Youhua Liu, Professor
Ph.D, Peking Union Medical College, 1988
Email: liuy@upmc.edu
Studies in Dr. Liu's laboratory are focused on dissecting the cellular and molecular pathways leading to chronic renal fibrosis, and exploring novel strategies for therapeutic interventions. Using a series of experimental approaches, we are addressing several fundamental issues in renal fibrosis, such as what types of cells produce a large amount of matrix proteins under pathologic conditions and how they are regulated. Current studies in our laboratory include: 1) to decipher the mechanism controlling the regulation of tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal fibrogenesis; 2) to unravel the interactions and cross-talks of the intracellular signal pathways activated by anti-fibrotic hepatocyte growth factor and pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor-beta in kidney cells; 3) to develop novel therapeutic strategies aimed at ameliorating renal fibrosis and kidney dysfunction.
Recent Publication
Yang J, Shultz RW, Mars WM, Wegner RE, Li Y, Dai C, Nejak K, and Liu Y. 2002. Disruption of tissue-type plasminogen activator gene in mice reduces renal interstitial fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy. J. Clin. Invest. 110: 1525-1538.
Li Y, Yang J, Dai C, Wu C, and Liu Y. 2003. Role for integrin-linked kinase in mediating tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition and renal interstitial fibrogenesis. J. Clin. Invest. 112: 503-516.
Hu K, Yang J, Tanaka S, Gonias SL, Mars WM, and Liu Y. 2006. Tissue-type plasminogen activator acts as a cytokine that triggers intracellular signal transduction and induces matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene expression. J. Biol. Chem. 281: 2120-2127.
Giannopoulou M, Iszkula SC, Dai C, Tan X, Yang J, Michalopoulos GK, and Liu Y. 2006. Distinctive role of Stat3 and Erk-1/2 activation in mediating interferon- inhibition of TGF- 1 action. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. 290: F1234-F1240.
Xia J, Dai C, Michalopoulos GK, and Liu Y. 2006. Hepatocyte growth factor attenuates liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation. Am. J. Pathol. 168: 1500-1512.
Li Y, Wen X, Spataro BC, Hu K, Dai C, and Liu Y. 2006. Hepatocyte growth factor is a downstream effector that mediates the anti-fibrotic action of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- agonists. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17: 54-65.
Dai C, Stolz DB, Bastacky SI, St-Arnaud R, Wu C, Dedhar S, and Liu Y. 2006. Essential role of integrin-linked kinase in podocyte biology: bridging the integrin and slit diaphragm signaling. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17: 2164-2175.
Tan R, Zhang J, Tan X, Zhang X, Yang J, and Liu Y. 2006. Downregulation of SnoN expression in obstructive nephropathy is mediated by an enhanced ubiquitin-dependent degradation. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17: 2781-2791.
Tan X, Li Y, and Liu Y. 2006. Paricalcitol attenuates renal interstitial fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17: 3382-3393.
Li Y, Yang J, Luo JH, Dedhar S, and Liu Y. 2007. Tubular epithelial cell dedifferentiation is driven by the helix-loop-helix transcription inhibitor Id1. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 18: 449-460.
Tan R, Zhang X, Yang J, Li Y, and Liu Y. 2007. Molecular basis for the cell type-specific induction of SnoN expression by hepatocyte growth factor. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 18: 2340-2349.
Li Y, Dai C, Wu C, and Liu Y. 2007. PINCH-1 promotes tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition by interacting with integrin-linked kinase. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 18: 2534-2543.
Hu K, Wu C, Mars WM, and Liu Y. 2007. Tissue-type plasminogen activator promotes murine myofibroblast activation through LDL receptor-related protein-1-mediated integrin signaling. J. Clin. Invest. In press.
