Yafei HUANG

Personal Information

Title: Associate Professor

Department: Department of Pathogen Biology

Email: huangy2018@hust.edu.cn

Clinical Focus:

Research Focus/Interests: 1. the influence of innate immunity on adaptive immune response 2. the role of innate immune components in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, transplantation, hypersensitivity and immuno-oncology.

Biography

1996-1998	Resident Doctor, Wuhan Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Control
2001-2005	Lecturer, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, HUST 
2007-2009	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Immunology, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO USA
2009-2015	Research Associate, Department of Immunology, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO USA
2015-2018	Chief Technical Officer, Hubei Shengmingyuan Stem Cell CO, Ltd. 
                       Professorate Senior Engineer, Deputy Director, Hubei Stem Cell Engineering & Technology Research Center
2018-present  Associate Professor, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, HUST

Being trained as a medical doctor as well as an immunologist, I have a broad interest in basic immunological research that have a clinical relevance, with an emphasis on the influence of innate immunity on adaptive immune response, and the role of innate immune components in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, transplantation, hypersensitivity and immuno-oncology. 

I started my immune adventure by investigating the role of mannose-binding lectin (MBL), a molecule of innate immunity, in the pathogenesis of SLE. This study led to the finding that MBL promotor LX haplotype is a strong susceptibility factor and B allele a minor risk factor for SLE in Chinese population. Later, I focused on another component of innate immunity, HMGB1. Using a mouse model of cardiac allo-transplantation, I established HMGB1 as an innate immune-mediator implicated in acute allograft rejection.

In the past decade, I took the challenge to interrogate the role of γδ T cell, a cell type considered as a member of the innate immune system, in antibody production, B cell regulation and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In brief, the Vγ-defined γδ T cell subsets have distinct and even opposing biologic function. Vγ1 cells are able to promote the production of natural antibodies and antigen-induced antibodies, whereas Vγ4 cells are suppressor in these circumstances. The balance of γδ T cell subsets are implicated in regulating the development/homeostasis of B cells as well, in mice lack of Vγ4 and Vγ6 subsets of γδ T cells, B cells are developmentally disordered and biased toward differentiating into autoantibody-producing cells, which resembles the findings in human autoimmune diseases. This finding suggests that γδ T cells could participate in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases by regulating the development of other immune cells. My lab is currently working closely with B cell specialists to unravel the mechanisms by which γδ T cells regulate B cell development and/or homeostasis. 

Human γδ T cells have the capacity to directly kill malignant cells or stressed cells, and to present antigen to αβ T cells, therefore are an ideal candidate for cancer immunotherapy. My recent research interest is to unravel the role of γδ T cells/subsets in tumor microenvironment, and to utilize this cell for cancer immunotherapy through adoptive cell transfer in combination with neoantigens discovered by NGS and bioinformatics method.

Education

1991-1996	B.A.in Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Wuhan University 
1998-2001	M.S. in Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST)
Advisor:  Prof. Xiongwen Wu 
2003-2006	Ph.D. in Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Advisor: Prof. Feili Gong

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

Member, American Association for Immunology (2007-2015)
Member, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2011-present)
Vice Chairman of the Academic Committee, Hubei Association of Medicine and Bio-Immunology (2016-present)		
Member of the Standing Committee, Asia-Pacific Association of Medicine and Bio-Immunology (2017-present)
Reviewer for Acta Academiae Medicinae MilitarisTertiae (2010-present)
Reviewer for International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology (2011-present)
Reviewer for Scandinavian Journal of Immunology (2011-present)
Reviewer for Frontiers in Immunology (2020-present)
Reviewer for Frontiers in Medicine (2020-present)
Reviewer for Frontiers in Oncology (2020-present)
Reviewer for Journal of Medical Virology (2020-present)

Publications

Papers published in peer-reviewed journals:
1.	Jiang H*, Li Z*#, Yu L, Zhang Y, Zhou L, Wu J, Yuan J, Han M, Xu T, He J, Wang S, Yu C, Pan S, Wu M, Liu H, Zeng H, Song Z, Wang Q, Qu S, Zhang J, Huang Y#, Han J#. Immune Phenotyping of Patients With Acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome Before and After Glucocorticoids Therapy. Front Immunol. 2021 Apr 28;12:659150. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.659150. eCollection 2021.
2.	Zha Y, Chen G, Gong X, Wu YY, Lin XG, Wu JL, Huang YF, Li YQ, Zhang Y, Deng DR, Chen SH, Qiao FY, Feng L, Zeng WJ, Li KZ, Liu HY. Coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnant and non-pregnant women: a retrospective study. Chin Med J (Engl). 2021 Feb 25;134(10):1218-1220. doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001396.
3.	Yang G, Tan Z, Zhou L, Yang M, Peng L, Liu J, Cai J, Yang R, Han J, Huang Y#, He S#.  Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers and ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) Inhibitors on Virus Infection, Inflammatory Status, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and Hypertension: A Single-Center Retrospective Study. Hypertension. 2020 Jul;76(1):51-58.
4.	Liu B, Han J, Cheng X, Yu L, Zhang L, Wang W, Ni L, Wei C, Huang Y#, Cheng Z#. Reduced numbers of T cells and B cells correlates with persistent SARS-CoV-2 presence in non-severe COVID-19 patients. Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 19;10(1):17718. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-73955-8.
5.	Qiu L, Jiao R, Zhang A, Chen X, Ning Q, Fang F, Zeng F, Tian N, Zhang Y, Huang Y, Sun Z, Dhuromsingh M, Li H, Li Y, Xu R, Chen Y, Luo X. A Case of Critically Ill Infant of Coronavirus Disease 2019 With Persistent Reduction of T Lymphocytes. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2020 Jul;39(7):e87-e90. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002720.
6.	Wu M, Gao L, He M, Liu H, Jiang H, Shi K, Shang R, Liu B, Gao S, Chen H, Gong F, Gelfand EW, Huang Y, Han J. Plasmacytoid dendritic cell deficiency in neonates enhances allergic airway inflammation via reduced production of IFN-α. Cell Mol Immunol. 2020 May;17(5):519-532. doi: 10.1038/s41423-019-0333-y. Epub 2019 Dec 18.
7.	Phalke SP, Huang Y, Rubtsova K, Getahun A, Sun D, Reinhardt RL, O'Brien RL, Born WK. γδ T cells shape memory-phenotype αβ T cell populations in non-immunized mice. PLoS One. 2019 Jun 25;14(6):e0218827. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218827. eCollection 2019.
8.	Born WK, Huang Y, Reinhardt RL, Huang H, Sun D, O'Brien RL. γδ T Cells and B Cells. Adv Immunol. 2017;134:1-45. doi: 10.1016/bs.ai.2017.01.002. Epub 2017 Feb 14.
9.	Born WK, Huang Y, Zeng W, Torres RM, O'Brien RL. A Special Connection between γδ T Cells and Natural Antibodies? Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2016 Dec;64(6):455-462. doi: 10.1007/s00005-016-0403-0. Epub 2016
10.	Huang Y, Heiser RA, Detanico T, Getahun A, Kirchenbaum A, Casper TL, Carding SR, Ikuta K, Huang H, Cambier JC, Wysocki LJ, O'Brien RL, Born WK. γδ T Cells Shape Pre-Immune Peripheral B Cell Populations. J Immunol. 2016, 196: 217-231 
11.	Huang Y, Yang Z, Huang C, O'Brien RL, Born WK. γδ T Cell–Dependent Regulatory T Cells Prevent the Development of Autoimmune Keratitis. J Immunol. 2015,195: 5572-5581
12.	Huang Y, Heiser RA, Detanico T, Getahun A, Kirchenbaum A, Casper TL, Aydintug MK, Carding SR, Ikuta K, Huang H, Cambier JC, Wysocki LJ, O'Brien RL, Born WK. γδ T Cells Affect IL-4 Production and B cell Tolerance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 2015, 112(1):E39-48
13.	Huang Y, Aydintug MK, Huang H, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Antigen-specific regulation of IgE antibodies by non-antigen-specific γδ T cells. J Immunol. 2013, 190(3):913-21. 
14.	Roark CL, Huang Y, Jin N, Aydintug MK, Casper T, Sun D, Born WK, O'Brien RL. A canonical Vγ4Vδ4+γδ T cell population with distinct stimulation requirements which promotes the Th17 response. Immunol Res. 2013, 55(1-3):217-230.
15.	O'Brien RL, Chain JL, Aydintug MK, Bohrer-Kunter D, Huang Y, Hardy IR, Cambier JC, Lahmers K, Nuhsbaum T, Davidson R, Sun D, Born WK. αβ TCR⁺ T cells, but not B cells, promote autoimmune keratitis in B10 mice lacking γδ T cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012, 53(1):301-8.
16.	O’Brien RL, Jin N, Huang Y, Aydintug MK, Roark CL, and Born, WK. Characteristics of IL-17-producing γδ T cells. Immunity. 2010, 32(1):1. Letter to the Editor. 
17.	Huang Y, Jin N, Roark CL, Aydintug MK, Wands JM, Huang H, O'Brien RL, Born WK. The Influence of IgE-Enhancing and IgE-Suppressive Gammadelta T-cells Changes with Exposure to Inhaled Ovalbumin. J Immunol. 2009, 183:849-855.
18.	Jin N, Roark CL, Miyahara N, Taube C, Aydintug MK, Wands JM, Huang Y, Hahn YS, Gelfand EW, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Allergic Airway Hyperresponsiveness-Enhancing Gammadelta T-cells Develop in Normal Untreated Mice and Fail to Produce IL-4/13,  Unlike Th2 and NKT Cells. J Immunol. 2009, 182(4):2002-10.
19.	Cheng L, Cui Y, Shao H, Han G, Zhu L, Huang Y, O'Brien RL, Born WK, Kaplan HJ, Sun D. Mouse Gammadelta T-cells are Capable of Expressing MHC Class II Molecules,and of Functioning as Antigen-Presenting Cells. J Neuroimmunol. 2008, 203(1):3-11. 
20.	Han J, Zhong J, Wei W, Wang Y, Huang Y, Yang P, Purohit S, Dong Z, Wang MH, She JX, Gong F, Stern DM, Wang CY. Extracellular High-Mobility Group Box 1 acts as an Innate Immune Mediator to Enhance Autoimmune Progression and Diabetes Onset in NOD Mice. Diabetes. 2008, 57(8):2118-27.
21.	Huang Y, Yin H, Han J, Huang B, Xu J, Zheng F, Tan Z, Fang M, Rui L, Chen D, Wang S, Zheng X, Wang CY, Gong F. Extracellular hmgb1 Functions as an Innate Immune-Mediator Implicated in Murine Cardiac Allograft Acute Rejection. Am J Transplant. 2007, 7(4):799-808. 
22.	Huang BJ, Yin H, Huang YF, Xu JF, Xiong P, Feng W, Zheng F, Xu Y, Fang M, Gong FL. Gene Therapy Using Adenoviral Vector Encoding 4-1BBIg Gene Significantly Prolonged Murine Cardiac Allograft Survival. Transpl Immunol. 2006, 16(2):88-94. 
23.	Yin H, Huang BJ, Yang H, Huang YF, Xiong P, Zheng F, Chen XP, Chen YF, Gong FL. Pretreatment With Soluble ST2 Reduces Warm Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006, 29;351(4):940-6. 
24.	Zhang Z, Jia L, Hou L, Xiong P, Wu X, Wang X, Huang Y, Ke H, Chang C, Cui S, Gong F. Analysis of TAP1 and TAP2 Polymorphism of Mother-Infant in Chinese Patients with Pre-Eclampsia. Cell Mol Immunol. 2005, 2(2):141-4.	
25.	Liu JW, Yi JL, Huang YF. The changes and significance of 4-1BB(CD137) ligand in hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Journal of Clinical Surgery. 2005,13(4):228-230 (in Chinese).
26.	Gu X, Guo XM, Wang W, Huang YF, Wu XW. The study on the relationship between genotype polymorphism of mannose-binding lection and susceptibility to coronary artery disease in the subjects of Han nationality of Hubei province. Journal of Clinical Cardiology. 2005, 21(7):423-425 (in Chinese)
27.	Yang JN, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. In vitro refolding and functional study of soluble HLA-G1-peptide complex. Chinese Journal Of Cellular And Molecular Immunology. 2005,21(3):265-268 (in Chinese)
28.	Yang JN, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Lu SJ, Yin SH, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. Expression and its purification of a heavy chain molecule of soluble HLA-G in E.coli. Chinese Journal of Immunology. 2005,21(4):287-290 (in Chinese)
29.	Yang HJ, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. Effects of human leukocyte antigen-G1 on the Th1/Th2 type cytokines production of allogeneic PBMC. Immunological Journal. 2005,21(4):300-302 (in Chinese)
30.	Gao SH, Li P, Huang YF, Han JY , Pan TC. Improved technique of cervical heterotopic heart transplantation in mice. China Journal of Modern Medicine. 2004,14(6):9-11 (in Chinese)
31.	Weng XF, Chen H, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. In vitro refolding and biotinylation of soluble HLA-A2-peptide complex. Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology. 2004,20(3):265-268 (in Chinese)
32.	Chen H, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Weng XF, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL, Preparation of the Soluble HLA-A*0201-Antigenic Peptide Complex. Current Immunology. 2004,24(3):232-234 (in Chinese) 
33.	Chen H, Weng XF, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. Cloning and expression of human β2m gene. Journal of Huazhong University Of Science And Technology (Health Sciences). 2004,33(1):1-4 (in Chinese) 
34.	Fang CY, Wu XW, Liang ZH, Cheng H, Han JY, Huang YF, Gong FL. Immune tolerance inducing effects of soluble human leucocyte antigen G1 on natural killer cells and T cells. National Medical Journal of China. 2003,83(7):584-587(in Chinese) 
35.	Huang YF, Wang W, Han JY, Wu XW, Zhang ST, Liu CJ, Hu QG, Xiong P, Hamvas RM, Wood N, Gong FL, Bittles AH. Increased Frequency of the Mannose-Binding Lectin LX Haplotype in Chinese Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients. Eur J Immunogenet. 2003, 30:121-124.
36.	Han JY, Huang YF, Wu XW, Gong FL. Cloning of HLA-G1 cDNA from the first trimester placental tissue. Acta Universitatis Medicinae Tongji. 2001; 30(3):190-192 (in Chinese) 
37.	Han JY, Huang YF, Wu XW, Gong FL. Expression of HLA-G1 antigen on K562 cell inhibits cytotoxicity mediated by NK from PMBC. Immunological Journal. 2001,17(4)257-260 (in Chinese) 

Book Chapters and Reviews:
1.	Zeng W, O’Brien RL, Born WK, and Huang Y*. “Chapter 12: Characterization of Mouse γδ T Cell Subsets in the Setting of Type-2 Immunity” in Type 2 Immunity. Methods in Molecular Biology: Methods and Protocols . Springer: New York. 2018.
2.	Born WK, Huang Y, Reinhardt RL, Huang H, Sun D, O'Brien RL. γδ T cells and B cells. Adv Immunol. 2017, 134:1-45.
3.	Born WK, Huang Y, Zeng W, O'Brien RL. A Special Connection Between γδ T cells and Natural Antibodies?  Arch Immunol Ther Exp. 2016: 1-8.
4.	Huang Y*, Yang Z, McGowan J, Huang H, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Regulation of IgE responses by γδ T cells. Current Allergy & Asthma Reports. 2015, 15(4):549.
5.	Born WK, Zhang L, Nakayama M, Jin N, Chain JL, Huang Y, Aydintug MK, O'Brien RL. Peptide Antigens for γδ T-cells. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2011, 68(14):2335-43.
6.	O’Brien RL, Simonian PL, Huang Y, Roark RL, Jin N, Aydintug MK, Chain JL, Fontenot AP, and Born WK. “Chapter 28: IL-17-producingT cells in Autoimmune disease” in TH17 Cells in Health and Disease. Springer: New York. 2011. 513-24
7.	Born W, Huang Y, Jin N, Huang, H, and O’Brien RL.  Balanced Approach of Gammadelta T-cells to Type 2 Immunity. Immunology and Cell Biology. 2010, 88(3):269-74.
8.	Huang Y. “Chapter 3: Complement System”. Medical Immunology 2nd edition. Science Press. 2004 (in chinese).
9.	Huang Y. “Chapter 17: Hypersensitivity”. Medical Immunology 2nd edition. Science Press. 2004 (in Chinese.)

Scientific Abstracts:
1.	Huang Y, Heiser RA, Detanico T, Getahun A, Kirchenbaum A, Casper TL, Carding SR, Ikuta K, Huang H, Cambier JC, Wysocki LJ, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Regulation of B cell development: here come the γδ T cells! The 14th Colorado Conference of Immunology, 2014.
2.	Huang Y, Aydintug MK, Huang H, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Antigen specific regulation of IgE antibodies by γδ T cells. the 5th International γδ-T cell Conference, 2012.
3.	Huang Y, Jin N, Roark CL, Aydintug MK, Wands JM, Huang H, O'Brien RL, Born WK. Interaction With Myd88-dependent CD8-CD11c+ Cells Mediates Rapid Induction Of Antigen specific IgE-suppressive γδ T cells. Annual Meeting of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2012.

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Yafei HUANG

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