaining the homeostasis of this organelle is one of the key elements in health and aging at the cellular level and the organ levels.

• Metabolites promote protein modification, degradation, and protein-protein interactions play essential roles in mitochondrial homeostasis. Currently using the proteomic, electron microscope, and model organisms, we are aiming at the following questions:

1. Mitochondrial ROS-mediated reverse signaling in senescence and cell death

2. Mitochondrial protein homeostasis and metabolic regulation

3. Protein networks of mitochondria-organelle interactions

Personal Introduction

Wen Yang, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. degree from McGill University, Canada in 2010, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School, USA from 2011-2017. He joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology as a Principal Investigator in 2017. His group focuses on research related to mitochondrial metabolism and aging.

Scientific Research Projects

• Grant number.: 91954120; Project Title: The protein network and molecular mechanism of mitochondria and organelles interactions

• Grant number: 31871430; Project title: Regulation of ketoglutarate dehydrogenase by C3orf23 in neuronal cells

• Grant number: 2019YFA0508601; Project title: Protein machinery and life process regulation

Publications

1. Zhang J, Li Y, Liu H, Zhang J, Wang J, Xia J, Zhang Y, Yu X, Ma J, Huang M, Wang J, Wang L, Li Q, Cui R, Yang W*, Xu Y*, Feng W*, Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 library screen identifies PCMT1 as a critical driver of ovarian cancer metastasis. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022; 41: 24. doi: 10.1186/s13046-022-02242-3

2. Zhong Y, Gao Y, Zhou D, Ma X, Chen H, Xu Y, Yang W*, Yu X*, Structural basis for the activity and regulation of human α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase revealed by Cryo-EM. BiochemBiophys Res Commun. 2022 Apr 30;602:120-126. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.02.093.

3. Jia Xia, Jiahui Zhang, Liangzhe Wang, Hailong Liu, Jie Wang, Junyan Liu, Zhaoqian Liu, Yingjian Zhu, Yingjie Xu*,Wen Yang* and Yongjiang Yu*, Non-apoptotic function of caspase-8 confers prostate cancer enzalutamide resistance via NF-κB activation, Cell death and diseases, 2021, 12:833

4. Jing Xu, Jiahui Wang, Xiaoli Wang, Ruoming Tan, Xiaoling Qi, Zhaojun Liu, Hongping Qu, Tingting Pan, Qingyuan Zhan, Yong Zuo* ,Wen Yang* , Jialin Liu*, Soluble PD-L1 improved direct ARDS by reducing monocyte-derived macrophages, Cell death and diseases, 2020

5. Jiahui Zhang, Yanan Yin, Jiahui Wang, Jingjing Zhang, Hua Liu, Weiwei Feng, Wen Yang*, Bruce Zetter*, Yingjie Xu*, Prohibitin regulates mTOR pathway via the interaction with FKBP8, Frontiers of medicine, 2021

6. Mao C, Chen J, …Yang W, …Liu, Z, Genome-wide analysis identify novel germline genetic variations in ADCY1 influencing platinum-based chemotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B. 2021.Oct

7. Kai Xin, Xinxing Li, Yinghua Guo, Youhuan Zhong, Jungang Wang, Haotian Yang, Jie Zhao, Chunlei Guo, Yunxia Huang, Zuhai Lei, Yi-Lun Ying, Xiao Luo, Haolu Wang, Xuhong Qian, Wen Yang*, Xiaowen Liang* &Youjun Yang*, A Monochromophoric Approach to Succinct Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes Without Probe-Product Crosstalk, CCS Chemistry, 2020

8. Wen Yanget al. Mitochondrial Sirtuins Coordinating Stress Responses Through Regulation of Mitochondrial Enzyme Networks, Introductory Review on Sirtuins in Biology, Aging, and Disease, 2018, Pages 95-115

9. Wen Yang, Koji Nagasawa, Christian Münch, Yingjie Xu, Kyle Satterstrom, SeungminJeong, Sebastian D Hayes, Mark P. Jedrychowski, F. Sejal Kamlesh Vyas; Elma Zaganjor, Virginia Guarani, Alison Ringle, Steven P Gygi, J. Wade Harper, and Marcia C Haigis, Mitochondrial Sirtuin Network Reveals Dynamic SIRT3-dependent Deacetylation in Response to Membrane Depolarization. Cell, 2016, 167(4): 985–1000.e21.

10. Xu Y, Yang W, Shi J, Zetter BR, Shi J,Prohibitin 1 regulates tumor cell apoptosis via interaction with X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein.  J Mol Cell Biol, 2016, 8 (3): 282-285.

11. Callista Yee, Wen Yang, and Siegfried Hekimi.:  The intrinsic apoptosis pathway mediates the pro-longevity response to mitochondrial ROS in C. elegans. Cell,2014, 157(4):897-909

12. Inuzuka,H., Gao,D., Finley,L.W., Yang,W., Wan,L., Fukushima,H., Chin,Y.R., Zhai,B., Shaik,S., Lau,A.W., Wang,Z., Gygi,S.P., Nakayama,K., Teruya-Feldstein,J., Toker,A., Haigis,M.C., Pandolfi,P.P., and Wei,W,  Acetylation-dependent regulation of Skp2 function. Cell, 2012,150:179-193.

13. Hekimi S, Lapointe J, Yang W,Taking a “good” look at free radicals in the aging process. Trends in Cell Biology, 2011, 67(1):1-8.

14. Yang W and Hekimi S, A Mitochondrial Superoxide Signal Triggers Increased Longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLOS biology. 2010, 8(12):e1000556

15. Van Raamsdonk JM, Meng Y, Camp D, Yang W, Jia X, Bénard C, and Hekimi S, Decreased Energy Metabolism Extends Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans Without Reducing Oxidative Damage. Genetics. 2010,185(2):559-71.

16. Yang W and Hekimi S,Two modes of mitochondrial dysfunction lead independently to lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging Cell. 2010,9(3):433-47.

17. Yang W*, Li J*, Hekimi S, A Measurable increase in oxidative damage due to reduction in superoxide detoxification fails to shorten the life span of long-lived mitochondrial mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics. 2007, 177(4):2063-74.

Patent

• Yingjie Xu, Xiang Yu, Wei Xu, Wen Yang, Zheng Yang, Yu Zhang, “Painless nerve growth factor recombinant protein and its application" 202110981721.5