Qi Wan
Department: Physiology & Cell Biology
Academic Unit: School of Medicine
Title: Associate Professor
Professional degrees: M.D./Ph.D
Research Area: Neuroscience
Contact Information
Contact Information
Mail Stop: 0575
Phone: 775-784-4352
Fax: 775-784-6903
e-mail: qwan@unr.edu
http://www.medicine.nevada.edu/physio/facqiwan.html
Research Interests
The excitatory glutamate receptors and the inhibitory GABA-A receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that play essential roles as neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system. My research team is interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the modulations of glutamate and GABA-A receptors by intracellular signals such as kinases and phosphatases at synapses. We aim at determining: 1) how these mechanisms mediate the regulation of synaptic plasticity under physiological conditions; 2) why dysfunctional regulations of these receptors contribute to neuronal death and/or neurodegeneration in pathological conditions, and thus providing molecular basis for the development of neuroprotective and neuroregenerative strategies for the treatment of patients suffering from ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. To realize these goals, we have been employing multiple approaches (i.e. electrophysiology, molecular biology and protein biochemistry) and various preparations (i.e. cell lines, primary neuronal cultures, brain slice and in vivo animal models) to test our hypotheses in experimental conditions.
Current Graduate Students:
Brendan Lujan; Kazuma Murakami
Other lab members:
Dr. Mi Zhang (Postdoctoral Fellow); Xiaoxuan Liu (Postdoctoral Fellow);
Ms. Mingxia Liao (Research Associate)
Selected Publications
Zheng M, Liao M, Cui T, Tian H, Fan DS, Wan Q. Regulation of nuclear TDP-43 by NR2A-containing NMDA receptor and phosphatase PTEN. J Cell Sci. 2012 (in press).
Hu R, Duan B, Wang D, Yu Y, Li W, Luo H, Lu P, Lin J, Zhu G, Wan Q, Feng H. Role of acid-sensing ion channel 1a in the secondary damage of traumatic spinal cord injury. Ann Surg. 2011 Aug;254(2):353-62.
Chang N, Li L, Hu R, Shan Y, Liu B, Li L, Wang H, Feng H, Wang D, Cheung C, Liao M, Wan Q. Differential regulation of NMDA receptor function by DJ-1 and PINK1. Aging Cell. 2010 Oct;9(5):837-50.
Cheung CC, Yang C, Berger T, Zaugg K, Reilly P, Elia AJ, Wakeham A, You-Ten A, Chang N, Li L, Wan Q, Mak TW. Identification of BERP (brain-expressed RING finger protein) as a p53 target gene that modulates seizure susceptibility through interacting with GABA(A) receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jun 29;107(26):11883-8.
Liu B, Li L, Zhang Q, Chang N, Wang D, Shan Y, Li L, Wang H, Feng H, Zhang L, Brann DW, Wan Q. Preservation of GABAA receptor function by PTEN inhibition protects against neuronal death in ischemic stroke. Stroke. 2010 May;41(5):1018-26.
Shan Y, Liu B, Li L, Chang N, Li L, Wang H, Wang D, Feng H, Cheung C, Liao M, Cui T, Sugita S, Wan Q. Regulation of PINK1 by NR2B-containing NMDA receptors in ischemic neuronal injury. J Neurochem. 2009 Dec;111(5):1149-60.
Li L, El-Hayek YH, Liu B, Chen Y, Gomez E, Wu X, Ning K, Li L, Chang N, Zhang L, Wang Z, Hu X, Wan Q. Direct-current electrical field guides neuronal stem/progenitor cell migration. Stem Cells. 2008 Aug;26(8):2193-200.
Li L, Wan Q. rSac3, a new member of Sac domain phosphoinositide phosphatases family. Cell Res. 2007 Nov;17(11):901-3.
Chang N, El-Hayek YH, Gomez E, Wan Q. Phosphatase PTEN in neuronal injury and brain disorders. Trends Neurosci. 2007 Nov;30(11):581-6.
Liu B, Liao M, Mielke JG, Ning K, Chen Y, Li L, El-Hayek YH, Gomez E, Zukin RS, Fehlings MG, Wan Q. Ischemic insults direct glutamate receptor subunit 2-lacking AMPA receptors to synaptic sites. J Neurosci. 2006 May 17;26(20):5309-19.
Ji SP, Zhang Y, Van Cleemput J, Jiang W, Liao M, Li L, Wan Q, Backstrom JR, Zhang X. Disruption of PTEN coupling with 5-HT2C receptors suppresses behavioral responses induced by drugs of abuse. Nat Med. 2006 Mar;12(3):324-9.
Ning K, Li L, Liao M, Liu B, Mielke JG, Chen Y, Duan Y, El-Hayek YH, Wan Q. Circadian regulation of GABAA receptor function by CKI epsilon-CKI delta in the rat suprachiasmatic nuclei. Nat Neurosci. 2004 May;7(5):489-90.
Ning K, Pei L, Liao M, Liu B, Zhang Y, Jiang W, Mielke JG, Li L, Chen Y, El-Hayek YH, Fehlings MG, Zhang X, Liu F, Eubanks J, Wan Q. Dual neuroprotective signaling mediated by downregulating two distinct phosphatase activities of PTEN. J Neurosci. 2004 Apr 21;24(16):4052-60.
Liu F, Wan Q, Pristupa ZB, Yu XM, Wang YT, Niznik HB. Direct protein-protein coupling enables cross-talk between dopamine D5 and gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors. Nature. 2000 Jan 20;403(6767):274-80.
Wan Q, Man HY, Liu F, Braunton J, Niznik HB, Pang SF, Brown GM, Wang YT. Differential modulation of GABA-A receptor function by Mel1a and Mel1b receptors. Nat Neurosci. 1999 May;2(5):401-3.
Wan Q, Xiong ZG, Man HY, Ackerley CA, Braunton J, Lu WY, Becker LE, MacDonald JF, Wang YT. Recruitment of functional GABA(A) receptors to postsynaptic domains by insulin. Nature. 1997 Aug 14;388(6643):686-90.
Wan Q, Man HY, Braunton J, Wang W, Salter MW, Becker L, Wang YT. Modulation of GABA-A receptor function by tyrosine phosphorylation of beta subunits. J Neurosci. 1997 Jul 1;17(13):5062-9.
