Research Focus：
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common blinding eye disease in people over 50 years of age worldwide, divided into dry and wet types. Dry AMD accounts for about 88% of all AMD patients. Autosomal recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1) is the most common inherited macular dystrophic blinding eye disease in adolescents, with a global prevalence of about 1 in 10,000. Our research group is mainly engaged in the pathogenesis of dry AMD and STGD1 and their drug development.
Educational background:
1998~2002: Bachelor of Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, Nanjing University of Technology
2002~2007: Ph.D. in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University
Work experience:
2007~2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry/Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, USA
2011~2015: Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang University, Distinguished Researcher, PhD supervisor
2012~2015: Distinguished Professor, Ophthalmology Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
2015~Present: Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Professor, Ph.D. supervisor
Selected Publications:
1. He D, Tao L, Cai B, Chen X, Wang Y, Li S, Liao C, Chen Y, Chen J, Liu Z*, and Wu Y*. eIF2α incites photoreceptor cell and retina damage by all-trans-retinal. J. Biol. Chem. 2023, 299(5), 104686.
2. Chen C, Yang K, He D, Yang B, Tao L, Chen J, and Wu Y*. Induction of ferroptosis by HO-1 contributes to retinal degeneration in mice with defective clearance of all-trans-retinal. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 2023, 194, 245-254.
3. Cai B, Liao C, He D, Chen J, Han J, Lu J, Qin K, Liang W, Wu X, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Gasdermin E mediates photoreceptor damage by all-trans-retinal in the mouse retina. J. Biol. Chem. 2022, 298(2), 101553.
4. Chen C, Chen J, Wang Y, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Ferroptosis drives photoreceptor degeneration in mice with defects in all-trans-retinal clearance. J. Biol. Chem. 2021, 296, 100187.
5. Liao C, Cai B, Feng Y, Chen J, Wu YP, Zhuang J, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Activation of JNK signaling promotes all-trans-retinal-induced photoreceptor apoptosis in mice. J. Biol. Chem. 2020, 295(20), 6958-6971.
6. Liao Y#, Zhang H#, He D, Wang Y, Cai B, Chen J, Ma J, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Retinal pigment epithelium cell death is associated with NLRP3 inflammasome activation by all-trans retinal. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2019, 60(8), 3034-3045.
7. Gao Z, Liao Y, Chen C, Liao C, He D, Chen J, Ma J, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Conversion of all-trans-retinal into all-trans-retinal dimer reflects an alternative metabolic/antidotal pathway of all-trans-retinal in the retina. J. Biol. Chem. 2018, 293(37), 14507-14519.
8. Zhao J, Liao Y, Chen J, Dong X, Gao Z, Zhang H, Wu X, Liu Z, and Wu Y*. Aberrant buildup of all-trans-retinal dimer, a non-pyridinium bisretinoid lipofuscin fluorophore, contributes to the degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2017, 58(2), 1063-1075.
9. Liu X, Chen J, Liu Z, Li J, Yao K*, and Wu Y*. Potential therapeutic agents against retinal diseases caused by aberrant metabolism of retinoids. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2016, 57(3), 1017-1030.
10. Li J, Cai X, Xia Q, Yao K, Chen J, Zhang Y, Naranmandura H, Liu X, and Wu Y*. Involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress in all-trans-retinal induced retinal pigment epithelium degeneration. Toxicol. Sci. 2015, 143(1), 196-208.
11. Zhao J, Yao K, Jin Q, Jiang K, Chen J, Liu Z, Li J, and Wu Y*. Preparative and biosynthetic insights into pdA2E and isopdA2E, retinal-derived fluorophores of retinal pigment epithelial lipofuscin. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2014, 55(12), 8241-8250.
12. Wu Y*, Jin Q, Yao K, Zhao J, Chen J, Wu X, Gan L, Li J, Song X, Liu X, and Cai X. Retinal metabolism in humans induces the formation of an unprecedented lipofuscin fluorophore 'pdA2E'. Biochem. J. 2014, 460(3), 343-352.
13. Li J, Yao K, Yu X, Dong X, Gan L, Luo C, and Wu Y*. Identification of a novel lipofuscin pigment (iisoA2E) in retina and its effects in the retinal pigment epithelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. 2013, 288(50), 35671-35682.
14. Wu Y, Zhou J, Fishkin NE, Rittman BE, and Sparrow JR. Enzymatic degradation of A2E, a retinal pigment epithelial lipofuscin bisretinoid. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133(4), 849-857.
15. Wu Y, Yanase E, Feng X, Siegel M, and Sparrow JR. Structural characterization of bisretinoid A2E photocleavage products and implications for age-related macular degeneration. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2010, 107(16), 7275-7280.
16. Wu Y, Fishkin NE, Pande A, Pande J, and Sparrow JR. Novel lipofuscin bisretinoids prominent in human retina and in a model of recessive Stargardt disease. J. Biol. Chem. 2009, 284(30), 20155-20166.
