Fen Wang

Biography

Fen Wang earned his B.S. degree in microbiology and M.S. degree in cell biology at Xiamen University in Fujian, China.  He received a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry in 1994 in a joint program between Clarkson University, Postdam, New York, and the W. Alton Jones Cell Science Center, Lake Placid, New York. He was a postdoctoral fellow (1994 to 1996) and Assistant Research Scientist from 1997-1999 in the Center for Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas. He was promoted to Tenured Associate Professor in 2006.

Research

The laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular basis of cell signaling, and how aberrant cell signaling leads to birth defects and causes cancers. Using in vitro cell culture systems and in vivo mouse models, we study how the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activates its receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase, and how the activated FGFR transmits the signals to downstream targets and regulates proliferation, differentiation, homeostasis, and function of the cells, as well as in organogenesis and development, including prostate and cardiovascular system development. The laboratory also employs molecular biology, cell biology, and mouse genetic technologies to study how aberrant FGF signals promote tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. In addition, how environmental factors contribute to tumorigenesis and congenital birth defects by modulating FGF signal intensity and specificity is also under the scope of our research interests.

Five Most Significant Publications prior to 2007 

Wang, F., K. McKeehan, C. Yu, M. Kan and W.L. McKeehan  (2002)  Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 Phosphotyrosine 766: Molecular target for prevention of progression of prostate tumors to malignancy. Cancer Res.  62: 1898-1903.

Jin, C., K. McKeehan, and F. Wang (2003) Transgenic mouse with high Cre recombinase activity in all prostate lobes, seminal vesicle, and ductus deferens. The Prostate 57:160-164.

Jin, C., K. McKeehan, W. Guo, S. Jauma, M. l. Ittmann, B. Foster, N. Greenberg, W. L. McKeehan, and F. Wang (2003) Cooperation between ectopic FGFR1 and depression of FGFR2 signaling in induction of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in mouse prostate. Cancer Res. 63: 8784-8790.

Zhang, Y., Y. Lin, Courtney Bowles, and F. Wang (2004). Direct cell cycle regulation by the FGFR kinase through phosphorylation-dependent release of Cks1 from FRS2. J. Biol. Chem. 279:  55348-55354.

Lin, Y., G. Liu, and F. Wang (2006) Generation of an Fgf9 Conditional Null Allele. Genesis 44: 150-154.

Publications 2007

Lin Y, G. Liu, Y. Zhang, Y-P. Hu, K. Yu, C. Lin, K. McKeehan, J. W. Xuan, D. Ornitz, M. M. Shen, N. Greenberg, W. L. McKeehan, and F. Wang. (2007). Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 tyrosine kinase is required for prostatic morphogenesis and acquisition of strict androgen dependency for adult tissue homeostasis. Development 134: 723-734. (Feature of the Issue).

Zhang, Y., K. McKeehan, Y. Lin, J. Zhang, and F. Wang (2007). FGFR1 tyrosine phosphorylation regulates binding of FRS2alpha but not FRS2beta to the receptor.  Mol. Endo. 22:167-175. 

Lin, Y., J. Zhang, Y. Zhang, and F. Wang (2007) Generation of an Frs2a Conditional Null Allele. Genesis. 45: 455-459.

Huang, X., C. Yang, C. Jin, F. Wang, W.L. McKeehan (2007) FGFR4 prevents hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance but underlies high-fat diet induced fatty liver. Diabetes.  56: 2501-2510 [Epub ahead of print 2007, Jul 30]

Acevedo, V. D., R. D. Gangula, R. Li, Y. Zhang, F. Wang, G.E. Ayala, L.E. Peterson, M. Ittmann, and D.M. Spencer (2007):  Inducible FGFR-1 Activation Leads to Irreversible Prostate Adenocarcinoma and an Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition.  Cancer Cell, 12: 559-71. 

Publications 2008

Zhang, Y., J. Zhang, Y. Lin, Y. Lan, C. Lin, J.W. Xuan, M.M. Shen, W.L. McKeehan, N.M. Greenberg, and F. Wang (2008).  Epithelial resident Fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2a-mediated signals in the prostate development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis. Development 135: 775-784 [Epub 2008 Jan 9].

Zhang, Y., K. McKeehan, Y. Lin, J. Zhang, and F. Wang (2008) FGFR1 tyrosine phosphorylation regulates binding of FRS2alpha but not FRS2beta to the receptor.  Mol. Endo. 22:167-175 [Epub 2007 Sep 27].

Lan, Y., Y. Zhang, C. Lin, M. Ittmann, and F. Wang (2008) Aberrant expression of Cks1 and Cks2 contributes to prostate tumorigenesis by promoting proliferation and inhibiting cell death, respectively.  International J. of Cancer 123: 543-551.

Sutherland, B.W., S.E. Knoblaugh, P.J. Kaplan-Lefko, F. Wang, M. Holzenberger, and N.M. Greenberg (2008) Conditional deletion of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in prostate epithelium. Cancer Res. 68:3495-3504.

Zhang J, Lin Y, Zhang Y, Lan Y, Lin C, Moon AM, Schwartz RJ, Martin JF, Wang F.  Frs2{alpha}-deficiency in cardiac progenitors disrupts a subset of FGF signals required for outflow tract morphogenesis.  Development. 135:3611-3622 [EPub 2008 Oct 2].

Lin, Y., Y-S L. Cheng, C. Qin, C. Lin, R. D’Souza, and F. Wang, (2008) FGFR2 in the dental epithelium is essential for development and maintenance of the maxillary cervical loop, a stem cell niche in mouse incisors.  Dev. Dyn 238:324-330. 

Publications 2009

Huang, X.,  C. Yang, C. Jin, Y. Luo, F. Wang and W.L. McKeehan (2009) Resident hepatocyte fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 limits hepatocarcinogenesis. Mol. Carcinog.  48: 553-562 [Epub 2008 Nov. 13] 

Lin, Y., Y-S L. Cheng, C. Qin, C. Lin, R. D'Souza, and F. Wang, (2009) FGFR2 in the dental epithelium is essential for development and maintenance of the maxillary cervical loop, a stem cell niche in mouse incisors.  Dev. Dyn.  238:324-330.

Lin, Y., Chen, L., Lin, C., Luo, Y., Tsai, R.YL., and Wang, F. (2009) Neuron-derived FGF9 is essential for scaffold formation of Bergmann radial fibers and migration of granule neurons in the cerebellum. Dev Biol. 329:44-54 [EPub 2009 Feb 20].

Luo, Y., Yang, C., Jin, C., Wang, F. and McKeehan, W.L. (2009) Novel phosphotyrosine targets of FGFR2IIIb signaling. Cellular Signalling 21: 1379-1378 [Epub 2009 May 4].

Xuan, J. W., M. Bygrave , F. Valiyeva, M. Moussa, J. I. Izawa, G. Bauman, A. Klibanov, F. Wang,  N. M. Greenberg, A. Fenster (2009) Molecular targeted enhanced ultrasound imaging of Flk1 reveals diagnosis and prognosis potential in genetically engineered mouse prostate cancer model.   Molecular Imaging  (in press).

McKeehan, W.L., F. Wang and Y. Luo (2009)  The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling complex.  Handbook of Cell Signaling 2nd Edition, Vol. I, Chap. 38 (R. Bradshaw and E. Dennis, eds.), Elsevier/MacMillan Press (in press).

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