Jianrong Li
Professor Department of Veterinary Integrative BiosciencesResearch and Scholarly Interests
The Li lab is interested in understanding how neuroinflammation is regulated in the central nervous system and how dysfunctional glial cells may contribute to the etiology and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. One particular focus is to uncover pathogenic mechanisms of demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis and to explore glia-based strategies aimed at promoting myelin regeneration and neuronal health.
EDUCATION
B.S. Beijing Normal University, 1988
M.S. Beijing Normal University, 1991
Ph.D. University of Hawaii, 1997
Postdoc University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 1997-2000
Instructor, Division of Neuroscience, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School 2000-2005
HONORS & AWARDS
Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M university (2014, 2023)
Eleanor and Miles Shore Scholars in Medicine, Harvard Medical School (2005)
NIH Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) (1999-2000)
Predoctoral Fellowship, American Heart Association (AHA-Hawaii Affiliate) (1995-1997)
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Society for Neuroscience
American Society for Neurochemistry
Neuroimmunology
Glial Biology
Myelin and demyelinating diseases
Aging and age-related dementias
The central focus our research is to understand oligodendrocyte/myelin development and function in the mammalian central nervous system in health and disease. Specifically, we are interested in molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in oligodendrocyte damage as occurring in multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and brain aging. Because in many diseases of the central nervous system, multiple cell types including neurons, glia, and vascular cells are involved via complex interactions, we aim to uncover how microglia and astrocytes orchestrate brain immune reactions and affect the development, differentiation, injury, and regeneration of oligodendrocytes. The lab employs a variety of approaches including primary cell cultures, transgenic and cell type-specific gene knockout mice, animal disease models, and advanced imaging, and molecular and cellular techniques. Ongoing projects include the role of glial sphingolipid ceramide in brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease, the function of late onset AD risk gene BIN1 in oligodendrocytes, and the role of glial extracellular vesicles in glia-glia and glia-neuron communications.
VIBS640/NRSC640: Neurobiology
VIBS617: Cell Signaling
Google scholar profile
NIH My Bibliography profile
Representative Publications:
- Samtani G*, Kim S*, Michaud D, Hillhouse AE, Szule JA, Konganti K, Li J (2023). Brain region dependent molecular signatures and myelin repair following chronic demyelination. Front Cell Neurosci. 17:1169786. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1169786
- Kim S, Lu HC, Steelman AJ, Li J (2022). Myeloid caspase-8 restricts RIPK3-dependent proinflammatory IL-1β production and CD4 T cell activation in autoimmune demyelination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 119(24):e2117636119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2117636119
- Lu HC, Kim S, Steelman AJ, Tracy K, Zhou B, Michaud D, Hillhouse AE, Konganti K, Li J (2020). STAT3 signaling in myeloid cells promotes pathogenic myelin-specific T cell differentiation and autoimmune demyelination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 117(10): 5430-5441. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1913997117
- Kim S, Bielawski J, Yang H, Kong Y, Zhou B, Li J (2018). Functional antagonism of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 prevents cuprizone-induced demyelination. GLIA 66(3): 654-669. doi: 10.1002/glia.23272
- Steelman AJ, Zhou Y, Koito H, Kim S, Payne HR, Lu QR, Li J (2016). Activation of oligodendroglial Stat3 is required for efficient remyelination. Neurobiol Dis. 91: 336-46. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.03.023
- Steelman AJ, Li J (2014). Astrocyte galectin-9 potentiates microglial TNF secretion. J Neuroinflammation 11: 144. doi: 10.1186/s12974-014-0144-0
- Steelman AJ, Smith R 3rd, Welsh CJ, Li J (2013). Galectin-9 protein is up-regulated in astrocytes by tumor necrosis factor and promotes encephalitogenic T-cell apoptosis. J Biol Chem. 288: 23776-87. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M113.451658
- Kim SJ, Li J (2013). Caspase blockade induces RIP3-mediated programmed necrosis in Toll-like receptor-activated microglia. Cell Death Dis. 4: e716. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.238
- Kim S, Steelman AJ, Zhang Y, Kinney HC, Li J (2012). Aberrant upregulation of astroglial ceramide potentiates oligodendrocyte injury. Brain Pathol. 22(1): 41-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2011.00501
- Steelman AJ, Thompson JP, Li J (2012). Demyelination and remyelination in anatomically distinct regions of the corpus callosum following cuprizone intoxication. Neurosci Res. 72(1): 32-42. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2011.10.002
- Li J, Ramenaden ER, Peng J, Koito H, Volpe JJ, Rosenberg PA (2008). Tumor necrosis factor alpha mediates lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial toxicity to developing oligodendrocytes when astrocytes are present. J Neurosci. 28(20): 5321-30. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3995-07.2008
- Li J, Baud O, Vartanian T, Volpe JJ, Rosenberg PA (2005). Peroxynitrite generated by inducible nitric oxide synthase and NADPH oxidase mediates microglial toxicity to oligodendrocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(28): 9936-41. doi:10.1073/pnas.0502552102