Office: 210-567-8510
Email: zhangw2@uthscsa.edu

My current research interest focuses on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), and the development of neuroprotective strategies for slowing down the disease progression. Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressive and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta and subsequent striatal dopamine depletion causing ridigity, tremor, bradykinesia and postural imbalance. The cause of PD remains largely unknown. Many genetic factors have been identified to be responsible for the familial forms of these disorders. However, the majority of these disorders are sporadic with unknown causes, possibly involving multiple genetic and other factors, in which environment and aging play major roles. With the advances of our understanding of the pathogenesis of PD, varieties of potential neuroprotective strategies including anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs and others are being studied or evaluated. We are investigating the functions of gene products, such as attractin (Atrn), Mahogunin (Mgrn1), and leptin, in protecting dopaminergic neurons from progressive degeneration using both chemical-induced and genetic PD animal models.

Selected Recent Publications

Liu J, Garza J, Truong H, Henschel J, Zhang W, Lu X-Y (2007) The melanocortinergic pathway is rapidly recruited by emotional stress and mediates stress-induced anorexia and anxiety-like behavior. Endocrinology, Aug 2; [Epub ahead of print].

Paz J, Yao H, Lim HS, Lu X-Y, Zhang W (2007) The protective role of attractin in neurodegeneration. Neurobiology of Aging, 28(9): 1446-1456.

Lu XY, Kim CS, Frazer A, Zhang W (2006) Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant, PNAS, 103: 1593-1598.

Zhang W and Arcos R. (2005) Interaction of the adenovirus major core protein precursor, pVII, with the viral DNA packaging machinery. Virology, 334: 194-202.

Vincent AM, Feldman EL, Song DK, Jung V, Schilder A, Zhang W, Imperiale MJ, and Boulis NM (2004) Adeno-associated viral insulin-like growth factor expression protects motor neurons in an in vitro model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuromolecular Medicine, 6(2-3): 79-86.

Zhang W and Imperiale MJ (2003) Requirement of the adenovirus IVa2 protein for virus assembly. Journal of Virology, 77: 3586-3594.

Zhang W, Low JA, Christensen JB, and Imperiale MJ (2001) A role for the adenovirus IVa2 protein in packaging of viral DNA. Journal of Virology, 75(21): 10446-54.

Zhang W and Imperiale MJ (2000) Interaction of the adenovirus IVa2 protein with packaging sequences. Journal of Virology, 74(6): 2687-93.

McGuire TC, Leib SR, Lonning SM, Zhang W, Byrne KM, and Mealey RH (2000) Equine infectious anemia virus proteins most frequently recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes from infected horses. Journal of General Virology, 81: 2735-2739.

Zhang W, Auyong AB, Oaks JL, and McGuire TC (1999) Natural variants of equine infectious anemia virus-gag cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes. Virology, 261, 242-252.

Lonning SM, Zhang W, Leib SR, and McGuire TC (1999) Detection and induction of equine infectious anemia virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses by use of recombinant retroviral vectors. Journal of Virology, 73(4): 2762-2769.

Lonning SM, Zhang W, and McGuire TC (1999) Gag protein epitopes recognized by CD4⁺ T-helper lymphocytes from equine infectious anemia virus-infected carrier horses. Journal of Virology, 73(5): 4257-4265.

Zhang W, Lonning SM, and McGuire TC (1998) Gag protein epitopes recognized by ELA-A restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes from horses with long-term equine infectious anemia virus infection. Journal of Virology, 72(12): 9612-9620.