Yuan Zhuang's Laboratory of Immunology!

Department of Immunology

Duke University Medical Center

Research Description

B and T lymphocytes are responsible for carrying out antigen specific immune reactions and maintaining immune memory against pathogens.  The generation and maintenance of a broad repertoire of antigen specific lymphocytes must be tightly regulated throughout life.  Perturbation of the regulatory events either by genetic defects or environmental factors may lead to immune system diseases such as immune deficiency, autoimmune syndromes, or leukemia.  This laboratory uses molecular biology and mouse genetics to discover the basic principles guiding B and T lymphocyte development and to investigate the genetic basis of lymphoid diseases. 

Current Research:

Function of E-proteins and Id proteins in B and T cell development

Mechanisms of antigen receptor gene recombination and expression

Autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome

Mouse genetics and its application to lymphocyte development

PI Background:

1983. B.S. Peking University

1989. Ph.D. Yale University

1990. Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Fund Fellowship

1992. Leukemia Research Institute Fellowship

1994. Leukemia Society of America Special Fellowship

1995. Whitehead Scholar, Assistant Professor, Duke University

1998. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar

2002. Associate Professor (with tenure), Duke University

2002. Guest Professor and Co-Director, Institute of Developmental Biology, Fudan University

Research Funding:

National Institute of Health

Arthritis Foundation

Stewart Trust, DUMC

Selected Publications:

• Ueda-Hayakawa I, Mahlios J, Zhuang Y. (2009). Id3 restricts the developmental potential of gammadelta lineage during thymopoiesis. J. Immunol. 182(9):5306-16.

• Jia J, Dai M, Zhuang Y. (2008). E proteins are required to activate germline transcription of the TCR Vbeta8.2 gene. Eur. J. Immunol. 38(10):2806-20.

• Jones ME, Zhuang Y. (2007). Acquisition of a functional T cell receptor during T lymphocyte development is enforced by HEB and E2A transcription factors. Immunity. 27(6):860-70.

• Wojciechowski J, Lai A, Kondo M, Zhuang Y. (2007). E2A and HEB are required to block thymocyte proliferation prior to Pre-TCR expression. J. Immunol. 178(9):5717-26.

• Jia J, Kondo M, Zhuang Y. (2007). Germline transcription from T-cell receptor Vb gene is uncoupled from allelic exclusion. EMBO J. 26(9):2387-99.

• Hayakawa I, Tedder TF, Zhuang Y. (2007). B-lymphocyte depletion ameliorates Sjogren's syndrome in Id3 knockout mice. Immunology. 122(1):73-9.

• Lazorchak AS, Wojciechowski J, Dai M, Zhuang Y. (2006). E2A promotes the survival of precursor and mature B lymphocytes. J. Immunol. 177(4):2495-504. PDF File

• Lazorchak AS, Schlissel MS, Zhuang Y. (2006). E2A and IRF-4/Pip Promote Chromatin Modification and Transcription of the Immunoglobulin {kappa} Locus in Pre-B Cells. Mol. Cell. Bio. 26(3):810-21. PDF File

• Lazorchak A, Jones ME, Zhuang Y. (2005). New insights into E-protein function in lymphocyte development. Trends Immunol. 26(6)334-8.

• Li H, Dai M., Zhuang Y. (2004). A T Cell Intrinsic Role of Id3 in a Mouse Model for Primary Sjogren's Syndrome. Immunity. 21(4):551-60. PDF File

• Greenbaum S, Lazorchak AS and Zhuang Y.  (2004) Differential Functions for the Transcription Factor E2A in Positive and Negative Gene Regulation in Pre-B Lymphocytes. J Biol Chem. 279(43):45028-35. PDF File

• Zhuang Y, Jackson A, Pan L, Shen K, Dai M. (2004) Regulation of E2A gene expression in B-lymphocyte development. Mol Immunol. Mar;40(16):1165-77.

• Pan L, Bradney C, Zheng B, Zhuang Y. (2004) Altered T-dependent antigen responses and development of autoimmune symptoms in mice lacking E2A in T lymphocytes. Immunology. Feb;111(2):147-54.

• Bradney C, Hjelmeland M, Komatsu Y, Yoshida M, Yao TP, Zhuang Y. (2003) Regulation of E2A activities by histone acetyltransferases in B lymphocyte development. J Biol Chem. Jan 24;278(4):2370-6.

• S. Greenbaum and Y. Zhuang (2002) Identification of E2A target gene in B lymphocyte development using a gene tagging-based chromatin immunoprecipitation system. Proc. Nat.  Acad. Sci. USA. Nov 12;99(3):15030-35. PDF File

• L. Pan, J Hanrahan, J. Li, LP. Hale, Y. Zhuang. (2002). An analysis of T cell intrinsic roles of E2A by conditional gene disruption in the thymus. J. Immunology. Apr 15;168(8):3923-32.

• RJ. Barndt, MF. Dai, and Y. Zhuang (2000). Functions of E2A-HEB heterodimers in T-cell development revealed by a dominant negative mutation of HEB. Mol. Cell. Bio  20: 6677.

• LH. Pan, S. Sato, JP. Frederick, X-H. Sun, and Y. Zhuang (1999). Impaired immune responses and B-cell proliferation in mice lacking the Id3 gene. Mol. Cell. Bio.  19, 5969-5980.

• RJ. Barndt, MF. Dai, and Y. Zhuang (1999). A novel role for HEB downstream or parallel to the pre-TCR signal during alpha/beta thymopoiesis. J. Immunology. 163, 3331-3343.

• W. Yan, A. Z. Young, VC. Soares, R. Kelley, R. Benezra, and Y. Zhuang (1997). High incidence of acute T-cell tumors in E2A-null mice and E2A/Id1 double knockout mice.  Mol. Cell. Bio.  17, 7317-7327. 

• Y. Zhuang, PF. Cheng, and H. Weintraub (1996). B-cell development is regulated by the combined dosage of three bHLH genes, E2A, E2-2, and HEB. Mol. Cell. Bio. 16, 2898-2905.

Contact Information

Yuan Zhuang PhD.

Associate Professor of Immunology

Duke University Medical Center

Jones Building Rm. 329

Phone: 919-613-7825

Fax: 919-613-7853

Email: yzhuang@duke.edu

Last Updated

05/25/2009