Hu Zhou,  Ph.D.

Professor

Experience

Dr. Zhou received his bachelor degree from Anhui University, master degree from Xuzhou Medical University, and Ph.D. degree from Tsinghua University in China. Following postdoctoral training at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in the United States, he joined the School of Pharmaceutical Science of Xiamen University as an associate professor in 2011. He was promoted to professor of Chemical Biology in 2012.

Research

Dr. Zhou’s group investigates the regulatory modes of nuclear receptors and cellular signal transductions, as well as their reciprocal interactions at the molecular, cellular, and animal levels. His group also delineates the novel mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression and unravels druggable targets. Based on the discovered targets, they carry out high-throughput screening to find new lead compounds. The group applies multiple approaches, including computer-aided drug design, organic synthesis, and pharmacological analysis, to improve the lead compounds to preclinical drugs.

Team

Zhiping Zeng, Ph.D., is an associate professor in Dr. Zhou’s group. Dr. Zeng received both his bachelor degree and Ph.D. degree from Xiamen University in China. He uses computer-aided design and organic synthesis to optimize lead compounds.

Selected  Publications (last 5 years):

1: Liu J, Gao S, Zhou W, Chen Y, Wang Z, Zeng Z, Zhou H*, Lin T.Dihydrotrichodimerol Purified from the Marine Fungus Acremonium citrinumPrevents NAFLD by Targeting PPARα. J Nat Prod. 2023 Apr 21. doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00990. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37083418.

2: Chen J, Zhang Y, Zeng D, Zhang B, Ye X, Zeng Z, Zhang XK, Wang Z, Zhou H*.Merbromin is a mixed-type inhibitor of 3-chyomotrypsin like protease of SARS-CoV-2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2022 Feb 5;591:118-123. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.108. Epub 2021 Dec 30. PMID: 35007835; PMCID: PMC8716398.

3: Weng Z, Lin J, He J, Gao L, Lin S, Tsang LL, Zhang H, He X, Wang G, Yang X,Zhou H, Zhao H, Li G, Zou L, Jiang X. Human embryonic stem cell-derived neuralcrest model unveils CD55 as a cancer stem cell regulator for therapeutictargeting in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Neuro Oncol. 2022 Jun1;24(6):872-885. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noab241. PMID: 34655293; PMCID: PMC9159429.

4: Huang F, Zeng Z, Zhang W, Yan Z, Chen J, Yu L, Yang Q, Li Y, Yu H, Chen J, WuC, Zhang XK, Su Y, Zhou H*. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novelsulindac derivatives as partial agonists of PPARγ with potential anti-diabeticefficacy. Eur J Med Chem. 2021 Oct 15;222:113542. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113542. Epub 2021 May 24. PMID: 34118723.

5: Niu B, Liu J, Lv B, Lin J, Li X, Wu C, Jiang X, Zeng Z, Zhang XK, Zhou H*.Interplay between transforming growth factor-β and Nur77 in dual regulations ofinhibitor of differentiation 1 for colonic tumorigenesis. Nat Commun. 2021 May14;12(1):2809. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23048-5. PMID: 33990575; PMCID:PMC8121807.

6: Li Z, Yao Y, Cheng X, Chen Q, Zhao W, Ma S, Li Z, Zhou H, Li W, Fei T. Acomputational framework of host-based drug repositioning for broad-spectrumantivirals against RNA viruses. iScience. 2021 Feb 5;24(3):102148. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102148. PMID: 33665567; PMCID: PMC7900436.

7: Wang K, Chen Y, Gao S, Wang M, Ge M, Yang Q, Liao M, Xu L, Chen J, Zeng Z,Chen H, Zhang XK, Lin T, Zhou H*. Norlichexanthone purified from plant endophyteprevents postmenopausal osteoporosis by targeting ERα to inhibit RANKLsignaling. Acta Pharm Sin B. 2021 Feb;11(2):442-455. doi:10.1016/j.apsb.2020.09.012. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 33643823; PMCID: PMC7893202.

8: Lin T, Yang Y, Ye X, Yao J, Zhou H*. Low expression of miR-99b promotesprogression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by up-regulating IGF1R/Akt/mTORsignaling. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2020 Dec 1;13(12):3083-3091. PMID: 33425108;PMCID: PMC7791382.

9: Xie G, Zhou Y, Tu X, Ye X, Xu L, Xiao Z, Wang Q, Wang X, Du M, Chen Z, ChiX, Zhang X, Xia J, Zhang X, Zhou Y, Li Z, Xie C, Sheng L, Zeng Z, Zhou H, Yin Z,Su Y, Xu Y, Zhang XK. Centrosomal Localization of RXRα Promotes PLK1 Activationand Mitotic Progression and Constitutes a Tumor Vulnerability. Dev Cell. 2020Dec 21;55(6):707-722.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.11.012. Epub 2020 Dec 14.PMID: 33321102.

10: Huang F, Li Y, Chen J, Zhang XK, Zhou H*. Rosiglitazone binds to RXRα toinduce RXRα tetramerization and NB4 cell differentiation. Biochem Biophys ResCommun. 2020 Sep 10;530(1):160-166. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.06.134. Epub 2020Jul 30. PMID: 32828280.

11: Gao S, Tian WJ, Liao ZJ, Wang GH, Zeng DQ, Liu XZ, Wang XY, Zhou H, Chen HF,Lin T. Chemical Constituents from Endophytic Fungus Annulohypoxylon cf. stygiumin Leaves of Anoectochilus roxburghii. Chem Biodivers. 2020 Sep;17(9):e2000424.doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202000424. Epub 2020 Aug 31. PMID: 32672903.

12: Qin J, Liu J, Wu C, Xu J, Tang B, Guo K, Chen X, Liu W, Wu T, Zhou H*, FangM, Wu Z. Synthesis and biological evaluation of(3/4-(pyrimidin-2-ylamino)benzoyl)-based hydrazine-1-carboxamide/carbothioamidederivatives as novel RXRα antagonists. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 2020Dec;35(1):880-896. doi: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1740692. PMID: 32223461; PMCID:PMC7170311.

13: Zhang S, Gao W, Tang J, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Liu J, Chen K, Liu F, Li W, To SKY,Wong AST, Zhang XK, Zhou H*, Zeng JZ. The Roles of GSK-3β in Regulation ofRetinoid Signaling and Sorafenib Treatment Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.Theranostics. 2020 Jan 1;10(3):1230-1244. doi: 10.7150/thno.38711. PMID:31938062; PMCID: PMC6956800.

14: Shen L, Sun Z, Nie P, Yuan R, Cai Z, Wu C, Hu L, Jin S, Zhou H, Zhang X, HeB. Sulindac-derived retinoid X receptor-α modulator attenuates atheroscleroticplaque progression and destabilization in ApoE-/- mice. Br JPharmacol. 2019 Jul;176(14):2559-2572. doi: 10.1111/bph.14682. Epub 2019 May 23.PMID: 30943581; PMCID: PMC6592870.

15: Ye X, Wu H, Sheng L, Liu YX, Ye F, Wang M, Zhou H, Su Y, Zhang XK. Oncogenicpotential of truncated RXRα during colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesisby promoting IL-6-STAT3 signaling. Nat Commun. 2019 Apr 1;10(1):1463. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09375-8. PMID: 30931933; PMCID: PMC6443775.

16: Chen X, Cao X, Tu X, Alitongbieke G, Xia Z, Li X, Chen Z, Yin M, Xu D, GuoS, Li Z, Chen L, Zhang X, Xu D, Gao M, Liu J, Zeng Z, Zhou H, Su Y, Zhang XK.BI1071, a Novel Nur77 Modulator, Induces Apoptosis of Cancer Cells by Activatingthe Nur77-Bcl-2 Apoptotic Pathway. Mol Cancer Ther. 2019 May;18(5):886-899. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-18-0918. Epub 2019 Mar 29. PMID: 30926635; PMCID:PMC6527444.

17: Ye F, Chen S, Liu X, Ye X, Wang K, Zeng Z, Su Y, Zhang XK, Zhou H*. 3-Cl-AHPCinhibits pro-HGF maturation by inducing matriptase/HAI-1 complex formation. JCell Mol Med. 2019 Jan;23(1):155-166. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.13900. Epub 2018 Oct 28.PMID: 30370662; PMCID: PMC6307790.

18: Hu M, Alitongbieke G, Su Y, Zhou H, Zhang XK. Moving nuclear receptor Nur77to damaged mitochondria for clearance by mitophagy. Mol Cell Oncol. 2018 Mar5;5(3):e1327005. doi: 10.1080/23723556.2017.1327005. PMID: 30250883; PMCID:PMC6149810.

19: Ren G, Bao W, Zeng Z, Zhang W, Shang C, Wang M, Su Y, Zhang XK, Zhou H*.Retinoid X Receptor Alpha Nitro-ligand Z-10 and Its Optimized Derivative Z-36Reduce β-Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model. Mol Pharm. 2019 Feb4;16(2):480-488. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00096. Epub 2018 Dec 31. PMID:29995422.