Research
My current research is on the molecular mechanisms of endoglin as well as endothelial BMP signalling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) because mutations in endoglin and multiple components of endothelial BMP signalling are found in both vascular disorders. Endoglin is a co-receptor for BMP9 and BMP10 signalling; dysregulated BMP signalling and VEGF signalling have been found in both PAH and HHT. Because circulating levels of sENG and sFLT1 are significantly elevated in patients with preeclampsia which contribute to disease pathology, I hope to extend my research to the investigation of the
molecular mechanisms behind elevated sENG and sFLT1 in preeclampsia. By understanding the role of endoglin in trophoblast and endothelial cell interaction and the crosstalk with VEGF pathway, I hope to gain further insight into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, with a goal of developing novel prognostic biomarkers or potential novel therapeutics for treating preeclampsia.
Publications
- Lawera A, Tong Z, Thorikay M, Redgrave RE, Cai J, van Dinther M, Morrell NW, Afink GB, Charnock-Jones DS, Arthur HM, ten Dijke P and Li W (2019) Role of Soluble Endoglin in BMP9 Signaling. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 116: 17800-08.
- Salmon RM, Guo J, Wood JH, Tong Z, Lawera, A, Yu M, Beech JS, Grainger DJ, Reckless, J, Morrell NW and Li W (2020) Molecular basis of ALK1-mediated signaling by BMP9/BMP10 and their prodomain bound forms. Nature Communications, 11, 1621.
- Guo J, Liu B, Thorikay M, Yu M, Li X, Tong Z, Salmon RM, Read RJ, ten Dijke P, Morrell NW & Li W (2022) Crystal structures of BMPRII extracellular domain in binary and ternary receptor complexes with BMP10. Nature Communications 13:2395
- Andersson-Rusch C, Liu B, Quist-Løkken I, Upton PD, Olsen OE, Hella H, Tong Z, Morrell NW, Holien T* and Li W* (2023) Soluble endoglin inhibits BMP9 signaling in nonendothelial cells. Scientific Reports. 13: article number 6639. * Joint Corresponding authors.
