| Name: | Shu-jen Chen |
| Title: Area of Study: | Visiting Assistant Professor Gene Regulation, Signal transduction
|
| Phone: | 252-328-9986 |
| E-mail: | chens@ecu.edu |
| Office: | 159 Flanagan |
| Address: | Department of Biology |
| | East Carolina University |
| | Greenville, NC 27858 |
RESEARCH INTERESTS My primary research interest is signal transduction and gene regulation. Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) positively regulates α2(I) procollagen gene (COL1A2) promoter activity through the cellular SMAD signal transduction pathway in normal skin fibroblasts. We have shown that SMAD3 plays a central role in stimulation of type I collagen leads to scleroderma and fibrosis. Using DNA microarray analysis, I identified early growth response gene 1 (Egr-1) as a novel signal mediator of TGF-β signal pathway independence of SMAD3. Egr-1, an 80-82 KD zinc-finger transcription factor, is transiently and rapidly induced by growth factors and cytokines in human primary skin fibroblasts. Transient transfection, gel shift, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and Egr-1 null mice experiments demonstrated that Egr-1 is required for type I collagen maximal activity. These findings implicate a novel mechanism to account the important role of Egr-1 on regulation of type I collagen gene expression. Egr-1 is a key regulator in inflammation. My long term research goal is to continue to explore the role of Egr-1 in inflammatory tissue.
Publications Chen, S.J., Ning, H., Ishida, W., Sodin-Semrl, S., Mori, Y., Takagawa, S., and Varga, J. (2006) The early-immediate gene EGR-1 is induced by transforming growth factor-beta and mediates stimulation of collagen gene expression. J Biol Chem. 281(30):21183-97.
Lakos, G., Takagawa, S., Chen, S.J., Ferrelira, A.M., Han, G., Masuda, K., Wang, X.J., DiPietro, L.A., and Varga, J. (2004). Targeted Disruption of TGF-β/Smad3 Signaling Modulates Skin fibrosis in a Mouse Model of Scleroderma. American J. Pathology 165:203-217.
Ghosh, A.K., Bhattacharyya, S., Lakos, G., Chen, S.J., Mori, Y., and Varga, J. (2004). Disruption of Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling and Profibrotic Responses in Normal Skin Fibroblasts by Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor γ. Arthritis & Rheumatism 50:1305-1318.
Mori, Y., Chen, S.J., and Varga, J. (2003) Expression and Regulation of Intracellular SMAD Signaling in Scleroderma Skin Fibroblasts. Arthritis & Rheumatism 48: 1964-1978.
Ghosh, A.K. Yuan, W., Mori, Y., Chen, S.J., and Varga, J. (2001).Antagonistic Regulation of Type I Collagen Gene Exprssion by INF-γ and TGF-β. Interaction at the Level of p300/CBP Transcriptional Coactivators. J. Biol. Chem. 276:11041-11048.
Mori Y., Chen, S.J., and Varga, J.(2000). Modulation of Endogenous Smad Expression in Normal Skin Fibroblasts by TGF-β. Exp. Cell Research 258:374-383.
Chen, S.J., Yuan, W., Lo, S., Trojanowska, M., and Varga, J. (2000) .Interaction of Smad3 with a Proximal Smad-binding Element of the Human α2(I) Procollagen Gene Promoter Mediates Transcriptional Activation by TGF-β. J. Cell. Physiol. 183:381-392.
Chen, S.J., Yuan, W., Mori, Y., Levenson, A., Trojanowska, M., and Varga, J. (1999). Stimulation of Type I Collagen Transcription in Human Skin Fibroblasts by TGF-β: Involvement of Smad 3. J. Investigative Dermatology 112:49-57.
Yuan, W., Yufit, T., Li, L., Mori, Y., Chen, S.J., and Varga, J. (1999). Negative Modulation of α1(I) Procollagen Gene Expression in Human Skin Fibroblasts: Transcriptional Inhibition by Interferon-γ. J. Cell. Physiol. 179:97-108.
Chen, S.J., Artlett, C.M., Jimernez, S.A., and Varga, J. (1998) Modulation of Human α1(I) Procollagen Gene Activity by Interaction with Sp1 and Sp3 Transcription Factors in vitro. Gene 215: 101-110.
Artlett, C.A., Chen, S.J., Varga, J., and Jimenez, S.A. (1998) Modulation of Basal Expression of the Human α1(I) Procollagen Gene (COL1A1) by Tandem NF-1/Sp1 Promoter Elements in Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts. Matrix Biology 17: 425-434.
Chen, S.J., and Leonard, J.P. (1996) Protein Tyrosine Kinase-mediated Potentiation of Currents from Cloned NMDA Receptors. J. Neurochemistry 67:194-200.
Omerovic, A., Chen, S.J., Leonard, J., and Kelso, S. (1995) Subunit-specific Redox Modulation of NMDA Receptors Expressed in Xenopus oocytes. J. Receptor and Cellular Signal Transduction Research 15:811-827.
Chen, S.J., Rosiere, T.K., and Bouck, G.B. (1995) In situ Glycosylation of Flagellar Lipids. In Methods in Cell Biology, Vol.47: Cilia and Flagella, edited by Dentler, W.L., and Whitman, G.B., Academic Press, pp: 129-134.
Chen, S.J., Spathis, R., and Schmidt, J. (1988) Binding Sites for [3H]-acetylcholineand 125I-α-bungarotoxin in the Optic Ganglion of Loligo pealii. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 90C:317-323.
Chen, S.J., Rajaraman, S., Miller, J., Kalmaz, G.D., and Brysk, M.M. (1986) Isolation and Characterization of a 30 Kd Membrane Glycoprotein from Human Stratum Corneum. Biochim. Biophy. Acta 881:375-382.
Brysk, M.M., Miller, J., Chen, S.J., Moller, P.C., and Stach, R.W. (1986) Response of Malignant and Nonmalignant Epidermal Cell Lines to Tunicamycin. Cell Tissue Res. 245:215-221.
Brysk, M.M., Miller, J., Chen, S.J., and Rajaraman, S. (1986) Modified Distribution of Epidermal Glycoproteins in the Nude Mouse. Exp. Cell Biol. 54:163-169.
Brysk, M.M., Rajaraman, S., Penn, P., and Chen, S.J. (1986) Endogenous Lectin from Terminally Differentiated Epidermal Cells. Differentiation 32:230-237.
Chen, S.J., and Bouck, G.B. (1984) Endogenous Glycosyltransferases Glycosylate Lipids in Flagella of Euglena. J. Cell Biol. 98:1825-1835.
Bouck, G.B., and Chen, S.J. (1984) Synthesis and Assembly of the Flagellar Surface. J. Protozoology 31:21-24.
Lin, B.C., Day, H.J., Chen, S.J., and Chien, M.C. (1979) Isolation and Characterization of Plasmid in Xanthomonas manihitis. Bot. Bull. Academia Sinica 20:157-171.
