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Yu-Ying He

Professor
yyhe@uchicago.edu
Research Summary
Our research addresses the fundamental questions: how normal cells respond to environmental carcinogens and evolve into cancerous cells. In particular, our group focuses on the role of epitranscriptomics, epigenetics, and autophagy in regulating genomic integrity and cellular homeostasis and to investigate their impact on cancer development and therapeutic resistance, with an emphasis on skin cancer including squamous cancer and melanoma. Our long-term goal is to identify previously unrecognized, therapeutically accessible molecular regulatory networks that predict susceptibility to skin cancer, and improve our ability to prevent and treat these cancers.
Keywords
Skin Cancer, Melanoma, Autophagy, Epigenetics, DNA damage, Ultraviolet radiation, Photobiology, RNA modification, Arsenic, DNA Methylation, m6A, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, UV, Nucleotide Excision Repair
Education
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, PhD Organic Chemistry 07/2000
Biosciences Graduate Program Association
Publications

  1. Autophagy of the m6A mRNA demethylase FTO is impaired by low-level arsenic exposure to promote tumorigenesis. Nat Commun. 2021 04 12; 12(1):2183. View in: PubMed

  2. Keratinocyte autophagy enables the activation of keratinocytes and fibroblastsand facilitates wound healing. Autophagy. 2021 09; 17(9):2128-2143. View in: PubMed

  3. m6A mRNA demethylase FTO regulates melanoma tumorigenicity and response to anti-PD-1 blockade. Nat Commun. 2019 06 25; 10(1):2782. View in: PubMed

  4. The Role of Dynamic m6 A RNA Methylation in Photobiology. Photochem Photobiol. 2019 01; 95(1):95-104. View in: PubMed

  5. Phosphorylation of xeroderma pigmentosum group C regulates ultraviolet-induced DNA damage repair. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 06 01; 46(10):5050-5060. View in: PubMed

  6. Knockdown delta-5-desaturase in breast cancer cells that overexpress COX-2 results in inhibition of growth, migration and invasion via a dihomo-?-linolenic acid peroxidation dependent mechanism. BMC Cancer. 2018 03 27; 18(1):330. View in: PubMed

  7. Regulation of XPC deubiquitination by USP11 in repair of UV-induced DNA damage. Oncotarget. 2017 Nov 14; 8(57):96522-96535. View in: PubMed

  8. Epidermal SIRT1 regulates inflammation, cell migration, and wound healing. Sci Rep. 2017 10 26; 7(1):14110. View in: PubMed

  9. IL-17A induces heterogeneous macrophages, and it does not alter the effects of lipopolysaccharides on macrophage activation in the skin of mice. Sci Rep. 2017 09 29; 7(1):12473. View in: PubMed

  10. Autophagy gene ATG7 regulates ultraviolet radiation-induced inflammation and skin tumorigenesis. Autophagy. 2017; 13(12):2086-2103. View in: PubMed

  11. Adaptor protein p62 promotes skin tumor growth and metastasis and is induced by UVA radiation. J Biol Chem. 2017 09 08; 292(36):14786-14795. View in: PubMed

  12. The Autophagy Receptor Adaptor p62 is Up-regulated by UVA Radiation in Melanocytes and in Melanoma Cells. Photochem Photobiol. 2018 05; 94(3):432-437. View in: PubMed

  13. Mechanisms and prevention of UV-induced melanoma. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2018 Jan; 34(1):13-24. View in: PubMed

  14. Arsenic Induces p62 Expression to Form a Positive Feedback Loop with Nrf2 in Human Epidermal Keratinocytes: Implications for Preventing Arsenic-Induced Skin Cancer. Molecules. 2017 Jan 24; 22(2). View in: PubMed

  15. NF-?B Signaling Activation Induced by Chloroquine Requires Autophagosome, p62 Protein, and c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) Signaling and Promotes Tumor Cell Resistance. J Biol Chem. 2017 02 24; 292(8):3379-3388. View in: PubMed

  16. Mitochondrial dysfunction activates the AMPK signaling and autophagy to promote cell survival. Genes Dis. 2016 Mar; 3(1):82-87. View in: PubMed

  17. Autophagy in UV Damage Response. Photochem Photobiol. 2017 07; 93(4):943-955. View in: PubMed

  18. Distinct Role of Sesn2 in Response to UVB-Induced DNA Damage and UVA-Induced Oxidative Stress in Melanocytes. Photochem Photobiol. 2017 01; 93(1):375-381. View in: PubMed

  19. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition). Autophagy. 2016; 12(1):1-222. View in: PubMed

  20. Autophagy positively regulates DNA damage recognition by nucleotide excision repair. Autophagy. 2016; 12(2):357-68. View in: PubMed

  21. Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 Regulates UVB-Induced Signaling and Tumorigenesis in Mouse Skin. J Invest Dermatol. 2015 Oct; 135(10):2492-2501. View in: PubMed

  22. Ultraviolet B Inhibits Skin Wound Healing by Affecting Focal Adhesion Dynamics. Photochem Photobiol. 2015 Jul-Aug; 91(4):909-16. View in: PubMed

  23. Ultraviolet radiation-induced non-melanoma skin cancer: Regulation of DNA damage repair and inflammation. Genes Dis. 2014 Dec 01; 1(2):188-198. View in: PubMed

  24. Molecular regulation of UV-induced DNA repair. Photochem Photobiol. 2015 Mar-Apr; 91(2):254-64. View in: PubMed

  25. Loss of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) disrupts skin barrier integrity and sensitizes mice to epicutaneous allergen challenge. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Apr; 135(4):936-945.e4. View in: PubMed

  26. Sestrin2 protein positively regulates AKT enzyme signaling and survival in human squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma cells. J Biol Chem. 2014 Dec 26; 289(52):35806-14. View in: PubMed

  27. SIRT6 promotes COX-2 expression and acts as an oncogene in skin cancer. Cancer Res. 2014 Oct 15; 74(20):5925-33. View in: PubMed

  28. Autophagy deficiency stabilizes TWIST1 to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Autophagy. 2014 Oct 01; 10(10):1864-5. View in: PubMed

  29. Effect of immunosuppressants tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil on the keratinocyte UVB response. Photochem Photobiol. 2015 Jan-Feb; 91(1):242-7. View in: PubMed

  30. Regulation of cell proliferation and migration by p62 through stabilization of Twist1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jun 24; 111(25):9241-6. View in: PubMed

  31. Mammalian SIRT2 inhibits keratin 19 expression and is a tumor suppressor in skin. Exp Dermatol. 2014 Mar; 23(3):207-9. View in: PubMed

  32. Targeting the AMP-Activated Protein Kinase for Cancer Prevention and Therapy. Front Oncol. 2013; 3:175. View in: PubMed

  33. Autophagy controls p38 activation to promote cell survival under genotoxic stress. J Biol Chem. 2013 Jan 18; 288(3):1603-11. View in: PubMed

  34. Suppression of PTEN transcription by UVA. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2013 Feb; 27(2):184-91. View in: PubMed

  35. Deregulation of XPC and CypA by cyclosporin A: an immunosuppression-independent mechanism of skin carcinogenesis. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2012 Sep; 5(9):1155-62. View in: PubMed

  36. Nrf1 CNC-bZIP protein promotes cell survival and nucleotide excision repair through maintaining glutathione homeostasis. J Biol Chem. 2012 May 25; 287(22):18788-95. View in: PubMed

  37. PTEN in DNA damage repair. Cancer Lett. 2012 Jun 28; 319(2):125-129. View in: PubMed

  38. PTEN positively regulates UVB-induced DNA damage repair. Cancer Res. 2011 Aug 01; 71(15):5287-95. View in: PubMed

  39. Caffeine promotes ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis in human keratinocytes without complete DNA repair. J Biol Chem. 2011 Jul 01; 286(26):22825-32. View in: PubMed

  40. UVA induces lesions resembling seborrheic keratoses in mice with keratinocyte-specific PTEN downregulation. J Invest Dermatol. 2011 Jul; 131(7):1583-6. View in: PubMed

  41. C/EBPa expression is downregulated in human nonmelanoma skin cancers and inactivation of C/EBPa confers susceptibility to UVB-induced skin squamous cell carcinomas. J Invest Dermatol. 2011 Jun; 131(6):1339-46. View in: PubMed

  42. Regulation of global genome nucleotide excision repair by SIRT1 through xeroderma pigmentosum C. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Dec 28; 107(52):22623-8. View in: PubMed

  43. Recent advances in the prevention and treatment of skin cancer using photodynamic therapy. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2010 Nov; 10(11):1797-809. View in: PubMed

  44. UVB-Induced p21 degradation promotes apoptosis of human keratinocytes. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2010 Dec; 9(12):1640-8. View in: PubMed

  45. Real-time visualization of photochemically induced fluorescence of 8-halogenated quinolones: lomefloxacin, clinafloxacin and Bay3118 in live human HaCaT keratinocytes. Photochem Photobiol. 2010 Jul-Aug; 86(4):792-7. View in: PubMed

  46. Immunosuppressive cyclosporin A activates AKT in keratinocytes through PTEN suppression: implications in skin carcinogenesis. J Biol Chem. 2010 Apr 09; 285(15):11369-77. View in: PubMed

  47. Enhanced photodynamic efficacy towards melanoma cells by encapsulation of Pc4 in silica nanoparticles. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2009 Dec 01; 241(2):163-72. View in: PubMed

  48. PTEN: new insights into its regulation and function in skin cancer. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Sep; 129(9):2109-12. View in: PubMed

  49. Difference in phototoxicity of cyclodextrin complexed fullerene [(gamma-CyD)2/C60] and its aggregated derivatives toward human lens epithelial cells. Chem Res Toxicol. 2009 Apr; 22(4):660-7. View in: PubMed

  50. Requirement for metalloproteinase-dependent ERK and AKT activation in UVB-induced G1-S cell cycle progression of human keratinocytes. Photochem Photobiol. 2009 Jul-Aug; 85(4):997-1003. View in: PubMed
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