Ph.D.Supervisor

Email: wenjingdu@ibms.pumc.edu.cn

Affiliated State Key Laboratories: State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases

Technology field and major achievements: Cellular Metabolic Regulation and Metabolite Sensing. (1) To study the regulation mechanisms of cellular metabolic pathways under different physiological and pathological conditions; (2) To explore the sensing mechanisms and new functions of key metabolites. We mainly utilize cellular, biochemical, molecular biology and mouse models to explore the regulation of metabolism under different physiological and pathological conditions, and to reveal the causes of metabolic disorders and their causative mechanisms of major metabolic diseases, such as cancers, fatty livers, and cardiovascular diseases, etc., with the hope of discovering new strategies or targets for the treatment of major metabolic diseases. Currently, he is the first author or correspondent in Molecular Cell (2024), Nature communications (2024), Circulation (2024), PNAS (2023), EMBO Journal (2023), Cell Reports (2023), Nature Metabolism (2022), Nature Metabolism (2021), EMBO Reports (2021), Nature Communications (2018), etc., published as first or co-authors in Nature (2013), Nature Cell Biology ( He has published more than 20 papers in Nature (2013), Nature Cell Biology (2011 and 2013, 2 papers) and other journals.

Representativeness:

(1) Zhang Zhenxi, Yang Yanting, Chen Yang, Su Jingyu, Du Wenjing*. Malic enzyme 2 maintains metabolic state and anti-tumor immunity of CD8+ T cells. Molecular Cell. 2024 Aug 6:S1097-2765(24)00619-1.

(2) Chen Taiqi, Xie Siyi, Cheng Jie, Zhao Qiao, Wu Hong*, Jiang Peng*, Du Wenjing*. AKT1 phosphorylation of cytoplasmic ME2 induces a metabolic switch to glycolysis for tumorigenesis. Nature Communications, 2024 Jan 23;15(1):686.

(3) Luo Ya, Qi Xianmei, Zhang Zhenxi, et al, Xing Yanjiang*, Du Wenjing*, Wang Jing*, Wang Chen. Inactivation of malic enzyme 1 in endothelial cells alleviates pulmonary hypertension. Circulation. 2024 in press

(4) Yang Yanting#, Zhang Zhenxi#, Li Wei#, Si Yufan, Li Li, Du Wenjing*. αKG-driven RNA polymerase II transcription of cyclin D1 licenses malic enzyme 2 to promote cell-cycle progression. Cell Reports. 2023 Jul 25;42(7):112770.

(5) Li Wei#, Kou Junjie#, Li Li, Zhang Zhenxi, Du Wenjing*. Cellular redox homeostasis maintained by malic enzyme 2 is essential for MYC-driven T-cell lymphomagenesis. PNAS, 2023, Jun 6;120(23):e2217869120.

(6) Yao Pengbo, Zhang Zhenxi, Liu Hongchao, Jiang Peng*, Li Wei, Du Wenjing*. p53 regulates ethanol metabolism via ALDH2 modulating the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease. EMBO Journal, 2023, Apr 17;42(8):e112304.

(7) Yao Pengbo#, Chen Taiqi#, Jiang Peng, Li Li, Du Wenjing*. Functional skewing of TRIM21-SIRT5 interplay dictates IL-1β production in DSS-induced colitis. EMBO Reports. 2022 Jun 30:e54391.

(8) Zhao Mengjia#, Yao Pengbo#, Mao Youxiang#, Wu jinjun#, Wang Weihua, Geng Chenhui, Cheng Jie, Du Wenjing*, Jiang Peng*. Malic enzyme 2 maintains protein stability of mutant p53 through 2-hydrooxyglutarate. Nature Metabolism, 2022 Feb;4(2):225-238

(9) Zhang Zhenxi, Du Wenjing*. Malic enzyme 2 as a therapeutic target for cancer: comments on 'Malic enzyme 2 maintains protein stability of mutant p53 through 2-hydroxyglutarate'. J Mol Cell Biol. 2022 Jul 27;14(4):mjac024.

(10) Li Wei#, Kou Junjie#, Qin Junying#, Li Li, Zhang Zhenxi, Pan Ying, Xue Yi*, Du Wenjing*. NADPH levels affect cellular epigenetic state by inhibiting HDAC3-Ncor complex. Nature Metabolism, 2021, 3(1):75-89

(11) Career pathways, part 6. White JP*, Du Wenjing*. Nature Metabolism. 2021 Oct;3(10):1277-1279.

(12) Sun Huishan#, Li Li#, Li Wei#, Yang Fan, Zhang Zhenxi, Liu Zizhao, Du Wenjing*. p53 transcriptionally regulates SQLE to repress cholesterol synthesis and tumor growth. EMBO reports, 2021, Oct 5;22(10):e52537.

(13) Yang Fan#; Kou Junjie#; Li Wei; Du Wenjing*; MYC Enhances Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Supports Cell Proliferation Through SQLE, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2021, 9.

(14) Zhang Zhenxi, Su Jingyu, Li Li*, Du Wenjing*. Identification of precise therapeutic targets and characteristic prognostic genes based on immune gene characteristics in uveal melanoma. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2021, doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.666462

(15) Zhao Mengjia, Jiang Peng, Du Wenjing*. MYC retards cancer cell migration through suppressing fibronectin expression, Science Bulletin, 2019, 64(11): 715-717.

(16) Li Le#, Li Lijia#, Li Wei, Chen Taiqi, Bin Zou, Zhao Lina, Wang Huili, Wang Xueying, Xu Lina, Liu Xiaohui, Wang Dong, Li Bo, Mak Tak W, Du Wenjing*, Yang Xiaolu*, Jiang Peng*. TAp73-induced phosphofructokinase-1 transcription promotes the Warburg effect and enhances cell proliferation., Nature Communications, 2018, 9(1): 4683-4683.

(17) Yao Pengbo#, Sun Huishan, Xu Chang, Chen Taiqi, Zou Bing, Jiang Peng*, Du Wenjing*. Evidence for a direct cross-talk between malic enzyme and the pentose phosphate pathway via structural interactions, J Biol Chem, 2017, 292(41): 17113-17120.

(18) Du Wenjing#, Jiang Peng#, Mancuso Anthony, Stonestrom Aaron, Brewer Michael D, Minn Andy J, Mak Tak W, Wu Mian*, Yang Xiaolu*. TAp73 enhances the pentose phosphate pathway and supports cell proliferation., Nat Cell Biol, 2013, 15(8): 991-1000.

(19) Jiang Peng#, Du Wenjing#, Wang Xingwu, Mancuso Anthony, Gao Xiang, Wu Mian*, Yang Xiaolu*. p53 regulates biosynthesis through direct inactivation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase., Nat Cell Biol, 2011, 13(3): 310-316.

(20) Jiang Peng#, Du Wenjing#, Mancuso Anthony, Wellen Kathryn E, Yang Xiaolu*. Reciprocal regulation of p53 and malic enzymes modulates metabolism and senescence., Nature, 2013, 493(7434): 689-693.

(21) Du Wenjing#, Jiang Peng#, Li Nan, Mei Yide, Wang Xingwu, Wen Longping, Yang Xiaolu*, Wu Mian*. Suppression of p53 activity by Siva1., Cell Death Differ, 2009, 16(11): 1493-1504.