Dr. Xiang Zhong, Professor

College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China

Biography

Dr. Xiang Zhong is a professor of Nanjing Agricultural University. He has long been engaged in research on the molecular mechanisms and biological functions of RNA modification. He integrates multiple research approaches including epigenetics, molecular biology, high-through sequencing, etc., to uncover the novel regulatory pathways of RNA modification on gene transcription, and to further explore their biological relevance in stem cell differentiation, lipid metabolism, immunity, and cancer development. He has published more than 40 SCI papers, including Cell Reports, Advance Science, WIREs RNA, Obesity Reviews, etc.

Topic

"ZNF207-TAZ" Loop Drives the Self-Renewal of Liver Cancer Stem Cells

Abstract

Liver cancer is one of the most common tumor types in the world, and is often accompanied by cirrhosis. Liver cancer stem cells are critical in liver tumorigenesis. However, how extracellular mechanical stress integrates and transforms in liver cancer stem cells to initiate tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here, we found that TAZ, but not YAP, is a necessary factor for liver cancer stem cell self-renewal, with significantly higher expression of YAP compared to TAZ in liver cancer. TAZ is regulated by ZNF207, and the expression of ZNF207 itself is also initiated by TAZ, forming a "ZNF207-TAZ" loop. Based on this, we proposed dual-activation cascades of TAZ in liver cancer stem cells. Blocking ZNF207 or TAZ inhibited self-renewal, proliferation, and metastasis of cancer stem cells in vitro. In vivo, ZNF207 knockout and TAZ knockout significantly inhibited HCC stem cell self-renewal and occurrence, while YAP knockout could not. The role of ZNF207 is dependent on TAZ but not YAP, suggesting that ZNF207-TAZ-mediated dual-activation cascades also play a key role in in vivo CSC self-renewal and liver cancer development.

Dr. Liquan Huang, Professor

College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Biography

Dr. Liquan Huang received a Bachelor degree in Biology and a Master degree in Molecular Genetics from Zhejiang University, and Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. He then studied at Yale University and obtained a PhD in Molecular Biology. He carried out his postdoctoral research at a Howard Hughes Medical Institute laboratory at New York University, and established his own laboratory at the Monell Chemical Senses Center affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. After returning to Zhejiang University, he has been supervising a chemosensory biology laboratory. His research has been focused on the biology of taste and smell, which has been funded by NIH, NSFC, MOST and US-Israel Binational Science Foundation. His findings have been published in high-impact journals such as Nature Genetics, Nature Neuroscience, PNAS, and eLife.

Topic

The Role of Taste Signaling Proteins in the Oral Cavity and Beyond

Abstract

Taste is one of the five special senses humans possess. Sweet, bitter, umami, sour and salty are the five primary taste qualities that are evaluated before food is ingested. Taste sensation begins at taste buds in the oral cavity. Interactions of sapid molecules in foodstuffs with receptors on taste bud cells initiate taste signaling cascades. Sweet, bitter and umami tastants are detected by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) whereas sour and salty molecules are sensed by ion channels. Humans have one dimeric GPCR each for sweet and umami tasting substances, respectively, and 26 monomeric GPCRs for bitter tasting substances. Activation of these GPCRs triggers G protein-mediated signal transduction, followed by the release of the transmitter ATP onto the afferent nerve fibers. As an end organ of the peripheral gustatory system, taste buds undergo initial intragemmal signal processing, which can be modulated by hormones, cytokines as well as transmitters from the nervous system. More recently, taste receptors and their downstream signaling proteins have been found in the extraoral organs, including the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, respiratory airways, lung, gallbladder and thymus. Particularly, a type of rare epithelial cells, tuft cells, resembles most to some taste bud cells in terms of gene expression profiles. These tuft cells can utilize taste GPCRs and other signaling proteins to sense noxious stimuli and invading pathogens, such as allergens, bacteria, protists, and helminths, and initiate innate immune responses to eliminate these agents. Under some circumstances, however, tuft cells can also play a protective role by preventing cell death or facilitating inflammation resolution to avoid cytokine storms. Further investigations on taste bud cells, tuft cells and other taste signaling protein-expressing cells may reveal more functions of these taste signal proteins in regulating immune responses and modulating neuronal functions.