Wen-Hai Chou

Current Research

Stroke is a potentially devastating neurological disorder with high morbidity and mortality.Thrombolytic agents such as tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) are currently the only drugs available to reverse acute ischemic stroke, but paradoxically reestablishing of circulation by t-PA may initiate reperfusion injury.Therefore,treatmentsthat can limit reperfusion injury are urgently needed.Studies using mouse genetics, experimental stroke models, and selective peptide inhibitors and activators have implicated protein kinase C delta in stroke-induced reperfusion injury, in particular PKC delta expressed in neutrophils (Chou et al., 2004 JCI; Chou & Messing 2005Trends Cardiovasc Med).Understanding the molecular and cellular actions of PKC delta in reperfusion injury requires the identification of the unique targets of PKC delta in signaling pathways activated by ischemia and reperfusion.We have identified several direct substrates of PKC delta using a novel chemical-genetic approach, and are currently characterizing the roles of these PKC delta substrates in stroke-reperfusion injury.

Selected Publications

Weng, Y.-C., Wang, G., Messing, R.O.,*Chou, W.-H.(2015) Identification of Lipocalin-2 as a PKC delta Phosphorylation Substrate in Neutrophils. (*corresponding author) (Submitted)

Kumar, V., Weng, Y.-C., Geldenhuys, W.J., Wang, D., Han, X., Messing, R.O.,*Chou, W.-H.(2015) Generation and Characterization of ATP Analog-Sensitive Protein Kinas C Delta. Journal of Biological Chemistry. (*corresponding author) (in press)

Wang, G., Weng, Y.-C., Han, X., Whaley, J.D., McCrae, K.R.,*Chou, W.-H.(2015) Lipocalin-2 released in response to cerebral ischemia mediates reperfusion injury in mice. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. (*corresponding author) (in press)

Szular, J., Sehadova, H., Gentile, C., Szabo, G.,Chou, W.-H., Britt, S. G., and Stanewsky, R. (2012) Rhodopsin 5 and Rhodopsin 6 mediated clock synchronization in Drosophila melanogaster is independent of retinal Phospholipase C-ß signaling. Journal of Biological Rhythms 27(1):25-36.

Chiang, T., Messing, R.O., and*Chou, W.-H.(2011) Mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion. Journal of Visualized Experiments 48 (http://www.jove.com/details.php?id=2761) (*corresponding author).

Chou, W.-H., Wang, D.,McMahon, T., Qi, Z.-H.,Song, M.,Zhang, C.,Shokat, K.M.and Messing, R.O.(2010) GABAA receptor trafficking is regulated by PKC epsilon and the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor. Journal of Neuroscience 30(42),13955-65.

Birkholz, D. A.,Chou, W.-H., Phistry, M., Britt, S. G. (2009) rhomboid is essential for the differentiation of blue and green sensitive R8 photoreceptor cells in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience 29(9), 2666-75.

Chou, W.-H.andMessing, R. O. (2008)Hypertensive encephalopathy and the blood-brain barrier: Is deltaPKC a gatekeeper? Journal of Clinical Investigation 118(1), 17-20.

Chou, W.-H.andMessing, R. O. (2005) Protein kinase C isozymes in stroke. Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine 15(2), 47-51.

Chou, W.-H., Choi,D.-S., Zhang, H., Mu, D.,McMahon,T., Kharazia, V. N., Lowell, C. A.,Ferriero, D. M. andMessing, R. O. (2004)Neutrophil protein kinase C delta as a mediator of stroke-reperfusion injury. Journal of Clinical Investigation 114(1), 49-56.

Knox, B. E., Salcedo, E., Mathiesz, K., Schaefer , J.,Chou, W.-H., Chadwell, L. V., Smith, W. C., Britt, S. G., Barlow, R. B. (2003) Heterologous Expression of Limulus Rhodopsin. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278(42), 40493-40502.

Salcedo, E., Huber, A., Heinrich, S., Chadwell, L. V.,Chou, W.-H., Paulsen, R. and Britt, S. G. (1999) Blue- and green-sensitive visual pigments of Drosophila: Ectopic expression and physiological characterization of the R8 photoreceptor cell-specific Rh5 and Rh6 rhodopsins. Journal of Neuroscience 19(24), 10716-10726.

Chou, W.-H., Huber, A., Bentrop, J., Schulz, S., Chadwell, L. V., Paulsen, R., and Britt, S. G. (1999) Patterning of the R7 and R8 photoreceptor cells: Evidence for induced and default cell-fate specification. Development 126(4), 607-616.

Chang, K.-H.*, Chen, Y.*, Chen, T.-T.*,Chou, W.-H.*, Chen, P.-L., Ma, Y.-Y., Yang-Feng, T. L., Leng X., Tsai, M.-J., O'Malley, B. W., and Lee, W.-H. (1997) A thyroid hormone receptor coactivator negatively regulated by the retinoblastoma protein. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 94(17), 9040-9045. (* Co-First Authors)

Chou, W.-H., Hall, K. J., Wilson, D. B., Wideman, C. L., Townson, S. M., Chadwell, L. V., and Britt, S. G. (1996) Identification of a novel Drosophila opsin reveals specific patterning of the R7 and R8 photoreceptor cells. Neuron 17(6), 1101-1115.

Courses Teaching

Spring 2015

• BTEC 40196 - 005 Ind Inves Biotech
• BSCI 80199 - 003 Dissertation I
• BMS 80299 - 100 Dissertation II

Fall 2015

• BSCI 10001 - 001 Human Biology