研究方向
糖脂代谢调控，细胞分泌通路(The Secretory Pathway), 胰岛素信号
本研究组专注于研究细胞分泌调控糖、脂代谢的功能及机理。细胞分泌是生物学中最基础的问题之一，对其分子机理的研究多次获得诺贝尔奖，包括2013年的生理及医学奖。糖脂代谢则与我国、世界的重大疾病——糖尿病、心脑血管疾病休戚相关。糖脂代谢依赖细胞分泌来实现全身稳态平衡，而多个分泌因子也已成为治疗代谢疾病的优异药物靶点，充分体现了基础科研和转化医学的有机结合。对于此交叉领域，我们将秉承“立足重大基础科学问题，探索前沿转化研究成果”的思路，在以下三方面融汇贯通、齐头并进：（1）阐明独特的脂类分泌通路及其代谢功能；（2）发现并解析其中特异的调节基因（machinery and signaling factors）；（3）探索重要的分泌蛋白的转化医学前景。以此为目标，我的研究组将综合利用生物化学、生理学、细胞生物学及遗传学的手段，借助代谢活性细胞（metabolic active cells)、模式生物和基因敲除动物，从分子机理到整体功能深入展开研究。
代表性科研论文
1. Liu, L., Cai, J., Wang, H., Liang, X., Zhou, Q., Ding, C., Zhu, Y., Xiao, L., Fu, T., Xu, Z., Liu, J., Yin, Y., Fang, L., Xue, B., Wang, Y., Meng, Z.X., He, A., Li, J.L., Liu, Y., Chen, X.W.*, Gan, Z.*. Coupling of COPII vesicle trafficking to nutrient availability by the IRE1α-XBP1s axis Proc. Natl. Acad. USA 2019 (in press)
2. Su, L., Zhou, L., Chen, F.J., Wang, H., Qian, H., Sheng, Y., Zhu, Y., Yu, H., Gong, X., Cai, L., Yang, X., Xu, L., Zhao, T.J., Li, Z., Chen, X.W.*, Li, P.*. CIDEB controls sterol-regulated ER export of SREBP/SCAP by promoting cargo loading at ER exit sites. EMBO J. 2019 Apr 15; 38(8)
3. Nie, C., Wang, H., Wang, R., Ginsburg, D.*, Chen, X.W.*. A Dimeric Sorting Code Mediates Concentrative Cargo Enrichment by the COPII Complex. Proc. Natl. Acad. USA 2018 Apr 3;115(14):E3155-E3162.
4. Nie, C., Chen, X.W.. Recycling of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter Glut4 regulated by the small GTPase RalA and the exocyst complex. Methods Cell Biol. 2015; 130:307-18.
5. Chen, X. W., Wang, H., Pahuja, K. B., Zhang, P., Meng, Z. X., Ma, D., Bai, Y., Liu, H., Adams, E., Baines, A., Yu, G., Sartor, M. A., Zhang, B., Yi, Z., Young, S. G., Schekman, R., and Ginsburg, D. (2013) SEC24A Deficiency Lowers Plasma Cholesterol through Reduced PCSK9 Secretion. eLife 9;2:e00444. (Editor’s choice; also commented by DeBose-Boyd and Horton; highlighted by Faculty of 1000)
6. Martin, T. D., Chen, X. W., Saltiel, A. R., Walker, C. L., Reiner, D. J., Der, C. J. (2013) Ral and Rheb GTPase Activating Proteins Integrate mTOR and GTPase Signaling in Ageing, Autophagy, and Tumor Cell Invasion. Molecular Cell 52(2): 209-20. (Cover story)
7. Chen, X. W., Leto, D., Xiao, J., Goss, J., Wang, Q., Shavit, J. A., Xiong, T. T., Yu, G. G., Toomre, D., Ginsburg, D., Xu, Z., and Saltiel, A. R. (2011) Exocyst Function is Regulated by Effector Phosphorylation. Nature Cell Biol. 13(5):580-8. (Highlighted by Faculty of 1000) 4. Chen, X. W., Leto, D., Xiong, T. T., Yu, G. G., Decker, S. J., and Saltiel, A. R. (2011) A Ral GAP Complex Links PI 3-Kinase/Akt Signaling to RalA Activation in Insulin Action. Mol. Biol. Cell 22 (1):141-52. (Editorial Highlighted Paper)
8. Chen, X. W., Leto, D., Chiang, S. H., Wang, Q., Saltiel, A. R. (2007) The Activation of RalA is Required for Insulin-Stimulated Glut4 Trafficking to the Plasma Membrane via the Exocyst and the Motor Protein Myo1c. Dev. Cell 13(3):391-404.
