Unit on Retinal Vascular Neurobiology

Dr. Xuri Li
lixur@mail.nih.gov
(301) 496-4103

On this page:

• Research Interests
• Selected Publications

(from left to right) Zhongshu Tang, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Chunsik Lee, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Susan Dailey, Administrative Laboratory Manager; Anil Kumar Chikkasidde Gowda, Visiting Fellow; Xuri Li,Ph.D., Principal Investigator; Zhang Fan, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Pachippan Arjunan, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Xu Hou, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow; Yang Li, Ph.D., Contractor.

Research Interests

The long term scientific goal of the Unit of Vascular Retinal Neurobiology Research is to understand the process of angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and neurogenesis in the retina in development, normal physiology and various pathologies, and to try to use the gained knowledge to explore better therapies for human diseases. We also strive to understand the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena.

One of our research interests focuses on neural and vascular protection in retinal degenerative diseases. We use various animal models to characterize the neural and vascular effects of several important growth factors, and also use other systemic approaches to investigate the basic mechanisms of such diseases, and try to identify novel molecules and pathways involved.

Another aspect of our research lies with the functional studies of ocular neovascular disorders. In this project, we characterize the angiogenic and vasculogenic nature of some potent angiogenic or antiangiogenic molecules using different disease models. Furthermore, we utilize molecular and cell biology tools to study the key mechanisms and pathways involved in such diseases.

Moreover, our team uses the developing mouse retina as a model to explore the fundamental mechanisms of angiogenesis, vasculargenesis and neurogenesis. Insight derived from such studies may not only provide basic knowledge of angiogenesis and neurogenesis, but might potentially lead to new directions to developing better therapies for human diseases.

Selected Publications

1. Hou, X., Kumar, A., Lee, C., Wang, B., Arjunan, P., Dong, L., Maminishkis, A., Tang, T., Li, Y., Zhang, F., Zhang, S-Z., Wardega, P., Chakrabarty, S., Liu, B., Wu, Z., Colosi, P., Fariss, R. N., Lennartsson, J., Nussenblatt, R., Gutkind, J. S., Cao, Y., Li, X., PNAS, 107(27):12216-21, 2010 PubMed
2. Kumar, A., Hou, X., Lee, C., Li, Y., Maminishkis, A., Tang, Z., Zhang, F., Langer, H. F., Arjunan, P., Dong, L., Wu, Z., Zhu, L. Y., Wang, L., Min, W., Colosi, P., Chavakis, T., Li, X., PDGF-DD targeting arrests pathological angiogenesis by modulating glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3{beta}) phosphorylation, J Biol Chem, 285(20):15500-10, 2010 PubMed
3. Tang, Z., Arjunan, P., Lee, C., Li, Y., Kumar, A., Hou, X., Wang, B., Wardega, P., Zhang, F., Dong, L., Zhang, Y., Zhang, S. Z., Ding, H., Fariss, R., Becker, K. G., Lennartsson, J., Nagai, N., Cao, Y., Li, X., Survival effect of PDGF-CC rescues neurons from apoptosis in both brain and retina by regulating GSK3beta phosphorylation, J Exp Med, 207(4):867-880, 2010 PubMed
4. Zhang, F., Tang, Z., Hou, X., Lennartsson, J., Li, Y., Scotney, P., Lee, CS., Arjunan, P., Nagai, N., Kumar, A., Fariss, R., Zhang, Y., Dong, L., Sztein, JM., Wawrousek, E., Tansey, T., Raber, J., Fong, G-H., Ding, H., Greenberg, DA., Becker, KG., Cao, Y., Nash, A., Watts, RJ, Li, X., VEGF-B targeting inhibits pathological angiogenesis, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 106(15):6152-6157, 2009 PubMed
5. Li X, Tjwa M, Van Hove I, Enholm B, Neven E, Paavonen K, Jeltsch M, Juan TD, Sievers RE, Chorianopoulos E, Wada H, Vanwildemeersch M, Noel A, Foidart JM, Springer ML, von Degenfeld G, Dewerchin M, Blau HM, Alitalo K, Eriksson U, Carmeliet P, Moons L., Reevaluation of the Role of VEGF-B Suggests a Restricted Role in the Revascularization of the Ischemic Myocardium, Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 28(9):1614-1620, 29, 2008 PubMed
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   • ATVB Editorial comment: VEGF-B taken to our hearts, Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 28(9):1575-1576, 29, 2008
6. Li Y, Zhang F, Nagai N, Tang Z, Zhang S, Scotney P, Lennartsson J, Zhu C, Qu Y, Fang C, Hua J, Matsuo O, Fong GH, Ding H, Cao Y, Becker KG, Nash A, Heldin CH, Li X.; VEGF-B inhibits apoptosis via VEGFR-1-mediated suppression of the expression of BH3-only protein genes in mice and rats, J Clin Invest, 118(3):913–923, 2008 PubMed
7. Li X, Tjwa M, Moons L, Fons P, Noel A, Ny A, Zhou JM, Lennartsson J, Li H, Luttun A, Pontén A, Devy L, Bouché A, Oh H, Manderveld A, Blacher S, Communi D, Savi P, Bono F, Dewerchin M, Foidart JM, Autiero M, Herbert JM, Collen D, Heldin CH, Eriksson U, Carmeliet P. Revascularization of ischemic tissues by PDGF-CC via effects on endothelial cells and their progenitors. J Clin Invest 2005; 115(1):118-127 PubMed
   Related information:
   • Featured News: Platelet-derived growth factor CC--a clinically useful angiogenic factor at last?, N Engl J Med, 2005, 352(17): 1815-1816
   • JCI Article In The News: PDGF-CC, the best thing ever since sliced bread?, J Clin Invest 2005, 115(1)
8. Li X, Eriksson U. Novel PDGF family members: PDGF-C and PDGF-D. Cytokine & Growth Factor Rev 2003; 244:1-8 PubMed
9. Bergsten E, Uutela M, Li X, Pietras K, Ostman A, Heldin CH, Alitalo K, Eriksson U. PDGF-D is a specific, protease-activated ligand for the PDGF beta-Receptor. Nat Cell Biol 2001; 3(5):515-516 PubMed
10. Li X, Eriksson U. Novel VEGF family members: VEGF-B, VEGF-C and VEGF- D. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2001; 33(4):421-426 PubMed
11. Li X, Pontén A, Aase K, Karlsson L, Abramsson A, Uutela M, Bäckström G, Hellström M, Boström H, Li H, Soriano P, Betsholtz C, Heldin CH, Alitalo K, Ostman A, Eriksson U. PDGF-C is a new protease-activated ligand for the PDGF- α receptor. Nat Cell Biol 2000; 2(5):302-309 PubMed