Current

01/01/2022-12/31/2024

National Natural Science Foundation of China (Key Program), ¥3,180,200, 32130041

Systematic characterizations of adipose Treg subsets and their physiological function

Role: Principal Investigator

01/01/2020-12/31/2024

National Key Research and Development Project, ¥4,340,000, 2019YFA0906102

Construction and functional study of engineered CAR-T cells resistant to Treg inhibition

Role: Subject leader

07/01/2019-06/31/2022

International Cooperation and Exchanges NSFC, ¥1,400,000, 31961133011

New approaches to characterize Th17/Treg cell balance contributing to anti-tumor immune response

Role: Principal Investigator

01/01/2019-12/31/2023

National Natural Science Foundation of China (Key Program), ¥2,940,000, 81810051

To develop new immunotherapies against autoimmune diseases by modulating Th17/Treg balance

Role: Principal Investigator

Liu Q, Zhu F, Liu X, Lu Y, Yao K, Tian N, Tong L, Figge DA, Wang X, Han Y, Li Y, Zhu Y, Hu L, Ji Y, Xu N, Li D, Gu X, Liang R, Gan G, Wu L, Zhang P, Xu T, Hu H, Hu Z, Xu H, Ye D, Yang H, Li B, Tong X. Non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway controls regulatory T cell function by integrating metabolism and epigenetics. Nat Metab. 2022 May 23. doi: 10.1038/s42255-022-00575-z.

Li Y, Lu Y, Lin SH, Li N, Han Y, Huang Q, Zhao Y, Xie F, Guo Y, Deng B, Tsun A, Du J, Li D, Sun J, Shi G, Zheng F, Su X, Duan S, Zheng SG, Wang G, Tong X, Li B. Insulin signaling establishes a developmental trajectory of adipose regulatory T cells. Nat Immunol. 2021 Sep;22(9):1175-1185.

Lu Y, Li Y, Liu Q, Tian N, Du P, Zhu F, Han Y, Liu X, Liu X, Peng X, Wang X, Wu Y, Tong L, Li Y, Zhu Y, Wu L, Zhang P, Xu Y, Chen H, Li B, Tong X. MondoA-Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein Axis Maintains Regulatory T-Cell Identity and Function in Colorectal Cancer Microenvironment. Gastroenterology. 2021 Aug;161(2):575-591.e16.

Cheng H, Wang L, Yang B, Li D, Wang X, Liu X, Tian N, Huang Q, Feng R, Wang Z, Liang R, Dai SM, Lv L, Wu J, Zang YS, Li B. Cutting Edge: Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Activity Induces the Generation and Enhanced Suppressive Function of Human IL-10+ FOXP3+-Induced Regulatory T Cells. J Immunol. 2020 Sep 15;205(6):1497-1502.

Yang J, Wei P, Barbi J, Huang Q, Yang E, Bai Y, Nie J, Gao Y, Tao J, Lu Y, Xie C, Hou X, Ren J, Wu X, Meng J, Zhang Y, Fu J, Kou W, Gao Y, Chen Z, Liang R, Tsun A, Li D, Guo W, Zhang S, Zheng SG, Niu J, Galardy P, Tong X, Shi G, Li H, Pan F, Li B. The deubiquitinase USP44 promotes Treg function during inflammation by preventing FOXP3 degradation. EMBO Rep. 2020 Sep 3;21(9):e50308.

Yi G, Zhao Y, Xie F, Zhu F, Wan Z, Wang J, Wang X, Gao X, Cao L, Li X, Chen C, Kuang Y, Qiu X, Yang H, Wang J, Su B, Chen L, Zhang W, Hou Y, Xu X, He Y, Tsun A, Liu X, Li B, Single-cell RNA-seq unveils critical regulators of human FOXP3+ regulatory T cell stability. Science Bulletin, 2020, 65(13):1114-1124.

Yi G, Guo S, Liu W, Wang H, Liu R, Tsun A, Jin G, Li B. Identification and functional analysis of heterogeneous FOXP3+ Treg cell subpopulations in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Science Bulletin, 2018,63(15):972-981.

Fang, S. Huang, Y. Wang, N. Zhang, S. Zhong, S. Li, Y. Sun, J. Liu, X. Wang, Y. Gu, P. Li, B. Zhou, H. Fan, X. Insights into Local Orbital Immunity: Evidence for the Involvement of the Th17 Cell Pathway in Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 2018, doi: 10.1210.

Fang S, Huang Y, Zhong S, Li Y, Zhang Y, Li Y, Sun J, Liu X, Wang Y, Zhang S, Xu T, Sun X, Gu P, Li D, Zhou H, Li B, Fan X. Regulation of Orbital Fibrosis and Adipogenesis by Pathogenic Th17 Cells in Graves Orbitopathy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 2017,102(11):4273-4283.

Fang S, Huang Y, Wang S, Zhang Y, Luo X, Liu L, Zhong S, Liu X, Li D, Liang R, Miranda P, Gu P, Zhou H, Fan X, Li B. IL-17A exacerbates fibrosis by promoting the proinflammatory and profibrotic function of orbital fibroblasts in TAO. J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 2016,101(8):2955-65.

Shan J, Zhao B, Shan Z, Nie J, Deng R, Xiong R, Tsun A, Pan W, Zhao H, Chen L, Jin Y, Qian Z, Lui K, Liang R, Li D, Sun B, Lavillette D, Xu K, Li B. Histone demethylase LSD1 restricts influenza A virus infection by erasing IFITM3-K88 monomethylation. PLoS Pathog., 2017,13(12):e1006773.

12.Shan Z, Han Q, Nie J, Cao X, Chen Z, Yin S, Gao Y, Lin F, Zhou X, Xu K, Fan H, Qian Z, Sun B, Zhong J, Li B, Tsun A. Negative regulation of interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 by SET7-mediated lysine monomethylation. J Biol Chem., 2013,288(49):35093-103.

13.Luo X, Nie J, Wang S, Chen Z, Chen W, Li D, Hu H, Li B. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of FOXP3 Protein Mediated by PARP-1 Protein Regulates the Function of Regulatory T Cells. J Biol Chem., 2016,291(3):1201.

Li Y, Lu Y, Wang S, Han Z, Zhu F, Ni Y, Liang R, Zhang Y, Leng Q, Wei G, Shi G, Zhu R, Li D, Wang H, Zheng SG, Xu H, Tsun A, Li B. USP21 prevents the generation of T-helper-1-like Treg cells. Nat Commun., 2016,7: 13559.

Gao Y, Tang J, Chen W, Li Q, Nie J, Lin F, Wu Q, Chen Z, Gao Z, Fan H, Tsun A, Shen J, Chen G, Liu Z, Lou Z, Olsen NJ, Zheng SG, Li B. Inflammation negatively regulates FOXP3 and regulatory T-cell function via DBC1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., 2015,112(25): E3246-54.

16.Yang J, Xu P, Han L, Guo Z, Wang X, Chen Z, Nie J, Yin S, Piccioni M, Tsun A, Lv L, Ge S, Li B. Cutting edge: Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 promotes Th17 cell function under inflammation by deubiquitinating and stabilizing RORγt. J Immunol. 2015 May 1;194(9):4094-7.

Wang X, Yang J, Han L, Zhao K, Wu Q, Bao L, Li Z, Lv L, Li B. TRAF5-mediated Lys-63-linked Polyubiquitination Plays an Essential Role in Positive Regulation of RORγt in Promoting IL-17A Expression. J Biol Chem., 2015,290(48):29086-94.

Li Z, Lin F, Zhuo C, Deng G, Chen Z, Yin S, Gao Z, Piccioni M, Tsun A, Cai S, Zheng SG, Zhang Y, Li B. PIM1 kinase phosphorylates the human transcription factor FOXP3 at serine 422 to negatively regulate its activity under inflammation. J Biol Chem., 2014,289(39):26872-81.

Han L, Yang J, Wang X, Wu Q, Yin S, Li Z, Zhang J, Xing Y, Chen Z, Tsun A, Li D, Piccioni M, Zhang Y, Guo Q, Jiang L, Bao L, Lv L, Li B. The E3 deubiquitinase USP17 is a positive regulator of retinoic acid-related orphan nuclear receptor γt (RORγt) in Th17 cells. J Biol Chem., 2014,289(37):25546-55.

Li Y, Tsun A, Gao Z, Han Z, Gao Y, Li Z, Lin F, Wang Y, Wei G, Yao Z, Li B. 60-kDa Tat-interactive protein (TIP60) positively regulates Th-inducing POK (ThPOK)-mediated repression of eomesodermin in human CD4+ T cells. J Biol Chem. 2013 May 31;288(22):15537-46.

Zhang J, Chen C, Hou X, Gao Y, Lin F, Yang J, Gao Z, Pan L, Tao L, Wen C, Yao Z, Tsun A, Shi G, Li B. Identification of the E3 deubiquitinase ubiquitin-specific peptidase 21 (USP21) as a positive regulator of the transcription factor GATA3. J Biol Chem. 2013 Mar 29;288(13):9373-82.

Chen Z, Barbi J, Bu S, Yang HY, Li Z, Gao Y, Jinasena D, Fu J, Lin F, Chen C, Zhang J, Yu N, Li X, Shan Z, Nie J, Gao Z, Tian H, Li Y, Yao Z, Zheng Y, Park BV, Pan Z, Zhang J, Dang E, Li Z, Wang H, Luo W, Li L, Semenza GL, Zheng SG, Loser K, Tsun A, Greene MI, Pardoll DM, Pan F, Li B. The ubiquitin ligase Stub1 negatively modulates regulatory T cell suppressive activity by promoting degradation of the transcription factor Foxp3. Immunity, 2013,39(2):272-85.