Dept. of Pathology Faculty, Wei-Qun Ding, PhD

Wei-Qun Ding, PhD

Biomedical Research Center
975 NE 10th St
Room 409
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

PHONE: (405) 271-3828

E-MAIL: Wei-Qun Ding

TITLES

Assistant Professor of Experimental Pathology
Research/Molecular Oncology

EDUCATION

Shanghai Medical University
People’s Republic of China
BS (1989)

Lund University
Department of Medical Neurochemistry
Lund, Sweden
PhD (1998)

Center for Basic Research in Digestive Diseases
Mayo Clinic and Foundation
Postdoctoral research fellow (2002)

Research Interests/Sub-Specialty

The primary interest of my laboratory is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the actions of anti-cancer agents and to develop novel strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. In particular, we are interested in the actions of two types of anti-cancer agents: the metal binding compounds and n-3 polyunsatuated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA).

There are currently three lines of investigation in the laboratory:

Project 1: The role of anti-oxidant enzymes in n-3 PUFA-induced cytotoxicity. n-3 PUFA is known to have anti-cancer activity, primarily through initiating lipid peroxidation in tumor cells. There is a well-evolved anti-oxidant enzyme system in mammalian cells and its role in n-3 PUFA-induced cytotoxicity has not been well addressed. Based on our previous studies (Mol Cancer Ther, 2004; 3:1109-17), we hypothesize that the level and activity of the anti-oxidant enzymes determine the sensitivity of tumor cells to n-3 PUFA’s toxicity. Modern cellular and molecular biological techniques are applied to pursue this research.
Project 2: Mechanisms of clioquinol’s anti-cancer activity. We have recently reported that a metal binding compound, clioquinol, acts as metal ionophore and induces apoptosis of tumor cells (Cancer Res, 2005; 65:3389-95). We have also found that the NF-κB signaling, which is a vital signaling pathway in promoting cancer cell survival, is targeted by clioquinol. The ongoing experiment is aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms by which clioquinol down-regulates NF-κB activity.
Project 3: Clioquinol and docosahexaenoic acid act synergistically to kill tumor cells. A synergistic anti-cancer action of clioquinol and docosahexaenoic acid has been described in our recent studies (Mol Cancer Ther, 2006; 5:1864-72). Both compounds are well-known to be tolerated in humans, thus providing the basis for further development of a novel drug combination for cancer therapy. We are actively working on understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the anti-cancer effects of these two compounds are synergistically enhanced. We are also working on the development of animal models to test the synergistic anti-cancer effects of clioquinol and DHA in vivo.

PUBLICATIONS
Click link for abstract

Ding WQ, Kuntz S, Bohmig M, Wiedenmann B, Miller LJ. Dominant negative action of an abnormal secretin receptor arising from mRNA missplicing in a gastrinoma. Gastroenterology. 2002 Feb;122(2):500-11.
Ding WQ, Kuntz S and Miller LJ. A misspliced form of the CCK-B receptor in pancreatic carcinoma: role of reduced cellular U2AF35 and a sub-optimal 3' splicing site leading to retention of the fourth intron. Cancer Research, 2002, 62(3):947-52.
Ding WQ, Cheng ZJ, McElhiney J, Kuntz SM and Miller LJ. Silencing of secretin receptor function by dimerization with a misspiced variant secretin receptor in ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Cancer Research, 2002, 62(8):5223-5229.
Ding WQ, Vaught JL, Yamauchi H, and Lind SE. Differential sensitivity of cancer cells to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-induced cytotoxicity: the potential importance of down-regulation of SOD1 expression. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2004, 3(9):1109-17.
Ding WQ, Liu B, Vaught JL, Yamauchi H, and Lind SE. Anti-cancer activity of the antibiotic clioquinol. Cancer Research.2005, 65(8):3389-95.
Huang X, Ding WQ, Vaught JL, Wolf RF, Morrissey JH, Harrison RG, and Lind SE. A soluble tissue factor-annexin V chimeric protein has both procoagulant and anticoagulant properties. Blood. 2006 Feb 1; 107(3):980-6.
Ding WQ, Liu B, Vaught JL, Palmiter RD, and Lind SE. Clioquinol and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) act synergistically to kill tumor cells. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2006 Jul , 5 (7):1864-72.
Ding WQ and Lind SE. Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase plays a role in protecting cancer cells from docosahexaenoic acid–induced cytotoxicity. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007 Apr; 6 (4):1467-1474.

Press Coverage

Aspinwall C, “Scientists explore link between DHA, cancer,” Tulsa World, Sunday, June 24, 2007, page D-4.