Yong Xiao Wang

Title : Novel gene therapy options for pulmonary hypertension

Abstract:

One of the common and devastating lung diseases Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common and devastating lung disease. The current primary medications for this disease are neither specific nor always effective. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying PH are still poorly understood. In a series of our recent studies, we have explored the potential important role of ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) Ca²⁺ release channel in PH and its inhibition as therapeutic strategies for this disease. Our findings reveal that Rieske iron-sulfur protein (RISP) serves as a primary molecule to increase mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, disassociate FKBP12.6 from RyR2, enhance the channel activity, and then induces calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (a major intracellular Ca²⁺ store), hereby causing PA vasoconstriction, remodeling, and ultimately hypertension. Moreover, the increased RISP-dependent ROS can also cause DNA damage to activate ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, phosphorylate checkpoint kinases 2 (Chk2), and cause cell proliferation in PASMCs, leading to PA remodeling and hypertension. Our results further indicate that specific pharmacological and genetic RISP, RyR2, FKBP12.6 dissociation, ATM, and Chk2 inhibition may become specific and effective treatment options for PH and other relevant vascular diseases.

Audience Take Away Notes

• Our current presentation will greatly help the audience to create their future research directions
• The finding presented may significantly assist the audience to develop novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for PH and other relevant pulmonary diseases.
• Our research could also be used by other investigators to expand their research and/or teaching

Biography:

Dr. Yong-Xiao Wang has been a Full Professor in Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Albany Medical College since 2006. Dr. Wang obtained his MD at Wannan Medical University, PhD at Fourth Military Medical University, and postdoctoral training at Technology University of Munich and University of Pennsylvania. He has made many important findings using complementary molecular, biochemical, physiological, and genetic approaches at the molecular, organelle, cellular, tissue and organism levels in animals and human samples, had numerous publications in Nature Commun (impact factor: 14.290), Antioxid Redox Signal (8.209), Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (9.432), Nature (34.480), Circ Res (9.214), and other highly peer-reviewed journals and academic books, and served as the editorial board member and/or section editor as well as the executive committee member and/or subcommittee chair for professional societies.