Wancai Yang, M.D.

Wancai Yang, M.D.

Adjunct Professor of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago
Professor of Pathology and Dean, School of Basic Medical Science and Institute of Precision Medicine, Jining Medical University, China

phone: 312-996-7312
Bio:

My lab studies molecular mechanisms of gastrointestinal carcinogenesis and progression. Specifically, using Muc2 knockout and carcinogen-induced mouse models of chronic colitis and colorectal cancer, we have identified that chronic colitis malignant transformation might be resulted from genetic and epigenetic alterations and activation of oncogenic signaling (e.g. Wnt/beta-catenin and inflammatory pathways). The changes of expression and functions of the potential key biomarkers have been validated in tissue microarray (TMA), in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we have also identified that intestinal microbe disorder is linked to colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Moreover, genetic alterations, particularly, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), play critical roles in esophageal carcinogenesis and progression.
Clinical and Research Interests:

Gastrointestinal Cancers
Education:

1990: MD - Xinxiang Medical College (China)
1997: MS (Pathology) - Zhengzhou University (China)

Residency
1993, Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical College Affiliated Hospital
PostGraduate Training:

Fellowship
1994: Research Fellow (Pathology), Shanghai Second Medical University (China)
1998-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow, Rockefeller University (New York, NY)
2000-2001: Postdoctoral Fellow, Albert Einstein Cancer Center (Bronx, New York)
Awards and Honors:

2013:   USCACA-TIGM Award, US Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
2000:   Young Investigator in Cancer Research, American Association for Cancer Research
Recent Publications:
  1. Bao Y, Wang Q, Guo Y, Chen Z, Li K, Yang Y, Zhang H, Dong H, Shen K, Yang W. PRSS8 methylation and its significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget. 2016 Apr 11. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8677. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27081034
  2. Bao Y, Li K, Guo Y, Wang Q, Li Z, Yang Y, Chen Z, Wang J, Zhao W, Zhang H, Chen J, Dong H, Shen K, Diamond AM, Yang W. Tumor suppressor PRSS8 targets Sphk1/S1P/Stat3/Akt signaling in colorectal cancer. Oncotarget. 2016 Mar 31. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8511. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27050145
  3. Qian Z, Wu Z, Huang L, Qiu H, Wang L, Li L, Yao L, Kang K, Qu J, Wu Y, Luo J, Liu JJ, Yang Y, Yang W, Gou D. Mulberry fruit prevents LPS-induced NF-κB/pERK/MAPK signals in macrophages and suppresses acute colitis and colorectal tumorigenesis in mice. Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 30;5:17348. doi: 10.1038/srep17348. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26615818
  4. Bi X, Xia X, Fan D, Mu T, Zhang Q, Iozzo RV, Yang W. Oncogenic activin C interacts with decorin in colorectal cancer in vivo and in vitro. Mol Carcinog. 2015 Oct 28. doi: 10.1002/mc.22427 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26509701
  5. Ying Q, Ansong E, Diamond AM, Yang W. A Critical Role for Cysteine 57 in the Biological Functions of Selenium Binding Protein-1. Int J Mol Sci. 2015 Nov 18;16(11):27599-608. doi: 10.3390/ijms161126043. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26593911
  6. Ying Q, Ansong E, Diamond AM, Lu Z, Yang W, Bie X. Quantitative proteomic analysis reveals that anti-cancer effects of selenium-binding protein 1 in vivo are associated with metabolic pathways. PLoS One. 2015 May 14;10(5):e0126285. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126285. eCollection 2015. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25974208
  7. Shen Y, Ma J, Yan R, Ling H, Li X, Yang W, Gao J, Huang C, Bu Y, Cao Y, He Y, Wan L, Zu X, Liu J, Huang MC, Stenson WF, Liao DF, Cao D. Impaired self-renewal and increased colitis and dysplastic lesions in colonic mucosa of AKR1B8-deficient mice. Clin Cancer Res. 2015 Mar 15;21(6):1466-76. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-2072. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25538260
  8. Wang Y, Fang W, Huang Y, Hu F, Ying Q, Yang W, Xiong B. Reduction of selenium-binding protein 1 sensitizes cancer cells to selenite via elevating extracellular glutathione: a novel mechanism of cancer-specific cytotoxicity of selenite. Free Radic Biol Med. 2015 Feb;79:186-96. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2014.11.015. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25445402
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