Research

Ping Xie, Ph.D., Assistant Professor B336 Nelson Labs 604 Allison Road Piscataway, NJ 08854-6999 VOICE: (732) 445-0802 FAX: (732) 445-5870 xie@dls.rutgers.edu

Research Summary

Molecular mechanisms of immune regulation and cancer pathogenesis

Our ongoing research focuses on TRAF3, a cytoplasmic adaptor protein utilized by the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF-R) superfamily and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) for signaling. Aberrant functions of these receptors contribute to the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cancers. Understanding how TRAF3 regulates signaling by these receptors inside cells is thus critical for designing vaccines and treatment strategies for human diseases. To address this and to circumvent the early lethality limitation of TRAF3 knockout mice, we generated conditional TRAF3^-/- (TRAF3^flox/flox) mice. Through characterization of B cell-specific and T cell-specific TRAF3^-/- mice, we have discovered pivotal and diverse functions of TRAF3 in B and T lymphocytes. In particular, we found that B cell-specific TRAF3^-/- mice display severe peripheral B cell hyperplasia, splenomegaly, and autoimmune reactivity. We are currently investigating the contributions of TRAF3 in B lymphomagenesis. We will also examine the functions of TRAF3 in innate immunity and inflammation by generating myeloid cell-specific TRAF3^-/- mice. Furthermore, we are developing a new research program to explore whether and how protein arginine methylation and arginine methyltransferases regulate immune responses and cancer pathogenesis. Knowledge gathered from our research programs will contribute to a better understanding of the regulation of immune responses and cancer pathogenesis.

Selected Publications

Recent publications: ALL | LAST 10