Personal Profile

Brief Introduction to Research Work

The research focuses on the brain injury mechanisms and drug development for major neurological diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and glioma. In recent years, the research has been centered on the damaging effects of key enzymes in glucose metabolism on brain tissue. A new drug target for stroke, hexokinase 2 (HK2), has been discovered, and the exploration of brain injury mechanisms such as HK2 promoting inflammation and exosome generation has been carried out. The preclinical pharmacodynamics and neuroprotective mechanisms of YC-6, a new drug for acute ischemic stroke (already in Phase II clinical trials), have been studied, and the research on the application of YC-6 and its homologues in preventing acute high-altitude brain injury and other indications has been led and implemented. As the person in charge of the major new drug development project during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the research and development of anti-cerebral ischemia gene-engineered direct thrombolytic drugs has been presided over. In addition, research on the induced differentiation therapy of malignant solid tumors has also been participated in. The inducing differentiation effects of biological toxins, small molecules, and their combinations on glioma cells have been discovered, and research on the induced differentiation therapy and its molecular mechanisms for malignant glioma has been carried out.

Academic Achievements

Published Papers

1. Xincheng Liu, Cui Guo, Tiandong Leng, Zhen Fan, Jialuo Mai, Jiehong Chen, Jinhai Xu, Qianyi Li, Bin Jiang, Ke Sai, Wenzhuo Yang, Jiayu Gu, Jingyi Wang, Shuxin Sun, Zhijie Chen, Yingqian Zhong, Xuanming Liang, Chaoxin Chen, Jing Cai, Yuan Lin, Jiankai Liang, Jun Hu, Guangmei Yan, Wenbo Zhu* and Wei Yin* , Differential regulation of H3K9/H3K14 acetylation by small molecules drives neuron-fate-induction of glioma cell. Cell Death and Disease,  2023, 14(2):142.  
2. Chen Chen, YuWei Zhou, XinPeng Ning, ShengLong Li, DongDong Xue, CaiLv Wei, Zhu Zhu, LongXiang Sheng, BingZheng Lu, Yuan Li, XiaoYuan Ye, YunZhao Fu, Chuan Bai, Wei Cai, YuXuan Ding, SuiZhen Lin, GuangMei Yan, YiJun Huang* and Wei Yin*，Directly targeting ASC by lonidamine alleviates inflammasome-driven diseases, Journal of Neuroinflammation，2022，19(1)：315.  
3. DongDong Xue, CaiLv Wei, YueHan Zhou, Kai Wang, YuWei Zhou, Chen Chen, Yuan Li, LongXiang Sheng, BingZheng Lu, Zhu Zhu, Wei Cai, XinPeng Ning, ShengLong Li, TianYu Qi, JiaKai Pi, SuiZhen Lin, GuangMei Yan, YiJun Huang*, and Wei Yin*, TRIOL Inhibits Rapid Intracellular Acidification and Cerebral Ischemic Injury: The Role of Glutamate in Neuronal Metabolic Reprogramming, ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2022, 13 (14):2110-2121. 
4. Chen Z, Zhong Y, Chen J, Sun S, Liu W, Han Y, Liu X, Guo C, Li D, Hu W, Zhang P, Chen Z, Chen Z, Mou Y, Yan G, Zhu W*, Yin W*, Sai K*., Disruption of β-catenin-mediated negative feedback reinforces cAMP-induced neuronal differentiation in glioma stem cells, Cell Death and Disease，2022 May 24;13(5):493. 
5. Zhu Z, Lu J, Wang S, Peng W, Yang Y, Chen C, Zhou X, Yang X, Xin W, Chen X, Pi J, Yin W*, Yao L*, Pi R*. Acrolein, an endogenous aldehyde induces synaptic dysfunction in vitro and in vivo: Involvement of RhoA/ROCK2 pathway. Aging Cell. 2022 Apr;21(4):e13587.
6. Yang Y, Tu Y, Lu J, Chen Q, Zhu Z, Peng W, Zhu W, Wen S, Zhang J, Yin W*, Pi R.*, PT109, a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, suppresses glioblastoma multiforme through cell reprogramming: Involvement of PTBP1/PKM1/2 pathway. European Journal of Pharmacology, 2022, Vol 920, 174837. 
7. Bingzheng Lu, Zhu Zhu, Longxiang Sheng, Yuan Li, Yang Yang, Yupin Chen, Dongdong Xue, Yuwei Zhou, Wei Cai, Chen Chen, Cailv Wei, Dong Xu, Min Yan, Suizhen Lin, Guangmei Yan, Wei Yin*, SMARCB1 Promotes Ubiquitination and Degradation of NR4A3 via Direct Interaction Driven by ROS in Vascular Endothelial Cell Injury, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020 Oct 23; 2020:2048210.
8. Zhang P, Chen JS, Li QY, Sheng LX, Gao YX, Lu BZ, Zhu WB, Zhan XY, Li Y, Yuan ZB, Xu G, Qiu BT, Yan M, Guo CX, Wang YQ, Huang YJ, Zhang JX, Liu FY, Tang ZW, Lin SZ, Cooper DN, Yang HM, Wang J, Gao YQ*, Yin W*, Zhang GJ*, Yan GM*. Neuroprotectants attenuate hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injuries in cynomolgus monkeys. Zoological Research, 2020 Jan 18;41(1):3-19.
9. Sheng L, Lu B, Chen H, Du Y, Chen C, Cai W, Yang Y, Tian X, Huang Z, Chi W, Lin S, Yan G, Yin W.* Marine-Steroid Derivative 5α-Androst-3β, 5α, 6β-triol Protects Retinal Ganglion Cells from Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury by Activating Nrf2 Pathway. Marine Drugs. 2019; 17(5):267.
10. Sun, H.-J.-Q.; Xue, D.-D.; Lu, B.-Z.; Li, Y.; Sheng, L.-X.; Zhu, Z.; Zhou, Y.-W.; Zhang, J.-X.; Lin, G.-J.; Lin, S.-Z.; Yan, G.-M.; Chen, Y.-P. *; Yin, W.* A Novel Synthetic Steroid of 2β,3α,5α-Trihydroxy-androst-6-one Alleviates the Loss of Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells Caused by Acute Intraocular Hypertension via Inhibiting the Inflammatory Activation of Microglia. Molecules , 2019, 24(2), 252.
11. Li Y, Lu B, Sheng L, Zhu Z, Sun H, Zhou Y, Yang Y, Xue D, Chen W, Tian X, Du Y, Yan M, Zhu W, Xing F, Li K, Lin S, Qiu P, Su X, Huang Y, Yan G*, Yin W.* Hexokinase 2-dependent Hyperglycolysis Driving Microglial Activation Contributes to Ischemic Brain Injury. Journal of  Neurochemistry. 2018,144, 186--200.
12. Yin W, Wang ZJ, Li QY, Lian JM, Zhou Y, Lu BZ, Jin LJ, Qiu PX, Zhang P, Zhu WB, Wen B, Huang YJ, Lin ZL, Qiu BT, Su XW, Yang HM, Zhang GJ, Yan GM, Zhou Q. Evolutionary trajectories of snake genes and genomes revealed by comparative analyses of five-pacer viper. Nature Communications, 2016 Oct 6;7:13107.
13. Li Y#, Yin W#, Wang X, Zhu W, Huang Y, Yan G*. Cholera toxin induces malignant glioma cell differentiation via the PKA/CREB pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007, Aug 14;104(33):13438-43.

Research Projects

• National Natural Science Foundation of China, General Project, No. 82071321: "Hexokinase 2 Participates in Acute Ischemic Brain Injury by Regulating the Generation of Astrocyte Exosomes through Protein Kinase Activity", from January 2021 to December 2024, with a fund of 550,000 yuan.
• National Natural Science Foundation of China, General Project, No. 81773711: "The New Role of Glycolysis Key Enzyme HK2 in Neuronal Injury in Ischemic Stroke", from January 2018 to December 2021, with a fund of 550,000 yuan.
• Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Plan Project, Industrial Technology Research and Development Special Project, No. 20160909: "Research on the One-Step Purification Process of the Novel Oncolytic Virus M1", from August 2016 to July 2019, with a fund of 1,500,000 yuan.
• Guangzhou Science and Technology Plan Project for Industry-University-Research Collaborative Innovation Major Project (Livelihood Science and Technology Research), No. 201704020103: "Preclinical Study of a Novel Small Molecule Steroid in Preventing Acute Hypobaric Hypoxia Brain Injury", from May 2017 to April 2020, with a fund of 4,000,000 yuan.
• National Natural Science Foundation of China Project, General Project, No. 81470162: "Non-Human Primate Multi-omics Study on the Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness by the Novel Neuroprotective Agent YC-6", from January 2015 to December 2016, with a fund of 300,000 yuan.
• Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology during the 11th Five-Year Plan Period, "Significant New Drug Development", No. 2009ZX09102-217: "Preclinical Study (Class I New Drug) of the Direct Thrombolytic Drug Recombinant Snake Venom Plasminogen Activator II", from January 2010 to December 2011, with a fund of 2,670,000 yuan.
• National Natural Science Foundation of China Project, Young Scientists Fund, No. 30700202: "Knockout of the Ubiquitin-Interacting Protein KIAA0280 and Its Regulation of the Neuronal Apoptosis Signaling Pathway", from January 2008 to December 2010, with a fund of 170,000 yuan.