Shuxia Wang, MD, PhD

  • Professor

  • Graduate Faculty in Nutritional Sciences

  • Cardiovascular Research Center

  • Director of Energy Balance Core of CVRC COBRE

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Research

Major research focuses in my lab are to study obesity and its-associated metabolic disorders including chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). One focus is to study the role of matricellular protein-thrombospondin 1(TSP1) in obesity and obesity-associated metabolic disorders.  Particularly, we study how TSP1 regulates monocyte/macrophage function and contributes to obesity-associated chronic inflammation and NAFLD development and progression.  Another research focus in my lab is to determine the role of CD47- a TSP1 receptor in regulating beige and brown fat formation and function and their contribution to aging or diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders.  Additionally, obesity/diabetes induced renal complications are also studied in my lab. 

Selected Publications

Wang S et al . Nitric oxide and cGMP-dependent protein kinase regulation of thrombospondin 1-dependent TGF-beta activation in response to high glucose exposure. J Biol Chem. 2002, 277(12), 9880-8.

Wang S et al.  Expression of constitutively active cGMP-dependent protein kinase prevents glucose-induced thrombospondin1 expression and TGF-beta activation. Diabetes. 52 (8), 2003, 2144-2150.

LIu S et al. Overexpression of upstream stimulatory factor 2 accelerates diabetic kidney injury. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2007, 293 (5), F1727-35, PMID: 17881461

Li Y et al.  Thrombospondin1 deficiency reduces obesity-associated inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity in a diet-induced obese mouse model. PloS One, 2011, 6 (10): e26656. PMID:22160771.

 Cui W et al. Thrombospondin1 mediates renal dysfunction in a mouse model of high fat diet induced obesity. Am J of Physiol-renal, 2013, July 17.

Li Y et al.  Thrombospondin1 stimulates TNF-alpha expression in macrophages through activation of TLR4 pathway. Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 2013, Aug. 19 (Epub ahead of print)

Maimaitiyiming H et al. CD47 deficiency protects mice from high fat diet induced obesity and insulin resistance.  Scientific Report, 2015 Mar 9, 5:8846

Liu T et al.  Latexin inactivation enhances survival and long-term repopulating capacity of hematopoietic stem cells and expands the entire hematopoietic system in mice. Stem Cell Reports, 2017, 8(4), 991-1004

Memetimin H et al. Myeloid specific deletion of thrombospondin1 protects against inflammation and insulin resistance in long-term diet-induced obese male mice. Am J Physiol Endocrino Metab, 2018  October 23 

Gwag T, et al. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz activates PXR to induce hypercholesterolemia and hepatic steatosis.   J Hepatol. 2019, 70(5):930-940.

Gwag T et al. Macrophage-derived thrombospondin1 promotes obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J-Hepatology reports, 2020, 3(1), 100193. PMID: 33294831

Li D et al.  Absence of CD47 maintains brown fat thermogenic capacity and protects mice from aging-related obesity and metabolic disorder. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2021, 575, 14-19. PMID:34454175.

Gwag T et al.  Anti-CD47 antibody treatment attenuates liver inflammation and fibrosis in experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis models. Liver International, 2022, Feb 7. PMID: 35129307

Selected Publications

Wang S et al . Nitric oxide and cGMP-dependent protein kinase regulation of thrombospondin 1-dependent TGF-beta activation in response to high glucose exposure. J Biol Chem. 2002, 277(12), 9880-8.

Wang S et al.  Expression of constitutively active cGMP-dependent protein kinase prevents glucose-induced thrombospondin1 expression and TGF-beta activation. Diabetes. 52 (8), 2003, 2144-2150.

LIu S et al. Overexpression of upstream stimulatory factor 2 accelerates diabetic kidney injury. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, 2007, 293 (5), F1727-35, PMID: 17881461

Li Y et al.  Thrombospondin1 deficiency reduces obesity-associated inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity in a diet-induced obese mouse model. PloS One, 2011, 6 (10): e26656. PMID:22160771.

 Cui W et al. Thrombospondin1 mediates renal dysfunction in a mouse model of high fat diet induced obesity. Am J of Physiol-renal, 2013, July 17.

Li Y et al.  Thrombospondin1 stimulates TNF-alpha expression in macrophages through activation of TLR4 pathway. Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 2013, Aug. 19 (Epub ahead of print)

Maimaitiyiming H et al. CD47 deficiency protects mice from high fat diet induced obesity and insulin resistance.  Scientific Report, 2015 Mar 9, 5:8846

Liu T et al.  Latexin inactivation enhances survival and long-term repopulating capacity of hematopoietic stem cells and expands the entire hematopoietic system in mice. Stem Cell Reports, 2017, 8(4), 991-1004

Memetimin H et al. Myeloid specific deletion of thrombospondin1 protects against inflammation and insulin resistance in long-term diet-induced obese male mice. Am J Physiol Endocrino Metab, 2018  October 23 

Gwag T, et al. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz activates PXR to induce hypercholesterolemia and hepatic steatosis.   J Hepatol. 2019, 70(5):930-940.

Gwag T et al. Macrophage-derived thrombospondin1 promotes obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J-Hepatology reports, 2020, 3(1), 100193. PMID: 33294831

Li D et al.  Absence of CD47 maintains brown fat thermogenic capacity and protects mice from aging-related obesity and metabolic disorder. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2021, 575, 14-19. PMID:34454175.

Gwag T et al.  Anti-CD47 antibody treatment attenuates liver inflammation and fibrosis in experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis models. Liver International, 2022, Feb 7. PMID: 35129307

Education

Peking Union Medical College  

University of Alabama at Birmingham