Yuqing Huo, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Specialties: Inflammation, atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Education:
M.D., Jining Medical School, China, 1990
M.S., Qingdao University, China, 1995
Ph.D., Beijing Medical University, China, 1998
PostDoc., University of Virginia, USA. 2002

Research Interests:
Atherosclerosis develops and progresses through inflammatory processes involving adhesion molecules and chemokines. We have developed a variety of models including in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo to investigate these pathological processes. Using epifluoresence intravital microscopy, we can directly observe the interactions of circulating blood cells with mouse atherosclerotic arteries. The molecular mechanisms involved in these interactions are being studied using blocking antibodies and knockout mice. A few adhesion molecules such as P-selectin, PSGL-1, VCAM-1, VLA-4 and the chemokines RANTES and KC have been identified as crucial molecules in monocyte recruitment to atherosclerotic lesions.

In addition to determining the roles of adhesion molecules/chemokines in atherosclerosis and thrombosis, we are also interested in finding the molecules and pathways which interfere with these pathological processes. Currently, we are assessing the involvement of fatty acids (FAs), FA-derived compounds, nuclear receptor PPARs, adenosine and its receptors in inflammation, atherosclerosis and thrombosis. These studies are expected to augment the basic understanding of the inflammatory process involved in atherosclerosis and develop anti-inflammatory/atherogenic/thrombotic therapies for future clinical use in patients. For more information, you can visit http://www.med.umn.edu/huolab/.

Recent Publications:
Huo Y, Zhao L, Hyman M, Shashkin P, Harry B, Burcin T, Forlow B, Stark M, Smith D, Clarke S, Srinivasan S, Hedrick CC, Pratico D, Witztum JL, Nadler JL, Funk CD, Ley K. (2004). Role of macrophage 12-LO in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions in apoE-/- mice. Circulation 110:2024-31.

Huo Y and Ley K. (2004). Role of platelets in atherosclerosis (review). Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine 14:18-22.

Huo Y, Forlow B, Schober A, Smith D, Hyman M, Weber C, Ley K. (2003). Circulating activated platelets exacerbate atherosclerosis in apoE-/- mice. Nature Medicine 9:61-67

Schober A, Manka D, Hundelshausen P, Huo Y, Hanrath P, Sarembock I, Ley K, Weber C. (2002). Deposition of platelet RANTES triggering monocyte recruitment requires P-selectin and is involved in neointima formation after arterial injury. Circulation 106:1523-9.

Huo Y, Weber C, Forlow B, Sperandio M, Lung S, Littman DR, Ley K. (2001). Chemokine KC and RANTES, but not MCP-1 arrest monocyte on native early atherosclerotic endothelium. Journal of Clinical Investigation 108:1307-1314.

Huo Y, Ley K. (2001). Adhesion Molecules and Atherogenesis (review). Acta Physiol Scand. 173:35-43.

Ley K and Huo Y. (2001). Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 in Atherosclerosis. Journal of Clinical Investigation 107:1209-1210.

Hafezi-Moghadam A, Prorock A, Thomas KL, Huo Y, Ley K. (2001). L-selectin shedding regulates leukocyte recruitment. Journal of Experimental Medicine 193:863-72.

Von Hundelshausen P, Weber K, Huo Y, Proudfoot A, Nelson P, Ley K and Weber C. (2001). RANTES deposition by platelets triggers monocyte arrest on inflamed endothelium: implication for recruitment to atherosclerotic lesion.  Circulation 103:1772-7.

Huo Y, Hafezi-Moghadam A, Ley K. (2000). Role of Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and Connecting Segment-1 (FN CS-1) in monocyte rolling and adhesion on early atherosclerotic lesion. Circulation Research 87:153-159.

Node K, Huo Y, Ruan X, Yang B, Spiecker M, Ley K, Zeldin DC, Liao JK. (1999). Anti-inflammatory properties of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase-derived eicosanoids. Science 285:1276-9

Ramos CL, Huo Y, Jung U, Ghosh S, Manka DR, Sarembock II, Ley K. (1999). Direct demonstration of P-selectin- and VCAM-1- dependent mononuclear cell rolling in early atherosclerotic lesions of apoliprotein E-deficient mice. Circulation Research 84:1237-44.