Francesca-Fang Liao, Ph.D.

Francesca-Fang Liao, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology


The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
874 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38163
Tel: (901) 448-2752
Fax: (901) 448-1822
Email: Francesca-Fang Liao



Education

  • Ph.D. Institution: Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York
  • Postdoctoral: Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immuniology, The Rockefeller University, New York

Link

Research Interests

Molecular mechanism underlying neurotoxicity and neuroprotection.

  1. Study of the molecular mechanisms for the actions of several neuroprotective agents via activating the production of the soluble APP. Currently we conduct comparative studies in the in vitro and in vivo settings on the following chemical agents (statins, estrogen, melatonin, EGCG/anti-oxidant from green tea extract, and bryostatin/PKC activator).
  2. Study of novel functional roles of PTEN in adult CNS and in particular in neurodegeneration using Alzheimer mouse models. This study involves the following areas: 1) newly identified role of nuclear PTEN in neuronal cell cycle regulation 2) validation of the cell cycle hypothesis in neuronal degeneration and 3) redox regulation of PTEN as a crucial mechanism in neuronal function.
  3. Study of redox regulation of cell cycle regulators in neurons that contribute to neurodegeneration. We will employ both the acute (stroke) and chronic Alzheimer mouse models to investigate the interplay between PTEN, Akt, cell cycle molecules and neuronal death.
  4. Study of functional coupling between PTEN and a number of CNS receptors involved in drug addiction and in neuronal plasticity. Approaches will include structurefunction relationship analysis and eventually develop disruptive peptides/small molecule inhibitors as potential therapeutic interventions.

Representative Publications

  • Wang R, Li JJ, Diao S, Kwak YD, Liu L, Zhi L, Büeler H, Bhat NR, Williams RW, Park EA, Liao FF. Metabolic Stress Modulates Alzheimer's β-Secretase Gene Transcription via SIRT1-PPARγ-PGC-1 in Neurons. Cell Metab. 2013 May 7;17(5):685-94. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2013.03.016. PubMed PMID: 23663737.
  • Liu J, Liu FY, Tong ZQ, Li ZH, Chen W, Luo WH, Li H, Luo HJ, Tang Y, Tang JM, Cai J, Liao FF, Wan Y. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 in breast cancer cells contributes to the production of endogenous formaldehyde in the metastatic bone cancer pain model of rats. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58957. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058957. Epub 2013 Mar 14. PubMed PMID: 23516587; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3597561.
  • Zhang H, Zhang YW, Chen Y, Huang X, Zhou F, Wang W, Xian B, Zhang X, Masliah E, Chen Q, Han JD, Bu G, Reed JC, Liao FF, Chen YG, Xu H. Appoptosin is a novel pro-apoptotic protein and mediates cell death in neurodegeneration. J Neurosci. 2012 Oct 31;32(44):15565-76. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3668-12.2012. PubMed PMID: 23115192; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3509748.
  • Kwak YD, Wang B, Li JJ, Wang R, Deng Q, Diao S, Chen Y, Xu R, Masliah E, Xu H, Sung JJ, Liao FF. Upregulation of the E3 ligase NEDD4-1 by oxidative stress degrades IGF-1 receptor protein in neurodegeneration. J Neurosci. 2012 Aug 8;32(32):10971-81. PubMed PMID: 22875931.
  • Kwak YD, Wang R, Li JJ, Zhang YW, Xu H, Liao FF. Differential regulation of BACE1 expression by oxidative and nitrosative signals. Mol Neurodegener. 2011 Mar 3;6:17. doi: 10.1186/1750-1326-6-17. PubMed PMID: 21371311; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3059281.
  • Kwak YD, Ma T, Diao S, Zhang X, Chen Y, Hsu J, Lipton SA, Masliah E, Xu H, Liao FF. NO signaling and S-nitrosylation regulate PTEN inhibition in neurodegeneration. Mol Neurodegener. 2010 Nov 10;5:49. doi: 10.1186/1750-1326-5-49. PubMed PMID: 21067594; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2992530.

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