Yanfang Chen, Ph.D., M.D., FAHA

Associate Professor

Campus Address : 210 Health Sciences
Office: (937) 775-3265
Lab: (937) 775-4160
Fax: (937) 775-7221
E-mail: yanfang.chen@wright.edu

Education

M.D. (1987) Nanhua University Medical College
Ph.D. (1995) Beijing University Medical Center
Postdoctoral (1999-2002) Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Research Interests

Integrative and Translational Neuroscience and Cerebrovascular Research - stroke (Ischemic/ hemorrhagic ) and hypertension; stem cell therapy (angiogenesis and neurogenesis); neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease).

My research emphasis is briefly summarized as:

1. Study of the role of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in stroke. Clinical trials have showed that ACE inhibitors and AT1 receptor blockers have beneficial effects on stroke. However, the detailed mechanisms have not been fully understood. We are currently focusing on the roles of three major RAS signaling pathways, AngII/AT1, AngII/AT2 and Ang1-7/Fas on stroke. Gene modified mice models (transgenic or gene deletion) are used for the studies. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) is conducted for introducing focal ischemic stroke on animals. The renin and angiotensin double transgenic (R+A+) mice are fed with high-salt diet and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor for introducing intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke. The long-term objective is to understand the roles of different RAS pathways in regulating neural, cerebrovascular and blood-brain barrier (BBB) functions.
2. Study of stem cell-based and gene-based avenues for treatment of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. The bone marrow (BM) derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may play an important role in repairing the damaged cerebral endothelium. They also may be involved in revascularization for repair. The interest in my laboratory is to understand the changes of EPCs function in hypertension and type-2 diabetes. We hypothesize that the local RAS, the stromal derived factor (SDF-1a) and its receptor CXCR4 may regulate the EPCs function such as generation, mobilization and homing for angiogenesis and repair. In addition, we have successfully differentiated human endometrial progenitors into neuron in in vitro cultures. We are interested in reprogramming of neuron progenitor cells (NPCs) and using NPCs in treatment of stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
3. Study of the role of brain RAS in the control of cardiovascular function. The long-term objective in my laboratory is to understand the roles of different RAS pathways in regulating blood pressure and autonomic nerve function. Contemporary techniques are used to study cardiovascular and neural function in genetically modified mice, such as telemetric cardiovascular monitoring, brain microinjection, in situ hybridization, real-time RT-PCR and RNA interference (RNAi).

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications:

1. Ji Chen, Shuzhen Chen, Yushen Chen, Cheng Zhang, Jinju Wang, Wenfeng Zhang, Gong Liu, Bin Zhao, Yanfang Chen. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and cellular membrane microparticles in db/db diabetic mouse: possible implications in cerebral ischemic damage. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011;301:E62-E71
2. Zhu P, Wen YG, Fan XP, Zhou ZL, Fan RX, Chen JM, Huang KL, Zhu XL, Chen YF, Zhang J. A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tendem mass spectrometry method for determination of olopatadine concentration in human plasma. J Anal Toxicol. 2011; 35(2):113-8.
3. Ping Zhu, Ji-Mei Chen, Hui-Ming Guo, Xiao-Ping Fan, Xiao-Shen Zhang, Rui-Xin Fan, Shao-Yi Zheng, Ruo-Bin Wu, Xue-Jun Xiao, Huan-Lei Huang, Xiao-Lan Zhu, Huai-Pu Liu, Guang Long, Yanfang Chen, Jian Zhuang. Matrine inhibits disturbed flow-enhanced migration via down-regulation of ERK1/2-MLCK signaling vascular smooth muscle cells. Annals of Vascular Surgery 2011. (in press)
4.  Shihong Mao, Tomás Garzon-Muvdia, Mauricio DiFulvioa, Yanfang Chen, Eric Delpireb, Francisco J. Alvarezc and Francisco J. Alvarez-Leefmans. Molecular and functional expression of cation-coupled chloridecotranspoters in rodent doral root ganglion neurons during postnatal maturation. J Neurophysiology 2011 (accepted)
5. Northcott CA, Watts SW, Chen Y, Morris M, Chen AF, Haywood JR. Adenoviral inhibition of AT1a receptors in the paraventricular nucleus inhibits acute increases in mean arterial blood pressure in the rat. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010;299(5):R1202-11
6. Weihong Tu, Xin Xu, Lisheng Peng, Xiaofen Zhong, Wenfeng Zhang, Mangala M. Soundarapandian, Cherine Balel, Manqi Wang, Nali Jia, Wen Zhang, Frank Lew, Sic Lung Chan, Yanfang Chen, and Youming Lu. DAPK1 interaction with NMDA receptor NR2B subunits mediates brain damage in stroke. Cell 2010, 141, 28-46
7. Jinju Wang, Shuzhen Chen, Wenfeng Zhang, Lawrence S. Amesse, Yanfang Chen. Generation of Neurons from Human Endometrium. International Society for Neuroscience 40th Annual Meeting 2010
8. Samantha Stegeman, Shuzhen Chen, Wenfeng Zhang, Jinju Wang, Andrea Hoffmann, James French II, Teresa Pfaff-Amesse, Yanfang Chen, Lawrence S. Amesse. Generation of Megakaryocytes and Platelets from Human Endometrium. International Society for Stem Cell Research 8th Annual Meeting 2010
9. Ping Zhu, Ji-mei Chen, Shu-zhen Chen, Shao-yi Zheng, Guang Lon, Jinju Wang, Ji Chen, Rui-xin Fan, Yanfang Chen, Jian Zhaung. Matrine inhibits vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation and modulates the p53/ p21 pathway. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2010;31(10)1329-35
10. Shuzhen Chen, Guangze Li, Wenfeng Zhang, Jinju Wang, Curt D. Sigmund, James E. Olson, Yanfang Chen. Ischemia induced brain damage is enhanced in human renin and angiotensinogen double transgenic mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2009,297(5):R1526-31
11. Das Avik, Shuzhen Chen, Wenfeng Zhang, Jinju Wang, Mariana Morris, Yanfang Chen. Enlarged ischemic damage and decreased SDF-1a expression in the brain of db/db diabetic mice. Circulation 2009;120: S1103
12. Shuzhen Chen, Dongsheng Zhang, Wenfeng Zhang, Jinju Wang, Yigang Wang, Yanfang Chen. Circulating microparticles as potential biomarkers for primary intracerebral hemorrhage stroke. Circulation 2009;120: S1045 - S1046
13. Xiaolin Zheng, Shuzhen Chen, Jinju Wang, Tianlun Yang, Yanfang Chen. Dilated cardiomyopathy with hypertension: prevalence and response to high dose of beta1-adrenergic receptor blocker therapy. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 2009;36:945-949
14. Shuzhen Chen, Chenghui Huang, Wenfeng Zhang, Curt D. Sigmund, Yanfang Chen. Bone marrow derived endothelial progenitor cells are reduced and dysfunctional in human renin and angiotensinogen double transgenic mice. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2008, 28(6):e76
15. Zhanyi Lin, Yanfang Chen*, Wenfeng Zhang, Alex Chen, Shuguang Lin, Mariana Morris*. RNA interference shows interactions between brainstem angiotensin AT1 receptors and ACE2. Experimental Physiology 2008;93(5):676-84
16. Jiang-Hua Zhong, Xiao-Pan Chen, Chun-Fang Zeng Mei-Ling Yun, Xin-Wei Yang, Yanfang Chen and Zhen Yao. Effect of benazepril on heart rate turbulence in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 2007; 34:612-616
17. Chenghui Huang, Wenfeng Zhang, Jianghua Zhong Khalid M. Elased, Yanfang Chen. The brain tight junction protein ZO-1 is reduced in (db/db) diabetic mice. Diabetes 2007; 56 (supplement1):A600
18. Shijuan Lu, Chenghui Huang, Wenfeng Zhang, Curt D. Sigmund, Khalid M. Elased, Yanfang Chen. Down regulation of connexin37 in the arteries of human rennin and angiotensinogen double transgenic mouse. FASEB Journal 2007 21(6):A1159
19. Rogerio B. Wichi, Vera Farah, Yanfang Chen, Maria Claudia Irigoyen, Mariana Morris. Deficiency in angiotensin AT1a receptors prevents diabetes-induced hypertension. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2007;292: R1184-R1189
20. Yanfang Chen**, Terry L. Oroszi, Mariana Morris. Salt consumption increases blood pressure and abolishes the light/dark rhythm in angiotensin AT1a receptor deficient mice. Physiology & Behavior 2006;88(1-2):95-100
21. Yanfang Chen*, Hao Chen, Mark Chappell, Debra Diz, Alex Chen, Mariana Morris. Adenovirus mediated small interference RNA for silencing angiotensin AT1a receptors in mouse brain. Hypertension 2006;47:230-237
22. Yanfang Chen, Luis F. Joaquim, Vera Farah, Rubens Fazan Jr., Helio C. Salgado and Mariana Morris. Cardiovascular autonomic control in mice lacking angiotensin AT1a receptors. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2005; 288: R1071-R1077
23. Yingbi Zhou, Wessel P. Dirksen, Yanfang Chen, Mariana Morris, Muthu Periasamy and Jay L. Zweier. A major role for AT1b receptor in mouse mesenteric resistance vessels and its distribution in heart and neuroendocrine tissues. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2005; 38(4):693-696
24. Yanfang Chen*, Hao Chen and Mariana Morris. Enhanced osmotic responsiveness in angiotensin AT1a receptor deficient mice: evidence for a role of AT1b receptors. Experimental Physiology 2005: 90(5):739-746.
25. Rocha, M.J.A. Chen, Y., Oliveira, G.R., Morris, M.. Physiological regulation of brain angiotensin receptor mRNA in AT1a deficient mice. Experimental Neurology 2005; 195(1): 229-35
26. Yanfang Chen*, Yiwen Liu-Stratton, Hamdy Hassanain, David R. Cool and Mariana Morris. Dietary sodium regulates angiotensin AT1a and AT1b mRNA expression in mouse brain: analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Experimental Neurology 2004;188(2):238-245
27. Hao Chen, Mariana Morris and Yanfang Chen*. Rapid neurosecretory and cardiovascular response to osmotic stimulation in conscious mice. Neuroendocrinology 2004; 80: 225-232
28. Yanfang Chen, Maria JA Rocha, Mariana Morris. Osmolality regulation of angiotensin AT1 receptor subtypes in mouse brain. Brain Research 2003;965:35-44
29. Zhou Y, Chen Y, Dirksen WP, Morris M, Periasamy M. AT1b receptor predominantly mediates contractions in major mouse blood vessels. Circulation Research 2003; 93(11):1089-1094
30. Yanfang Chen, Mariana Morris. Differentiation of brain angiotensin type 1a and 1b receptor mRNAs: a specific effect of dehydration. Hypertension 2001;37(2):692-699