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Research Interests

Keywords: immunomudulation, transplant tolerance, gene silencing, siRNA therapy.

Description of research activities: My research is focused on tolerance induction through gene silencing and immune modulation. There are two major themes in our research: i) establishing tolerance for preventing graft rejection in transplantation and treatment of autoimmune diseases, and ii) breaking tumor-derived immune suppression for treatment of cancer. The ultimate goals of our research are to dissect the mechanisms underlying dendritic cell-mediated immune modulation, and to develop novel immune-based and RNAi-based therapies.

Selected Publications

1. M Suzuki, X Zheng, X Zhang, M Li, C Vladau, TE Ichim, H Sun, B Garcia, and W-P Min. Novel therapy for allergy through gene silencing of CD40 using siRNA. J Immunol. 2008, 180(12):8461-9.
2. X Zheng, X Zhang, B Feng, H Sun, M Suzuki, N Kubo, A Wong, LR Min, ME Bedohn, B Garcia, AM Jevnikar, and W-P Min. Gene silencing of complement C5a receptor using siRNA for preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am J Pathol. 2008, In press.
3. M Li, X Zhang, X Zheng, D Lian, Z-X Zhang, W Ge, J Yang, C Vladau, , M Suzuki, D Chen, R Zhong, B Garcia, AM Jevnikar and W-P Min: Immune modulation and tolerance induction by RelB-silenced dendritic cells. J Immunol. 2007, 178(9):5480-7.
4. X Zheng, J Koropatnick, M Li, X Zhang, F Ling, X Ren, X Hao, H Sun, C Vladau, JA Frignet, IA PopovBL Urquhart, R Zhong, DJ Freeman, B Garcia and W-P Min. Reinstalling anti-cancer immunity by inhibiting tumor-derived immune suppression through RNA interference. J Immunol. 2006; 177:5639-46.
5. JA Hill, TE Ichim, KP Kusznieruk, M Li, X Huang, X Yan, R Zhong, E Cairns, DA Bell and W-P Min. Immune modulation by silencing IL-12 production in dendritic cells using small interfering RNA. J. Immunol. 2003, 171 (2): 691-6.
6. X Zheng, C Vladau, X Zhang1, M Suzuki, T Ichim, M Li, B Garcia, AM Jevnikar and W-P Min. A novel in vivo siRNA delivery system specifically targeting dendritic cells and silencing CD40 genes for immunomodulation. Blood  2009, 113(12):2646-54.
7. M Suzuki, X Zheng, X Zhang, M Li, C Vladau, TE Ichim, H Sun, B Garcia, and W-P Min. Novel therapy for allergy through gene silencing of CD40 using siRNA. J Immunol. 2008, 180(12):8461-9.
8. X Zheng, X Zhang, B Feng, H Sun, M Suzuki, N Kubo, A Wong, LR Min, ME Bedohn, B Garcia, AM Jevnikar, and W-P Min. Gene silencing of complement C5a receptor using siRNA for preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am J Pathol. 2008,173: 973-980..
9. M Li, X Zhang, X Zheng, D Lian, Z-X Zhang, W Ge, J Yang, C Vladau, , M Suzuki, D Chen, R Zhong, B Garcia, AM Jevnikar and W-P Min: Immune modulation and tolerance induction by RelB-silenced dendritic cells. J Immunol. 2007, 178(9):5480-7.
10. X Zheng, J Koropatnick, M Li, X Zhang, F Ling, X Ren, X Hao, H Sun, C Vladau, JA Frignet, IA PopovBL Urquhart, R Zhong, DJ Freeman, B Garcia and W-P Min. Reinstalling anti-cancer immunity by inhibiting tumor-derived immune suppression through RNA interference. J Immunol. 2006; 177:5639-46.