Education

Biography

Dr. Jing Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Clinical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Zhao completed her clinical medical training in China and received her PhD from the Gifu University School of Medicine (Gifu, Japan). After receiving her PhD, she had been trained in proteomics and lung vascular biology fields in Johns Hopkins University and University of Chicago. Dr. Zhao was recruited to the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh as an Assistant Professor in 2010. Dr. Zhao has developed a new research direction to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms which regulate the protein stability of critical pro inflammatory effectors. She has conducted fascinating research over the last six years, particularly in the area of lung biology. Her numerous publications on the topic have been well received and have made a significant impact on the field of pulmonary biological research.

Research Interest

Dr. Zhao’s research interest is to investigate the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in lung and systemic inflammatory diseases.

Scientific Activities:

Appointments and Positions:-

• 2008 - 2010: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Professional Research-Associate
• 2010: Dept. of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Research –Assistant Professor
• 2015 - Current: Dept. of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh -Associate Professor

Memberships in professional and scientific societies:-

• American Thoracic Society
• American Association for Cancer Research
• American Federation for Medical Research Society
• American Association for Mass Spectrometry

Publications

1. Zhao Y, Zhao J, Cui X, Tian Y, Zhao B. Molecular mechanisms of apoptosis. Prog in Biotech, 1999, 19, 40-44.
2. Zhao J, Takada H, Iwata H. The influence of low-moderate alcohol intake on HCV-related liver injury in Japan. Acta Sch Med Univ. Gifu, 2000; 48, 23-30.
3. Zhao J, Takada H, Washino K. Assessment of risk factors for hepatitis C virus transmission in Japanese, 1945 through 1998. Japanese Journal of Applied Physiology, 2001; 31, 187-196.
4. Cui X, Fu P, Pan D, Zhao Y, Zhao J, Zhao B. The antioxidant effects of ribonuclease inhibitor. Free Radic Res. 2003 Oct;37(10):1079-85. PMID:14703097.
5. Chen JX, Gao Y, Tian Y, Liu J, Zhao J, Cui X. Antitumor effects of human ribonuclease inhibitor gene transfected on B16 melanoma cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Jun;37(6):1219-31. Epub 2005 Jan 13. PMID: 15778086.
6. Li J, Orlandi R, White N, Rosenzweig J, Zhao J, Seregni E, Morelli D, Yu Y, Meng X, Zhang Z, Davidson NE, Fung ET, Chan DW. Independent validation of candidate breast cancer serum biomarkers identified by mass spectrometry. Clin Chem. 2005 Dec;51(12):2229-35. Epub 2005 Oct 13. PMID: 16223889
7. Li J, Zhao J, Yu X, Lange J, Kuerer H, Krishnamurthy S, Schilling E, Khan SA  Sukumar S, Chan DW. Identification of biomarkers for breast cancer in nipple aspiration and ductal lavage fluid. Clin Cancer Res. 2005 Dec 1;11(23):8312-20. PMID: 16322290.
8. Zhao Y, He D, Zhao J, Wang L, Leff AR, Spannhake EW, Georas S, Natarajan V. Lysophosphatidic acid induces IL-13 receptor alpha 2 expression and inhibits IL- 13 signaling in primary human bronchial epithelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. 2007 Apr 6;282(14):10172-9. Epub 2007 Feb 6. PMID: 17287216. PMCID: PMC2659592.
9. Zhao J, Camp SM, Chiang ET, Schilling AB, Dudek SM, Garcia JGN. Novel protein kinase A-mediated endothelial cell myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation sites using data dependent nano-LC/MS/MS mass spectrometry method. Journal of Organ Dysfunction. 2009 Jan;5(4): 242–253. doi: 10.3109/17471060802409712.
10. Zhao J, Singleton PA, Brown ME, Dudek SM, Garcia JGN. Phosphotyrosine protein dynamics in the lipid raft of sphingosine-1-phosphate-stimulated human endothelium: Role in barrier enhancement. Cell Signal. 2009 Dec;21(12):1945-60. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2009.09.002. Epub 2009 Sep 13. PMID: 19755153. PMCID: PMC3758232.
11. Dudek SM, Chiang ET, Camp SM, Guo Y, Zhao J, Brown ME, Singleton PA, Arce FT, Lal R, Van Eyk JE, Imam SZ, Garcia JGN. Abl tyrosine kinase phosphorylates nonmuscle Myosin light chain kinase to regulate endothelial barrier function. Mol Biol Cell. 2010 Nov 15;21(22):4042-56. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E09-10-0876. Epub 2010 Sep 22. PMID: 20861316. PMCID: PMC2982111. 11/01/16 3
12. Zhao J, He D, Berdyshev EV, Zhong M, Salgia R, Smyth SS, Morris AJ, Natarajan V, Zhao Y. Autotaxin induces lung epithelial cell migration through lysoPLD activity-dependent and -independent pathways. Biochem J. 2011 Oct 1;439(1):45-55. doi: 10.1042/BJ20110274. PMID: 21696367. PMCID: PMC3674636.
13. Zhao J, He D, Su Y, Berdyshev E, Chun J, Natarajan V, Zhao Y. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 modulates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in alveolar epithelial cells and murine lungs. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2011 Oct;301(4):L547-56. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00058.2011. Epub 2011 Aug 5. PMID: 21821728. PMCID: PMC3191756.
14. Zhao J, Chen Q, Li H, Myerburg M, Spannhake EW, Natarajan V, Zhao Y. Lysophosphatidic acid increases soluble ST2 expression in mouse lung and human bronchial epithelial cells. Cell Signal. 2012 Jan;24(1):77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2011.08.004. Epub 2011 Aug 17. PMID: 21871564. PMCID: PMC3557527.
15. Zhao J (co-responding author), Wei J, Mialki R, Zou C, Mallampalli RK, Zhao Y. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) regulates cortactin ubiquitination and degradation in lung epithelial cells. J Biol Chem. 2012 Jun 1;287(23):19105- 14. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.339507. Epub 2012 Apr 18. PMID: 22514278. PMCID: PMC3365943.
16. Zhao Y, Fu P, Zhao J, Mialki RK, Wei J, Huang L, Chun J, Lame AS, Shapiro SD, Natarajan V. Sepsis by using cercal ligation and single puncture causes alveolar space enlargement in LPA2 knockout mice. J. Allier. There. 2012 June 25; S4-005. doi:10.4172/2155-6121.S4-005.
17. Zhao J, Wei J, Mialki RK, Mallampalli D, Chen B, Coon T, Zou C, Mallampalli RK, Zhao Y. F-box protein FBXL19-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of the IL-33 receptor limits pulmonary inflammation. Nat Immunol. 2012 Jun 3;13(7):651-8. doi: 10.1038/ni.2341. PMID: 22660580. PMCID: PMC3643313.
18. Sun X, Singleton PA, Letsiou E, Zhao J, Belvitch P, Sammani S, Chiang ET, Moreno-Vinasco L, Wade MS, Zhou T, Liu B, Parastatidis I, Thomson L, Ischiropoulos H, Natarajan V, Jacobson JR, Machado RF, Dudek SM, Garcia JGN. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 3 is a Novel Biomarker in Acute Lung Injury. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2012 Nov;47(5):628-36. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2012-0048OC. Epub 2012 Jul 5. PMID: 2277138. PMCID: PMC3547106.
19. Chen BB, Coon TA, Glasser JR, McVerry BJ, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Zou C, Ellis BM, Sciurba FC, Zhang Y, Mallampalli RK. A combinatorial F box protein directed pathway controls TRAF stability to regulate inflammation. Nature Immunol. 2013 May;14(5):470-9. doi: 10.1038/ni.2565. Epub 2013 Mar 31. PMID: 23542741. PMCID: PMC3631463.
20. Zhao J, Mialki RK, Wei J, Coon T, Zou C, Chen BB, Mallampalli RK, Zhao Y. SCF E3 ligase F-box protein complex SCFFBXL19 regulates cell migration by mediating Rac1 ubiquitination and degradation. FASEB J. 2013 Jul;27(7):2611-9. doi: 10.1096/fj.12-223099. Epub 2013 Mar 19. PMID: 23512198. PMCID: PMC3688740. 11/01/16 4
21. Mialki RK, Zhao J, Wei J, Mallampalli DF, Zhao Y. Overexpression of USP14 Protease Reduces I-κB Protein Levels and Increases Cytokine Release in Lung Epithelial Cells. J Biol Chem. 2013 May 31;288(22):15437-41. doi: 10.1074/jbc.C112.446682. Epub 2013 Apr 24. PMID: 23615914. PMCID: PMC3668705.
22. Zhao Y, Zhao J, Mialki RK, Wei J, Spannhake EW, Salgia R, Natarajan V. Lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of c-Met tyrosine residue 1003 regulates c-Met intracellular trafficking and lung epithelial barrier function. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2013 Jul 1;305(1):L56-63. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00417.2012. Epub 2013 Apr 26. PMID: 23624790. PMCID: PMC3726943.
23. Mallampalli RK, Kaercher L, Snavely C, Pulijala R, Chen BB, Coon T, Zhao J, Agassandian M. Fbxl12 triggers G1 arrest by mediating degradation of calmodulin kinase I. Cell Signal. 2013 Oct;25(10):2047-59. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2013.05.012. Epub 2013 May 23. PMID: 23707388. PMCID: PMC3905573.
24. Wei J, Mialki RK, Dong S, Khoo A, Mallampalli RK, Zhao Y, Zhao J (corresponding author). A new mechanism of RhoA ubiquitination and degradation: Roles of SCFFBXL19 E3 ligase and Erk2. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Dec;1833(12):2757-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2013.07.005. Epub 2013 Jul 18. PMID: 23871831. PMCID: PMC3834026.
25. Mallampalli RK, Coon TA, Glasser JR, Wang C, Dunn SR, Weathington NM, Zhao J, Zou C, Zhao Y, Chen BB. Targeting F Box Protein Fbxo3 To Control Cytokine-Driven Inflammation. J Immunol. 2013 Nov 15;191(10):5247-55. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1300456. Epub 2013 Oct 11. PMID: 24123678. PMCID: PMC3845358.
26. Dong S, Zhao J, Wei J, Bowser RK, Khoo A, Liu Z, Luketich JD, Pennathur A, Ma H, Zhao Y. F-box protein complex FBXL19 regulates TGFβ1-induced Ecadherin down-regulation by mediating Rac3 ubiquitination and degradation. Mol Cancer. 2014 Apr 1;13:76. doi: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-76. PMID: 24684802. PMCID: PMC3994216.
27. Weathington NM, Snavely CA, Chen BB, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Mallampalli RK. Glycogen synthase kinase β stabilizes the IL-22 receptor from proteasomal degradation in murine lung epithelia. J Biol Chem. 2014 Jun 20;289(25):17610-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M114.551747. Epub 2014 Apr 17. PMID: 24742671. PMCID: PMC4067196.
28. Zhao J, Wei J, Bowser RK, Dong S, Xiao S, Zhao Y. Molecular regulation of lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 trafficking to the cell surface. Cell Signal. 2014 Nov;26(11):2406-11. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2014.07.005. Epub 2014 Jul 13. PMID: 25025571. PMCID: PMC4225160.
29. Dong S, Khoo A, Wei J, Bowser RK, Weathington NM, Xiao S, Zhang L, Ma H, Zhao Y, Zhao J (co-responding author). Serum starvation regulates E-cadherin up-regulation via activation of c-Src in non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2014 Nov 1;307(9):C893-9. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00132.2014. Epub 2014 Aug 27. PMID: 25163517. PMCID: PMC4216942. 11/01/16 5
30. Lendermon EA, Dodd-o JM, Coon TA, Miller H L, Ganguly S, Popescu I, O'Donnell CP, Cardenes N, Levine M, Rojas M, Weathington NM , Zhao J, Zhao Y, and John F McDyer. CD8+IL-17+ T Cells Mediate Neutrophilic Airway Obliteration in T-bet Deficient Mouse Lung Allograft Recipients. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2015 May; 52(5): 622–633. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2014-0059OC PMID: 25286244. PMCID: PMC4491136.
31. Zhao J, Bowser RK, Wei J, Traister RS, Fan M, Zhao Y. Focal adhesion kinasemediated activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β regulates IL-33 receptor internalization and IL-33 signaling. J Immunol. 2015 Jan 15;194(2):795-802. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401414. Epub 2014 Dec 3. PMID: 25472995. PMCID: PMC4363995.
32. Liu Y, Lear T, Zhao Y, Zhao J, Zou C, Chen BB, Mallampalli RK. F box protein Fbxl18 mediates polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the proapoptotic SCF subunit Fbxl7. Cell Death Dis. 2015 Feb 5;6:e1630. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2014.585. PMCID: PMC4669792.
33. Zhao J, Zhao Y. Interleukin-33 and its receptor in pulmonary inflammatory diseases. Crit Rev Immunol., 2015;35(6):451-61. doi: 10.1615/CritRevImmunol.2016015865. PMID:27279043
34. Zhao J, Wei J, Weathington N, Jacko AM, Huang H, Tsung A, Zhao Y. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 antagonist ki16425 blunts abdominal and systemic inflammation in a mouse model of peritoneal sepsis. Transl Res. 2015 Jul; 166(1): 80–88. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2015.01.008. PMID: 25701366. PMCID: PMC4458421.
35. Wei J, Zhao J, Schrott V, Zhang Y, Gladwin M, Bullock G, Zhao Y. Red blood cells store and release interleukin-33. J Investig Med. 2015 Aug;63(6):806-10. doi: 10.1097/JIM.0000000000000213. PMID: 26107423.
36. Nan L, Wei J, Jacko AM, Zhao J, Natarajan V, Ma H, Zhao Y. Cross-talk between lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 and TrkA promotes lung epithelial cell migration. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Feb;1863(2):229-35. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.11.012. Epub 2015 Nov 17. PMID: 26597701. PMCID: PMC4767279.
37. Barroso-González J, Auclair S, Luan S, Thomas L, Atkins KM, Aslan JE, Thomas LL, Zhao J, Zhao Y, Thomas G. PACS-2 mediates the ATM and NF-κBdependent induction of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL in response to DNA damage. Cell Death Differ. 2016 Sep 1;23(9):1448-57. doi: 10.1038/cdd.2016.23. Epub 2016 Mar 4. PMID: 26943323
38. Kudryashova TV, Goncharov DA, Pena A, Kelly N, Vanderpool R, Baust J, Kobir A, Shufesky W, Mora AL, Morelli AE, Zhao J, Ihida-Stansbury K, Chang B, DeLisser H, Tuder RM, Kawut SM, Silljé HHW, Shapiro S, Zhao Y, Goncharova EA: HIPPO-integrin linked kinase crosstalk controls self-sustaining proliferation and survival in pulmonary hypertension. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016 Oct 1;194(7):866-877. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201510-2003OC. PMID: 27119551
39. Pinilla-Vera M, Xiong Z, Zhao Y, Zhao J, Donahoe MP, Barge S, Horne WT, Kolls JK, McVerry BJ, Birukova A, Tighe RM, Foster WM, Hollingsworth J, Ray A, Mallampalli R, Ray P, Lee JS. Full Spectrum of LPS Activation in Alveolar 11/01/16 6