Research interests: Mechanisms of synapse formation, neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity; NRG1/ErbB4 signaling

The Mei Laboratory                                                                                     

                                                                                                research opportunities

Education

MD            1982       Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang, China
MS            1985       Institute of Pharmocology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
PhD           1989       University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Postdoc     1994       Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.

Current Research

The human brain contains billions of neurons to receive and integrate a host of electrical and biochemical signals. Efficiency in communication among neurons is made possible by synapses, contacts formed between two neurons. We are interested in mechanisms of synapse formation, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity. Our studies contribute to the identification of targets and the development of potential therapeutic strategies for treating psychiatric and neurological disorders whose pathogenesis involves abnormal synaptic structure and function. Because signaling pathways we are interested in have been implicated in tumor genesis and metastasis, our studies may also yield insight into cancer biology.

Key References:

Li X-M,* Dong X-P,* Luo SW, Zhang B, Lee DH, Ting AKL, Neiswender H, Kim CH, Carpenter-Hyladn E, Gao TM, Xiong WC, Mei L. Retrograde regulation of motoneuron differentiation by muscle β-catenin. Nature Neurosci. 2008;11:262-68. (highlighted in News & Views by Fu et al. [Nature Neurosci. 2008;11:244]). (*, Equal contribution.)

Luo S, Zhang B, Dong X-p, Tao Y, Ting A, Zhou Z, Meixiong J, Luo J, Chiu FCA, Xiong WC, Mei L. HSP90β Regulates Rapsyn Turnover and Subsequent AChR Cluster Formation and Maintenance. Neuron. 2008;60:97-110.

Zhang B, Luo S, Wang Q, Suzuki T, Xiong WC, Mei L. LRP4 serves as a co-receptor of agrin. Neuron. 2008;60:285-97. (highlighted in Nature. 2008;455:1153 and in Nature Rev. Neurosci. 2008;9:886.)

Mei L, Xiong WC. Neuregulin-1 signaling in neural development, synaptic plasticity and schizophrenia. Nature Rev. Neurosci. 2008;9:437-52.

Li B, Woo RS, Mei L, Malinow R. The neuregulin1 receptor ErbB4 controls glutamatergic synapse maturation and plasticity. Neuron. 2007;54:583-597. (highlighted in Preview by G. Fischbach [Neuron 2007;54:495-97]; in News and View by Role LW and Talmage DA [Nature. 2007;448:263] and in Nature Rev. Neurosci. [2007;8:492]).

Woo R-S,* Li XM,* Tao Y, Carpenter-Hyland E, Huang YZ, Weber J, Neiswender H, Dong X-P, Wu J, Gassmann M, Lai C, Xiong W-C, Gao T-M*, Mei L.* Neuregulin-1 Enhances Depolarization-Induced GABA Release. Neuron. 2007;54:599-610.

(highlighted in Preview by G. Fischbach [Neuron. 2007; 54:495-97]; in News and View by LW Role and DA Talmage [Nature. 2007;448:263]; and in Nature Review [Neurosci. 2007;8:492]). (*, Equal contribution.)

Chen F,* Qian L,* Yang Z-H, Huang Y, Ngo ST, Ruan N-J, Wang J, Schneider C, Noakes PG, Ding Y-Q, Mei L, Luo Z-G. Rapsyn interaction with calpain stabilizes AChR clusters at the neuromuscular junction. Neuron. 2007;55:247-60. (*, Equal contribution.)

Luo ZG,* Wang Q,* Zhou JZ, Wang J, Luo Z, Liu M, He X, Wynshaw-Boris A, Xiong WC, Lu B, Mei L. Regulation of AChR Clustering by Dishevelled Interacting with MuSK and PAK1. Neuron. 2002;35:489-505. (highlighted in Neurobiology Paper Alert [Curr. Opinion Neurobiol. 2002;12:463-470]). (*, Equal contribution.)

Luo ZG, Je H-S, Yang F, Yang Z-H, Xiong W-C, Lu B, Mei L. Membrane Anchoring of Rho GTPases by Geranylgenanyltransferase is Required for Agrin-induced ACh Receptor Clustering. Neuron 40:703-717, 2003 (highlighted in “Faculty of 1000”, 2003.)

Luo ZG, Je HS, Wang Q, Yang F, Dobbins GC, Yang ZH, Xiong WC, Lu B, Mei L. Implication of geranylgeranyltransferase I in synapse formation. Neuron. 2003 Nov 13;40(4):703-17. (Highlighted in “Faculty of 1000”, 2003.)

Huang YZ, Won SS, Ali DW, Wang Q, Tanowitz M, Du QS, Pelkey KA, Yang DJ, Xiong WC, Salter MW, Mei L. Regulation of neuregulin signaling by PSD-95 interacting with ErbB4 at CNS synapses. Neuron. 2000;26:443-55.

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