School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China

Tel/Fax: 86-531-8838 3782          

Email: caizhangsd@sdu.edu.cn

Present Position:
Professor of Immunopharmacology

Education Background:

2005.12-2007.12: Postdoctor, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University

2001.09-2004.07: Ph D, School of Medicine, Shandong University

1997.09-2000.07: M. Sci., Shandong Medical University

1982.09-1987.07: B. Med., Shandong Medical University

Professional Experience:
2008.03-Present: Professor, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University
2002.12-2008.03: Research fellow, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Acadmy of Medical Sciences
1999.12-2002.12: Associate researcher, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Acadmy of Medical Sciences
1994.12-1999.12: Research assistant, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Acadmy of Medical Sciences
1988.08-1994.12: Research Intern, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Acadmy of Medical Sciences
1987.07-1988.07: Apprentice researcher, Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Acadmy of Medical Sciences

Teaching Courses:
Immunopharmacology, Immunotherapy and gene therapy for major diseases, Immunobiology

Research Interests:

Innate immune recognition and Immunopharmacology

(1) Innate immune recognition and regulation

(2) liver immunology and mechanisms of liver immune tolerance

(3) Intestinal mucosal immunity

Research Grant Support:
Currently Active:

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 91442114; 81472646; 81273220)
The Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (Grant No. 2013CB944901)

Grants Completed:

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90713033)
The Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (Grant No. 2007CB815803)

Patents:
1. The construction of a bifunctional vector containing both immunostimulatory RNA and HBV-silencing shRNA and its application (CN 101979595A)

2. The construction of a bifunctional vector containing both immunostimulatory RNA and pim-3-silencing shRNA and its application in hepatoma (CN 102321652A)

Recent Publications:

1.      Yu X, Lan P, Hou X, Han Q, Lu N, Li T, Jiao C, Zhang J, Zhang C*, Tian Z*. HBV Inhibits LPS-induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and IL-1β Production via Suppressing NF-κB Pathway and ROS Production. J Hepatol. 2016 Dec 24. pii: S0168-8278(16)30751-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.12.018.

2.      Guan Y, Li W, Hou Z, Han Q, Lan P, Zhang J, Tian Z, Zhang C*. HBV suppresses expression of MICA/B on hepatoma cells through up-regulation of transcription factors GATA2 and GATA3 to escape from NK cell surveillance. Oncotarget. 2016; 7(35):56107-56119.

3.      Zhou Z, Yu X, Zhang J, Tian Z*，Zhang C*. TLR7/8 agonists promote NK–DC cross-talk to enhance NK cell anti-tumor effects in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Letters, 2015; 369(2):298-306.

4.      Yang H, Lan P, Hou Z, Guan Y, Zhang J, Xu W, Tian Z, Zhang C*. Histone deacetylase inhibitor SAHA epigenetically regulates miR-17-92 cluster and MCM7 to upregulate MICA expression in hepatoma. British Journal of Cancer, 2015;112(1):112-121.

5.      Sun C, Sun H, Zhang C*, Tian Z*. NK cell receptor imbalance and NK cell dysfunction in HBV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 2015; 12(3):292-302.

6.      Sun C, Sun HY, Xiao WH, Zhang C*, Tian ZG*. Natural killer cell dysfunction in hepatocellular carcinoma and NK cell-based immunotherapy. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2015;36(10):1191-1199. 

7.      Guo Q, Lan P, Yu X, Han Q, Zhang J, Tian Z, Zhang C*. Immunotherapy for hepatoma using a dual-function vector with both immunostimulatory and Pim-3-silencing effects. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 2014; 13(6):1503-1513.

8.      Yang H, Xu W, Li Y, Lan P, Zhang J, Zhang Y*, Zhang C*. Superior activity of a new histone deacetylase inhibitor (ZYJ-34c) in inhibiting growth of human leukemia cells by induction p21WAF1 expression and cell cycle arrest. Anticancer Drugs, 2014; 25(7):767-777.

9.      Lan P, Zhang C*, Han Q, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Therapeutic recovery of HBV-induced hepatocyte-intrinsic immune defect reverses systemic adaptive immune tolerance. Hepatology, 2013;58(1):73-85.

10.  Han Q, Zhang C*, Zhang J, Tian Z*. The role of innate immunity in HBV infection. Semin Immunopathol. 2013;35(1):23-38.

11.  Tian Z, Gershwin ME, Zhang C*. Regulatory NK cells in autoimmune disease. J Autoimmunity, 2012;39(3):206-215.

12.  Li Z, Zhang C*, Zhou Z, Zhang J, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Small Intestinal Intraepithelial Lymphocytes Expressing CD8 and T Cell Receptor γδ Are Involved in Bacterial Clearance during Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Infection. Infection & Immunity, 2012;80(2):565-574.

13.  Zhou Z, Zhang C*，Zhang J, Tian Z*. Macrophages help NK cells to attack tumor cells by stimulatory NKG2D ligand but protect themselves from NK killing by  inhibitory ligand Qa-1. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7(5):e36928.

14.  Guo Q, Zhang C*. Critical role of Toll-like receptor signaling in NK cell activation. Chinese Sci Bulletin, 2012;57(24):3192-3202.

15.  Han Q, Zhang C*, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Reverse of HBV-induced immune tolerance by an immunostimulatory 3p-HBx-siRNA in a retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) -dependent manner. Hepatology, 2011;54(4):1179-1189.

16.  Zhou Z, Zhang C*, Xia C, Chen W, Zhu H, Shang P, Ma F, Wang PG, Zhang J, Xu W, Tian Z*. Enhanced anti-tumor effects by chemical modified iGb3 analogues. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 2011;10(8):1375-1384.

17.  Han Q, Zhang C*, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Involvement of Activation of PKR in HBx-siRNA-Mediated Innate Immune Effects on HBV Inhibition. PLoS ONE, 2011;6(12):e27931.

18.  Ma F, Zhang J, Zhang J, Zhang C*. The TLR-7 agonists, Imiquimod and Gardiquimod, improve DC-based immunotherapy for melanoma in mice. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 2010; 7(5):381-388.

19.  Zhang C, Wang Y, Zhou Z, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Sodium butyrate upregulates expression of NKG2D ligand MICA/B in HeLa and HepG2 cell lines and increases their susceptibility to NK lysis. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy, 2009, 2009;58(8):1275-1285.

20.  Zhang C, Niu J, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhou Z, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Opposing Effect of IFNa and IFNg on Expression of MHC class I chain-related A in Tumors. Cancer Science, 2008;99(6):1279-1286.

21.  Zhang C, Zhang J, Niu J, Zhou Z, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Interleukin-12 Improves Cytotoxicity of Natural Killer Cells via Upregulated Expression of NKG2D. Human Immunology, 2008;69(8):490-500.

22.  Zhang C, Zhang J, Niu J, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Interleukin-15 improves cytotoxicity of natural killer cells via up-regulating NKG2D and cytotoxic effector molecule expression as well as STAT1 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Cytokine, 2008;42(1):128-136.

23.  Shang P, Zhang C*, Xia C, Chen W, Han Q, Wang PG, Zhang J, Tian Z*. Chemical Modification of iGb3 Increases IFN-γ Production by Hepatic NKT Cells. International Immunopharmacology, 2008;8(5):645-653.

24.  Zhang C, Zhang J, Tian Z*. The regulatory effect of natural killer cells: do “NK-reg cells” exist? Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 2006;3(4):241-254.

25.  Zhang C, Zhang J, Sun R, Feng J, Wei H, Tian Z*. Opposing effect of IFNg and IFNa on expression of NKG2 receptor family: negative regulation of IFNg on NK cells. International Immunopharmacology, 2005;5(6):1057-1067.

26.  Zhang C, Zhang J, Wei H, Tian Z*. Imbalance of activating and inhibitory killer cell receptors of the NKG2 family: why tumors escape from innate immunity? International Immunopharmacology, 2005;5(7-8):1099-1111.

27.  Dong Z, Zhang C, Wei H, Sun R, Tian Z*. Impaired NK cell cytotoxicity by high level of interferon gamma in concanavalin A-induced hepatitis. Can J Physiol Pharmacol, 2005,83(11): 1045-1053.  co-first author

Book chapters

1.      Tian Z, Zhang C. NK cell receptors. In: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE SCIENCES. John  Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester (2007; 2015)

2.      Tian Z, Zhang C. The regulatory natural killer cells. Natural Killer Cells: At the Forefront of Modern Immunology. SPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN, 2010, 369-389.

3.      Zhou Z, Zhang C, Zhang J, Tian Z. Transcriptional regulation and epigenetic control of expression of natural killer cell receptors and their ligands. Advances in Cancer Therapy (Gali-Muhtasib Ed), InTech Press, Croatia , 2011 Oct; 427-444.

4.      Tian Z, Zhang C, Lian Z. The Liver and Immune Tolerance. Liver Immunology --Principles and Practice. Gershwin, M. Eric, Vierling, John M., Manns, Michael P. (Eds.) Second Edition 2014