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| Research Interests |
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| The primary research focus of my laboratory is on the interactions between tumor cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) and the ECM-associated growth and angiogenic factors. During physiologic and pathologic processes such as embryonic development and tumorigenesis, the cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction and the ECM-bound factors play crucial roles in determining the behavior and fate of cells. Cells utilize their surface receptors and the Zn 2+-dependent metalloproteinases to interact with, respond to, and modify their microenvironment. We are particularly interested in determining how function or activity of the ECM and adhesion receptors (such as CD44 and E-cadherin), receptor tyrosine kinases (such as Tie-2), the ECM-bound angiogenic factors (such as angiopoietin), and transmembrane growth factors (such as the EGF family growth factors) are regulated by the ECM and the proteolytic cleavage/shedding through the activities of the members of Zn 2+-dependent metalloproteinases, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), ADAMs (ADisintegrin And Metalloproteinases), and ADAMTSs (ADisintegrin And Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motifs). In addition, we are interested to understand how cleavage/shedding of these molecules contributes to morphogenesis, vascular diseases, and tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. |
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| Selected Publications : Search PubMed for articles |
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| Yu, Q. , and Stamenkovic, I. (2001). Angiopoietin-2 is implicated in regulation of tumor angiogenesis. Amer. J. Pathol. 158: 563-570.
Xu, Y., and Yu, Q. (2001). Angiopoietin-1, unlike angiopoietin-2, is incorporated into the extracellular matrix via its linker peptide region. J. Biol. Chem. 276:34990-34998. Xu, Y., and Yu, Q. (2003). E-cadherin Negatively Regulates CD44-Hyaluronan Binding, CD44-mediated Tumor Invasion and Branching Morphogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 8661-8668. Xu Y, Liu YJ, Yu Q. (2004) Angiopoietin-3 is tethered on the cell surface via heparan sulfate proteoglycans. J Biol Chem. 279(39):41179-88. Xu Y, Liu YJ, Yu Q. (2004) Angiopoietin-3 inhibits pulmonary metastasis by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. Cancer Res. 64(17):6119-26. Yu, Q. , and Stamenkovic, I. (2004) Transforming Growth Factor-beta facilitates breast carcinoma metastasis by promoting tumor cell survival. Clin. Exp. Metastasis. 2004; 21(3):235-42. |
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