Wen Li

Dr. Wen Li


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

11Years (2016-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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30 April 2024 in Clinical and Translational Allergy
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
XSXiu‐Ling Song
Xiu‐Ling Song
JLJuan Liang
Juan Liang
SLShao‐Zhu Lin
Shao‐Zhu Lin
YXYu‐Wei Xie
Yu‐Wei Xie
CKChuang‐Hong Ke
Chuang‐Hong Ke
WLWen Li
Wen Li
Background: Gut microbiota are closely related to the development and regulation of the host immune system by regulating the maturation of immune cells and the resistance to pathogens, which affects the host immunity. Early use of antibiotics disrupts the homeostasis of gut microbiota and increases the risk of asthma. Gut microbiota actively interact with the host immune system via the gut‐lung axis, a bidirectional communication pathway between the gut and lung. The manipulation of gut microbiota through probiotics, helminth therapy, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to combat asthma has become a hot research topic.Body: This review mainly describes the current immune pathogenesis of asthma, gut microbiota and the role of the gut‐lung axis in asthma. Moreover, the potential of manipulating the gut microbiota and its metabolites as a treatment strategy for asthma has been discussed.Conclusion: The gut‐lung axis has a bidirectional effect on asthma. Gut microecology imbalance contributes to asthma through bacterial structural components and metabolites. Asthma, in turn, can also cause intestinal damage through inflammation throughout the body. The manipulation of gut microbiota through probiotics, helminth therapy, and FMT can inform the treatment strategies for asthma by regulating the maturation of immune cells and the resistance to pathogens.

12 April 2023 in The FASEB Journal
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
QLQiuling Liu
Qiuling Liu
TSTujing Song
Tujing Song
BCBing Chen
Bing Chen
JZJingjing Zhang
Jingjing Zhang
WLWen Li
Wen Li
Hypoxia is pivotal to the pathogeneses of myriad disorders, especially hypoxic cerebropathy. Much is known about the damage to the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in response to hypoxia. Studies have shown that endothelial cell death is closely linked to functional impairment of BBB. Mounting evidences have demonstrated that ferroptosis, a new pathway regulating cell death, is implicated in brain injury. However, whether ferroptosis is involved in hypoxia‐induced BBB disruption remains ambiguous. Here, we utilized in vivo zebrafish and in vitro bEnd.3 cells to explore the correlation between endothelial ferroptosis and hypoxia‐induced BBB damage. We found that hypoxic treatment for 45 min can induce BBB disruption by triggering down‐regulation of claudin‐5 (CLDN5) both in zebrafish cerebrovascluar endothelial cells and bEnd.3 cells. Besides, in vitro and in vivo studies revealed the cysteine/glutamate antiporter xCT (also known as solute carrier family 7 member 11; SLC7A11) decrease, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and glutathione (GSH) reduction, 4‐Hydroxynonenal (4‐HNE) increasement, malondialdehyde (MDA) upregulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in hypoxia group. Further mechanism studies indicated that hypoxia‐induced BBB damage might associate with microvascular endothelial cellular ferroptosis, since hypoxic exposure significantly activated the expression of ferroptosis‐related genes ( Ptgs2 , Por , Lpcat3 , Alox5 , Alox12 , Nfe2l2, and Ncoa4 ) and inhibited the expression of Slc7a11 . Additionally, the application of 20 μM ferrostatin‐1 (Fer‐1), a ferroptosis inhibitor, could partially alleviate BBB disruption under hypoxia, suggesting that inhibition of ferroptosis might be a potential strategy for some neurological diseases with BBB defect.

3 April 2024 in Frontiers in Pharmacology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
BABashir Ahmad
Bashir Ahmad
CTChuan Tian
Chuan Tian
JTJi-Xin Tang
Ji-Xin Tang
JDJohn Sieh Dumbuya
John Sieh Dumbuya
WLWen Li
Wen Li
JLJun Lu
Jun Lu
Cancer is the main cause of death in the world. There are several therapies that are in practice for cancer cure including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Among the chemotherapies, natural products are considered comparable safe, easily available and cost effective. Approximately 60% of cancer approved FDA drugs are natural products including vinblastine, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel. These natural products have complex structures due to which they work against cancer through different molecular pathways, STAT3, NF-kB, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial dependent pathway, extrinsic apoptosis pathway, autophagy, mitophagy and ferroptosis. AA is a natural abietane diterpenoid compound from Pinus palustris and Pimenta racemose var. grissea with different pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, anti-obesity and anti-allergic. Recently it has been reported with its anticancer activities through different molecular mechanisms including NF-kB, PI3K/AKT, call cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, mitochondrial dependent pathway, extrinsic apoptosis pathway, AMPK pathway and ferroptosis pathways. The literature survey reveals that there is no review on AA anticancer molecular mechanisms, therefore in current review, we summarize the anticancer molecular mechanisms of AA.

17 August 2022 in BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
TLTao Liu
Tao Liu
WLWen Li
Wen Li
ZZzehao zhang
zehao zhang
TJTing Jiang
Ting Jiang
Fei YuFei Yu
Fei Yu
QXQibing Xie
Qibing Xie
Background: NLR is a systemic inflammatory marker that have been associated with overall survival in patients with some rapidly progressive disease. There are few data about the diagnostic and predictive value of NLR in autoimmune diseases, and it has not been described in anti-MDA5 positive DM. We try to correlate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with fatality from dermatomyositis in anti-MDA5 positive patients. Method: A retrospective study in which 195 patients were enrolled was conducted. Clinical and laboratory information was collated and ratios of neutrophil to lymphocyte counts (NLR) calculated. The primary end point was all-cause death. Result: Of the 195 patients studied, all had interstitial lung disease, including 140 survivors and 55 non-survivors. An optimal NLR cut-off value of 4.86 for mortality prediction was identified. The NLR of non-survivors was significantly higher than that of survivors (p < 0.001). Plasma levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein were significantly increased when NLR was greater than 4.86. Results of multivariate analysis established that NLR > 4.86 was an independent predictor of mortality (HR: 2.52; 95%CI: 1.33–4.78; p = 0.005). Abstinence from smoking (HR: 2.66; 95%CI: 1.33–4.78; p = 0.003), emergence of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD; HR: 4.38; 95%CI: 2.37–8.08; p < 0.001), low plasma LDH (HR: 3.82; 95%CI: 2.06–7.11; p < 0.001) and presentation with dyspnea (HR: 2.17; 95%CI: 1.22–3.86; p = 0.009) were all protective factors predictive of survival. Conclusion: NLR is a cost-effective and widely accessible biomarker with utility for risk stratification in patients with anti-MDA5 + dermatomyositis.

17 May 2022 in Frontiers in Pharmacology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
JLJuan Liang
Juan Liang
XLXiao-Hua Liu
Xiao-Hua Liu
XCXue-Mei Chen
Xue-Mei Chen
XSXiu-Ling Song
Xiu-Ling Song
WLWen Li
Wen Li
YHYuge Huang
Yuge Huang
Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease in children characterized by airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness and airway remodeling. Childhood asthma is usually associated with allergy and atopy, unlike adult asthma, which is commonly associated with obesity, smoking, etc. The pathogenesis and diagnosis of childhood asthma also remains more challenging than adult asthma, such as many diseases showing similar symptoms may coexist and be confused with asthma. In terms of the treatment, although most childhood asthma can potentially be self-managed and controlled with drugs, approximately 5–10% of children suffer from severe uncontrolled asthma, which carries significant health and socioeconomic burdens. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the pathogenesis of childhood asthma from a new perspective. Studies have revealed that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of respiratory diseases. In addition, altered expression of ncRNAs in blood, and in condensate of sputum or exhalation affects the progression of asthma via regulating immune response. In this review, we outline the regulation and pathogenesis of asthma and summarize the role of ncRNAs in childhood asthma. We also hold promise that ncRNAs may be used for the development of biomarkers and support a new therapeutic strategy for childhood asthma.

20 February 2025 in Journal of Natural Medicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YXYuwei Xie
Yuwei Xie
NCNali Cai
Nali Cai
XLXiaohua Liu
Xiaohua Liu
LHLiangliang He
Liangliang He
YMYiming Ma
Yiming Ma
WLWen Li
Wen Li
Silent information regulator 5 (SIRT5) is the fifth member of the sirtuin family, which is mainly expressed in mitochondrial matrix. SIRT5 plays a key role in metabolism and antioxidant responses, and is an important regulator for maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Given its involvement in multiple cellular processes, dysregulation of SIRT5 activity is associated with a variety of diseases. This review explores the structural characteristics of SIRT5 that influence its substrate specificity, highlights recent research advances, and summarizes its four key enzymatic activities along with their corresponding substrates in disease contexts. We also discuss the natural products that modulate SIRT5 activity and identify potential targets of SIRT5 through virtual docking, which may provide new therapeutic avenues. Although the mechanism of SIRT5 in diseases needs to be further elucidated and deglutathionylation activities are still at an early stage, targeting SIRT5 and its substrates holds significant promise for the development of novel therapeutics. Graphical abstract