Xiaoping Zhu, Professor
Host mucosal immune responses to infections and the control of inflammation.
Education
1997 - 2000: Postdoctoral, Immunology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1997: Ph.D., Virology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
1987: MS, Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
1984: DVM, Veterinary Medicine, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, China.
Professional Experiences
2019 - present: Associate Dean and Department Chair, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
2013 - present: Professor of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
2017 - 2018: Acting Associate Dean and Department Chair, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
2008 - 2013: Associate Professor of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
2003 - 2008: Assistant Professor of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
2000 - 2003, Instructor in Medicine (Junior Faculty), Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
1989 - 1991: Lecturer of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
1987 - 1989: Assistant Lecturer of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Research Interests
The external surfaces of the body include the skin and several mucosal surfaces, such as the lining of the gut, nasal passages, airways, urinary tract, and genitals. These mucosal tissues are exposed daily to an overwhelming load of substances in the form of harmful or commensal microorganisms, allergens, food antigens, etc. The mucosal immune system recognizes these diverse antigens through the presence of a highly efficient epithelial barrier and a large population of specialized and multifaceted immune cells in a scattered and organized pattern underneath epithelial cells. To maintain a balance between the good and the bad, the mucosal immune cells and molecules are carefully regulated to promote a normal immune defense capability without the destruction of the mucosal tissues. Once the mucosal barrier and this thorough balance are disturbed, nonspecific stimulation and activation can lead to different forms of inflammation, resulting in pathological lesions and functional changes in the tissues. Chronic inflammation is generally considered as a causative factor in a variety of cancers.
The current research interests in Dr. Zhu’s laboratory are to identify novel mechanisms of immune regulation on mucosal infections, explore the pro- and anti-inflammatory signals controlling inflammations and limiting pathology in tissues, and understand how the mucosal immune system distinguishes pathogenic from non-pathogenic microbes and how pathogens evade innate and adaptive immunity. Finally, Dr. Zhu’s laboratory is also interested in translating the basic research by harnessing the mucosal immune system for developing novel mucosal vaccines against several important infectious diseases, such as Influenza virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and designing novel immune therapeutic strategies against lung inflammation including severe asthma.
Representative Publications
Li W, Wang T, Rajendrakumar AM, Acharya G, Miao Z, Varghese BP, Yu H, Dhakal B, LeRoith T, Karunakaran A, Tuo W, Zhu X. An FcRn-targeted mucosal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission. Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 6;14(1):7114. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42796-0.
Liu X, Palaniyandi S, Zhu I, Tang J, Li W, Wu X, Ochsner SP, Pauza CD, Cohen JI, Zhu X. Human cytomegalovirus evades antibody-mediated immunity through endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of the FcRn receptor. Nat Commun. 2019 Jul 9;10(1):3020. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10865-y.
Palaniyandi S, Liu X, Periasamy S, Ma A, Tang J, Jenkins M, Tuo W, Song W, Keegan AD, Conrad DH, Zhu X. Inhibition of CD23-mediated IgE transcytosis suppresses the initiation and development of allergic airway inflammation. Mucosal Immunol. 2015 Nov;8(6):1262-74. doi: 10.1038/mi.2015.16.
Miller ML, Mashayekhi M, Chen L, Zhou P, Liu X, Michelotti M, Tramontini Gunn N, Powers S, Zhu X, Evaristo C, Alegre ML, Molinero LL. Basal NF-κB controls IL-7 responsiveness of quiescent naïve T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 May 20;111(20):7397-402. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1315398111.
Seeley-Fallen MK, Liu LJ, Shapiro MR, Onabajo OO, Palaniyandi S, Zhu X, Tan TH, Upadhyaya A, Song W. Actin-binding protein 1 links B-cell antigen receptors to negative signaling pathways. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jul 8;111(27):9881-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1321971111.
Bai Y, Ye L, Tesar DB, Song H, Zhao D, Björkman PJ, Roopenian DC, Zhu X. Intracellular neutralization of viral infection in polarized epithelial cells by neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-mediated IgG transport. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Nov 8;108(45):18406-11. doi: 10.1073/pnas.
Palaniyandi S, Tomei E, Li Z, Conrad DH, Zhu X. CD23-dependent transcytosis of IgE and immune complex across the polarized human respiratory epithelial cells. J Immunol. 2011 Mar 15;186(6):3484-96. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1002146.
Liu X, Lu L, Yang Z, Palaniyandi S, Zeng R, Gao LY, Mosser DM, Roopenian DC, Zhu X. The neonatal FcR-mediated presentation of immune-complexed antigen is associated with endosomal and phagosomal pH and antigen stability in macrophages and dendritic cells. J Immunol. 2011 Apr 15;186(8):4674-86. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003584.
Li Z, Palaniyandi S, Zeng R, Tuo W, Roopenian DC, Zhu X. Transfer of IgG in the female genital tract by MHC class I-related neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) confers protective immunity to vaginal infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Mar 15;108(11):4388-93. doi: 10.1073/pnas.
Ye L, Zeng R, Bai Y, Roopenian DC, Zhu X. Efficient mucosal vaccination mediated by the neonatal Fc receptor. Nat Biotechnol. 2011 Feb;29(2):158-63. doi: 10.1038/nbt.1742.
Liu X, Ye L, Bai Y, Mojidi H, Simister NE, Zhu X. Activation of the JAK/STAT-1 signaling pathway by IFN-gamma can down-regulate functional expression of the MHC class I-related neonatal Fc receptor for IgG. J Immunol. 2008 Jul 1;181(1):449-63.
Website: https://zhulab.weebly.com/
