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Faculty Detail    
Name WEI WANG
 
Campus Address MCLM 827H
Phone  (205) 934-3653
E-mail  weiwang@uab.edu
Other websites
     


Biographical Sketch 
Dr. Wei Wang, Assistant Professor, received his Ph.D. in Physiology from Juntendo University in 1996. After his postdoctoral training at Georgetown Medical Center, he served as a faculty member in the Department of Physiology at Juntendo University. He joined the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in 2006 and CDIB in 2012.

Society Memberships
Organization Name Position Held Org Link
Biophysical Society     



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) channel gating and regulation.
Description
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is a chloride channel that controls salt and water transport across epithelia. Mutations of CFTR cause CF, an inherited disease among the Caucasian population. Dysfunction of CFTR channel in CF disrupts transport of fluid and electrolytes in epithelia and subsequently affects lung and digestive system. Dr. Wang’s research is focused on (i) the better understanding structure-function relationship of CFTR (ii) how disease-associated mutations cause channel dysfunction in order to develop therapeutic strategies against CF related diseases. Current research projects include (i) The mechanism of domain regulated CFTR channel gating, (ii) Mechanism of compounds induced channel activation and restoration of disease-associated mutant CFTR, (iii) Modulation of CFTR by oxidant stress.

Selected Publications 
Publication PUBMEDID
Wang W, Fu L, Liu Z, Wen H, Rab A, Hong JS, Kirk KL, Rowe SM.G551D mutation impairs PKA-dependent activation of CFTR channel that can be restored by novel GOF mutations. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
. 2020 Nov 1;319(5):L770-L785 
32877225 
Kathryn E Oliver 1, Robert Rauscher 2, Marjolein Mijnders 3, Wei Wang 4, Matthew J Wolpert 4, Jessica Maya 4, Carleen M Sabusap 4, Robert A Kesterson 5, Kevin L Kirk 4, Andras Rab 1, Ineke Braakman 3, Jeong S Hong 1, John L Hartman 4th 4 5, Zoya Ignatova 2, Eric J Sorscher. Slowing ribosome velocity restores folding and function of mutant CFTR. J Clin Invest
. 2019 Dec 2;129(12):5236-5253 
31657788 
Doiron JE, Le CA, Ody BK, Brace JB, Post SJ, Thacker NL, Hill HM, Breton GW, Mulder MJ, Chang S, Bridges TM, Tang L, Wang W, Rowe SM, Aller SG, Turlington M. Evaluation of 1,2,3-Triazoles as Amide Bioisosteres In Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Modulators VX-770 and VX-809. Chemistry. 2019 Jan 16  30650214  
Sabusap CM, Wang W, McNicholas CM, Chung WJ, Fu L, Wen H, Mazur M, Kirk KL, Collawn JF, Hong JS, Sorscher EJ.Analysis of cystic fibrosis-associated P67L CFTR illustrates barriers to personalized therapeutics for orphan diseases.JCI Insight. 2016 Sep 8;1(14).   27660821  
Raju SV, Lin VY, Liu L, McNicholas CM, Karki S, Sloane PA, Tang L, Jackson PL, Wang W, Wilson L, Macon KJ, Mazur M, Kappes J, DeLucas LJ, Barnes S, Kirk K, Tearney GT, Rowe SM. The CFTR Potentiator Ivacaftor Augments Mucociliary Clearance Abrogating CFTR Inhibition by Cigarette Smoke Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016 Sep 1.  PMID: 27585394  
Wang W, Hong JS, Rab A, Sorscher EJ, Kirk KL. Robust Stimulation of W1282X-CFTR Channel Activity by a Combination of Allosteric Modulators. PLoS One. 2016 Mar 23;11(3)  PMID: 27007499  
Ehrhardt A, Chung WJ2, Pyle LC, Wang W, Nowotarski K, Mulvihill CM, Ramjeesingh M, Hong J, Velu SE, Lewis HA, Atwell S, Aller S, Bear CE, Lukacs GL, Kirk KL, Sorscher EJ. Channel Gating Regulation by the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) First Cytosolic Loop. J Biol Chem. 2016 Jan 22;291(4):1854-65.  PMID: 26627831  
Wang W, Roessler BC, Kirk KL. An electrostatic interaction at the tetrahelix bundle promotes phosphorylation-dependent cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel opening.J Biol Chem. 2014 Oct 31;289(44):30364-78.  PMID: 25190805  
Okeyo G, Wang W, Wei S, Kirk KL.Converting nonhydrolyzable nucleotides to strong cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) agonists by gain of function (GOF) mutations.J Biol Chem. 2013 Jun 14;288(24):17122-33.   23620589 
Wang W, Okeyo GO, Tao B, Hong JS, Kirk KL. Thermally unstable gating of the most common cystic fibrosis mutant channel (ΔF508): "rescue" by suppressor mutations in nucleotide binding domain 1 and by constitutive mutations in the cytosolic loops. J Biol Chem. 286(49):41937-48,2011.   21965669 
Kirk K, Wang W. A unified view of CFTR gating: combining the allosterism of a ligand-gated channel with the enzymatic activity of an ABC transporter. J Biol Chem. 2011 Feb 4  21296873 
Thibodeau PH, Richardson JM, Wang W, Millen L, Watson J, Mendoza JL, Du K, Fischman S, Senderowitz H, Lukacs GL, Kirk K, Thomas PJ.
The cystic fibrosis-causing mutation {Delta}F508 affects multiple steps in CFTR biogenesis. J Biol Chem. 2010 Jul 28. 
20667826 
Wang, W. Wu J, Bernard K, Li G, Wang G, Bevensee M, Kirk KL. ATP-independent CFTR channel gating and allosteric modulation by phosphorylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 107:3888-93, 2010.  20133716 
Bernard K, Wang W, Narlawar R, Schmidt B, Kirk KL. Curcumin cross-links cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) polypeptides and potentiates CFTR channel activity by distinct mechanisms. J Biol Chem. 284(45):30754-65, 2009.  19740743 
Wang W, Bernard K, Li G and Kirk K L. Curcumin opens CFTR channels by a novel mechanism that requires neither ATP binding nor dimerization of the nucleotide binding domains J Biol Chem. 282(7):4533-44, 2007.   17178710 
Li, Y. Wang W, Parker W, Clancy JP. Adenosine Regulation of CFTR through Prostenoids in Airway Epithelia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 34(5):600-608 2006.  16399952 
Wang W, Li G, Clancy JP, Kirk KL. Activating cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator channels with pore blocker analogs. J Biol Chem. 280(25):23622-30, 2005.  15857825 
Wang W, Oliva C, Li G, Holmgren A, Lillig CH, Kirk KL. Reversible silencing of CFTR chloride channels by glutathionylation. J Gen Physiol. 125(2):127-41, 2005.  15657297 
Wang W, Hino N, Yamasaki H, Aoki T, Ochi R. KV2.1 K+ channels underlie major voltage-gated K+ outward current in H9c2 myoblasts. Jpn J Physiol. 52(6):507-14, 2002.  12617756 
Yang D, Song L, W Zhu, Chakir K, Wang W, Wu C, Wang Y, Xiao R, Chen S.R.W, and Cheng H.
Calmodulin regulation of excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac myocytes. Circ Res 92:659-667, 2003.
 
12609973 
Wang W, Cleemann L, L, R Jones and Morad, M. Modulation of focal and global Ca2+ release in calsequestrin-overexpressing mouse cardiomyocytes. J Physiol. 524 (2):399-414, 2000.  10766921 
Suzuki YJ, Wang W, Morad, M. Modulation of Ca2+ channel-gated Ca2+ release by W-7 in cardiac myocytes. Cell Calcium. 25(3):191-198, 1999.  10378080 
Wang W, Watanabe M, Nakamura T, Kudo Y, and Ochi, R. Properties and expression of
Ca2+-activated K+ channels in H9c2 cells derived from rat ventricle. Am J Physiol . 276:H1559-H1566, 1999.
 
10330239 
Cleemann L, Wang W, and Morad M. Two-dimensional confocal images of organization, density, and gating of focal Ca2+ release sites in rat cardiac myocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A. 95:10984-10989, 1998.  9724816 
Jones LR, Suzuki YJ, Wang W, Kobayashi YM, Ramesh V, Franzini-Armstrong C, Cleemann L, and
Morad M Regulation of Ca2+ signaling in transgenic mouse cardiac myocytes overexpressing calsequestrin. J Clin Invest. 101:1385-1393, 1998.
 
9525981 

Keywords
Ion channel, ABC transporter, CFTR