Department of Neurobiology
Room 2.138C Medical Research Building
Education and Training
Postdoctoral training, Neuroscience, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Ph.D. in Public Health, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
Residency, Institution/Hospital of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment of GuiZhou Province, China
M.D. GuiYang Medical School, GuiYang, China
Research interests:
Nociceptors are receptors distributed within the epidermis that detect potentially damaging stimuli, including noxious mechanical, chemical and thermal stimuli. Nociceptor activation causes acute pain, warning us of tissue injury and leading to protective behavior. Despite these essential protective functions, heightened sensitivity/maladaptation of nociceptor function can lead to debilitating chronic neuropathic pain.
Our lab is investigating the pathogenesis of neuropathy caused by diseases and neuronal injury. The site of neuropathy intermingled nociceptors, immunocytes and keratinocyte cells and the interaction outcomes of neuropathy (Fig). Our recently NIH funded R01 grant focuses on the pathogenesis of HIV-1 gp120 viral protein and anti-retroviral therapy induced nociceptor pathological changes in HIV-1 associated neuropathy and chronic pain. In the future, we will expand our research to nociceptor maladaptation induced by spinal cord injury, neuronal and tissue damage.
We welcome any scientists who are interested in neuropathy and would like to explore chronic pain related nociceptor mechanisms.
Selected publications:
Shi Y, Yuan S, Tang SJ. (2020) Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are Critical for Morphine Exacerbation of HIV-1 gp120-Induced Pain. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2021 Sep;16(3):581-591. 2020 Aug 22. PMID: 32827051
Shi Y, Yuan S, Tang SJ. (2019) Morphine and HIV-1 gp120 cooperatively promote pathogenesis in the spinal pain neural circuit. Mol Pain. 2019. PMID: 31368399
Yuan S, Shi Y, Guo K, Tang SJ. (2018) Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) Induce Pathological Pain through Wnt5a-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Aging Mice. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2018 Jun;13(2):230-236. PMID: 29429030
Shi Y, Shu J, Liang Z, Yuan S, Tang SJ. (2016) EXPRESS: Oligodendrocytes in HIV-associated pain pathogenesis. Mol Pain. 2016 Jun 15; Print 2016. PMID: 27306410
Yuan SB, Ji G, Li B, Andersson T, Neugebauer V, Tang SJ. (2015) A Wnt5a signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 gp120-induced pain. Pain. 2015 Jul;156(7):1311-1319. PMID: 25840108
Yuan SB, Shi Y, Chen J, Zhou X, Li G, Gelman BB, Lisinicchia JG, Carlton SM, Ferguson MR, Tan A, Sarna SK, Tang SJ. (2014) Gp120 in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus-associated pain. Ann Neurol. 2014 Jun;75(6):837-50. PMID: 24633867
Yuan S, Shi Y, Tang SJ. (2012) Wnt signaling in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis-associated chronic pain. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2012 Dec;7(4):904-13. Epub 2012 May 2. PMID: 22547300
Shi Y, Yuan S, Li B, Wang J, Carlton SM, Chung K, Chung JM, Tang SJ. (2012) Regulation of Wnt signaling by nociceptive input in animal models. Mol Pain. 2012 Jun 19;8:47. PMID: 22713358