Dr. Ying Liu received her MD degree from Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China and completed her medical residency at the First Affiliated Hospital of Peking University Beijing Medical School, Beijing, China. She went on to do her postdoctoral training at Mie University, Japan, Dana Faber Cancer Institute of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN. She was promoted to Research Assistant Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2002, Research Associate Professor at University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX in 2010, and Research Professor at Rosalind Franklin University/Chicago Medical School in 2020.

Research Interests

Dr. Liu’s research interests include HIV infection and pathogenesis in the central nervous system. Astrocytes are a major population of cells in the brain and are infected by HIV virus, albeit in a restricted fashion. We have identified the HIV entry pathway and the restricted molecular mechanisms in astrocytes. We are currently focusing on the roles of astrocytes as a latent reservoir and the underlying molecular mechanisms, which we expect help reactivate the latent reservoir in these cells and eradicate HIV infection in CNS.

The other major area of our research is about the biology of HIV-1-interacting protein of 110 kDa, or Tip110. We initially cloned this gene during our search for Tat-interacting protein using the yeast two-hybrid screening. We have subsequently shown that this gene/protein plays important roles in several cellular processes, including HIV replication, pre-mRNA splicing, host gene control, stem cell biology, embryonic development, and cancer biology. We are currently focusing on the role of Tip110 in the interaction among CDK9, Cyclin T1 and 7SK RNP and assembly of the super elongation complex.

Publications

• Liu Y, Niu Y, Li L, Timani KA, He VL, Sanburns C, Xie J, He JJ. (2019) Tat expression led to increased histone 3 tri-methylation at lysine 27 and contributed to HIV latency in astrocytes through regulation of MeCP2 and Ezh2 expression. J Neurovirol. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1007/s13365-019-00751-0. [Epub ahead of print] Erratum in: J Neurovirol. 2019 May 28
• Liu, Y., Huang, X, Timani, K. A., Broxmeyer H. E., He, J. J. (2018) Regulation of Constitutive Tip110 Expression in Human Cord Blood CD34+ Cells Through Selective Usage of the Proximal and Distal Polyadenylation Sites Within the 3′Untranslated Region. Stem Cells Dev. 27:566-576.
• Timani, K., Guriffy, B., Liu, Y., Mohanmad, K.S. and He, J. J. (2018) Tip110/SART3 regulates IL-8 expression and predicts the clinical outcomes in melanoma. Molecular Cancer Aug 17;17(1):124. doi: 10.1186/s12943-018-0868-z.
• Liu, Y., Huang, X, Timani, K. A., Broxmeyer H. E., He, J. J. (2017) miRNA regulation of Tip110 expression and self-renewal and differentiation of human CD34+ hematopoietic cells. Oncotarget 9:4823-4832.
• Langford, D., Kim, B.O., Zou, W., Fan, Y., Rahimain, P., Liu, Y., and He, J. J. (2017) Doxycycline-inducible and astrocyte-specific HIV-1 Tat transgenic mice (iTat) as an HIV/neuroAIDS model. Journal of Neurovirology (2017 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s13365-017-0598-9. [Epub ahead of print].
• Whitmill, A., Liu, Y., Timani, K. A., Niu, Y. and He, J. J. Tip110 Deletion Impaired Embryonic and Stem Cell Development Involving Downregulation of Stem Cell Factors Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2. Stem Cells 35:1674-1686.
• Fan, Y., Gao, X., Chen, J., Liu, Y. and He, J. J. (2016) HIV Tat Impairs Neurogenesis through Functioning As a Notch Ligand and Activation of Notch Signaling Pathway. Journal of Neuroscience 36:11362-11373.
• Liu, Y., He, J. J. (2016) Role of Tip110 in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Current Opinions in Hematology. 23:325-30.
• Whitmill, A., Timani, KA., Liu, Y., He, J. J. (2016) Tip110: Physical properties, primary structure, and biological functions. Life Sciences. 149:79-95.
• Timani, K. A., Liu, Y., Fan, Y., Mohammad, K. S., He, J. J. (2015) Tip110 Regulates the Cross Talk between p53 and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α under Hypoxia and Promotes Survival of Cancer Cells. Molecular and Cellular Biology 35:2254-64.
• Liu, Y., Huang, X., Timani, K. A., Broxmeyer, H. E., and He, J. J. (2015) MicroRNA-124 Targets Tip110 Expression and Regulates Hematopoiesis. Stem Cells and Development 2015 May 11. [Epub ahead of print].
• Wang, T., Chen, G., Liu, Y., Song, X., Han, C and He, J. J. (2015) Inhibition of HIV-1 entry by extracts derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbal plants. Journal of Antivirals and Antiretrovials 7:76-82.
• Liu, Y., Liu, J., Wang, Z and He, J. J. (2015) Tip110 binding to U6 small nuclear RNA and its participation in pre-mRNA splicing. Cell & Bioscience. 5:40-52.
• Zhao, W., Liu, Y., and He, J. J. (2014) Tip110 Protein Binds to Unphosphorylated RNA Polymerase II and Promotes Its Phosphorylation and HIV-1 Long Terminal Repeat Transcription. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 289:190-202.
• Timani KA, Liu Y, Suvannasankha A, He, J. J. (2014) Regulation of ubiquitin-proteasome system-mediated Tip110 protein degradation by USP15. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 54C:10-19.
• Ndjomou, J., Park, I-W, Liu, Y., Wang, M., Kao, C.C., Ridgway, N. D., and He, J. J. (2013) Inhibition of HCV Replication by Oxysterol-Binding Protein-Related Protein 4 (ORP4) through Interaction with HCV NS5B and Alteration of Lipid Droplet Formation. PLoS ONE 8: e75648.
• Timani, K., Liu, Y., and He, J. J. (2013) Tip110 interacts with YB-1 and regulates each other’s function. BMC Molecular Biology 14:14.
• Liu., Y, Timani, K., Ou, X., Broxmeyer, H.E., He, J. J. (2013) C-MYC Controlled TIP110 Protein Expression Regulates OCT4 mRNA Splicing in Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev. 22:689-694.
• Liu Y, Lee MR, Timani K, He, J. J., Broxmeyer HE (2012) Tip110 Maintains Expression of Pluripotent Factors in and Pluripotency of Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev. 21:829-33.
• Liu, Y., Timani, K., Mantel, C., Fan, Y., Hangoc, G., Cooper, S., He, J. J. and Broxmeyer, H.E. (2011) TIP110/p110nrb/SART3/p110 regulation of hematopoiesis through CMYC. Blood 117:5643-51.
• Liu, Y., Hangoc, G., Campbell TB, Goodman M, Tao W, Pollok K, Srour EF, and Broxmeyer, H.E. (2008) Identification of parameters required for efficient lentiviral vector transduction and engraftment of human cord blood CD34(+) NOD/SCID-repopulation cells. Exp Hematol. 36(8):947-56.
• Campbell TB, Hangoc G, Liu Y, Pollok K, Broxmeyer HE.(2007) Inhibition of CD26 in human blood CD34+ cells enhances their engraftment of nonobese diabetic combined immudeficiency mice. Stem Cells Dev. 16(3):347-54.
• Zhang J, Li G, Bafica A, Pantelic M, Zhang P, Broxmeyer HE, Liu Y, Wetzler L, He, J. J., Chen T. (2005) Neisseria gonorrhoeae enhances infection of dendritic cells by HIV type 1. J Immunol. 174(12):7995-8002
• Zou W, Wang Z, Liu Y, Fan Y, Zhou BY, Yang XF, He JJ.(2010) Involvement of p300 in constitutive and HIV-1 Tat-activated expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in astrocytes. Glia.
• Ndjomou J, Park IW, Liu Y, Mayo LD, He JJ. (2009) Up-regulation of hepatitis C virus replication and production by inhibition of MEK/ERK signaling. PLoS One.
• Park IW, Han C, Song X, Green LA, Wang T, Liu Y, Cen C, Song X, Yang B, Chen G, He JJ. (2009) Inhibition of HIV-1 entry by extracts derived from traditional Chinese medicinal herbal plants. BMC Complement Altern Med.
• He JJ, Henao-Mejia J, Liu Y. (2009)Sam68 functions in nuclear export and translation of HIV-1 RNA. RNA Biol.
• Green LA, Liu Y, He JJ. (2009) Inhibition of HIV-1 infection and replication by enhancing viral incorporation of innate anti-HIV-1 protein A3G: a non-pathogenic Nef mutant-based anti-HIV strategy. J Biol Chem.
• Henao-Mejia J, Liu Y, Park IW, Zhang J, Sanford J, He JJ. (2009) Suppression of HIV-1 Nef translation by Sam68 mutant-induced stress granules and nef mRNA sequestration. Mol Cell.
• Zou W, Kim BO, Zhou BY, Liu Y, Messing A, He JJ. (2007)Protection against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat neurotoxicity by Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 involving glial fibrillary acidic protein. Am J Pathol.
• Ndjomou J, Liu Y, O'Malley J, Ericsson M, He JJ. (2007)Development and characterization of a recombinant cDNA-based hepatitis C virus system. Biochem Biophys Res Commun.
• Zhang, J., Liu, Y., Li, J., and He, J. (2005) .Requirement of an additional Sam68 domain for inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by Sam68 dominant negative mutants lacking the nuclear localization signal. Gene.
• Lopez-Herrera, A., Liu, Y., Rugeles, MT., He, JJ.,(2005) HIV-1 interaction with Human mannose receptor (hMR) induce production of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) through hMR-mediated intracellular signaling in astrocyte. Biochem Biophys Acta
• Zhang, J. Li, G., Zhang, P., Broxmeyer, H., Liu, Y., He, J.,(2005) Neisseria gonorrhoeae enhances infection of dendritic cells by HIV-1. Journal of Immunology
• Zhou, B., Liu., Y., Kim, B.O., and He, J. (2004) Astrocyte activation and dysfunction and neuron death by HIV-1 Tat expression in astrocytes. Molecular Cell Neuroscience.
• Liu, Y., Kim, B. O., and He, J. (2004) Tip110,HIV-1 tat-interacting protein of 110 KDa as a negative regulator of androgen receptor (AR). Journal of Biological Chemistry
• Kim, B. O., Liu, Y., and He, J. (2004) Chemokine expression, leukocyte infiltration, and Tat-induced neuropathologies in the brain of doxycycline-regulated, brain-targeted Tat transgenic mice. Journal of Immunology
• Liu, Y., Liu, H., Kim, B. O., Gattone, V., Nath, A., Li, J., Blum, J., and He, J. (2004) Identification of human mannose receptor as CD4-independent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection of astrocytes.). Journal of Virology
• Kim, B. O., Liu, Y., Xu, Z. C., Ruan, Y., Schantz, L., and He, J. (2003) Tat-induced neuropathy in transgenic mice expressing HIV-1 Tat protein under the regulation of astrocyte-specific GFAP and doxycycline inducible promoter and doxycycline. American Journal of Pathology 162:3898-3707.
• Li, J., Liu, Y., Kim, B. O., and He, J. (2002) Direct participation of Sam68, the 68 kDa Src-associated protein in mitosis in CRM1-mediated Rev nuclear export pathway. Journal of Virology 76:1-11.
• Kim, O. H., Liu, Y. and He, J. (2002) Homo sapiens lymphotactin (LTN) gene, promoter region and partial sequence. AY170619 GenBank National Center for Biotechnology Information and National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.
• Liu, Y., Li, J., Kim B.O., Pace B.S., and He, J. (2002) HIV-1 Tat protein-mediated transactivation of the HIV-1 LTR promoter is potentiated by a novel nuclear Tat-interacting protein of 110 kDa, Tip110. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277:23854-23863.
• Li, J., Liu, Y., Park, I.W., and He, J. (2002) Expression of exogenous Sam68, the 68 kDa Src-associated protein in mitosis, is able to alleviate impaired Rev function in astrocytes. Journal of Virology 76:4526-4535,.
• Liu, Y. and He, J. (2001) Homo sapiens KIAA0156 isoform mRNA, complete cds. AF387506 GenBank National Center for Biotechnology Information and National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.
• Cotter, R.B., Zheng, J., Che, M., Neiman, D., Liu, Y., He, J., Thomas, E., and Gendelman H.E. (2001) Regulation of HIV-1 infection, b-chemokine production, and CCR5 expression in CD40L-stimulated macrophages: Immune control of viral entry. Journal of Virology 75:4308-4320
• Liu, Y., Li, J.-L. and He, J. (2000) Homo sapiens GTP-binding protein RAB3A mRNA, complete cds. AF254795 GenBank National Center for Biotechnology Information and National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.
• Liu, Y., Jones, M., Huntington, C.E., Bu, G., Laribee, N., Moir, R., Tanzi, R., Nath, A., and He, J. (2000) Uptake of HIV-1 Tat protein mediated by low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein disrupts the neuronal metabolic balance of the receptor ligands. Nature Medicine 6:1380-1387.