Ning Quan, Ph.D.

Our Research

The focus of my lab is how the nervous system and immune system forms a combined neuroimmune suprasystem. We are interested in understanding how these two systems communicate with each other to modulate each other's function. We use multiple techniques in molecular biology, neuroscience, and immunology to accomplish this goal. This multidisciplinary approach creates an ideal environment for training students on broad biomedical research subjects. Advanced technologies such as FACS analysis, cloning, in-cell Western, patch-clamping electrophysiology, production of transgenic mouse and targeted transgenesis, and behavioral analysis are employed in my laboratory. Our current research led to the discovery of the euflammatory process which can be used to design vaccine-based induction of immune responses as well as bacterial based cancer therapy. We are also conducting detailed analysis on cell-type specific actions mediated by IL-1R1 using several lines of transgenic animals we created. This research has led to the identification of specific pathways related to the pathogenesis of various psychopathology caused by CNS inflammation. A very exciting new area we are exploring is the direct action of the inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1, on remodeling of neuro-circuits in the central nervous system via its receptors expressed on neurons. This research could reveal the neurophysiology of immunity and the molecular basis of neuroinflammation mediated psychopathology.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Ning Quan, Ph.D.

Professor of Biomedical Science
PhD, Physiology, University of Tennessee
Neurophysiology
BS, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Biomechanics

Lab Members

Nuran Kocak, M.S. - Graduate Student

Prior to joining the Quan lab, I pursued my Masters degree in Neuroscience at Istanbul University, Turkey, where I investigated the genetic aspects of epilepsy in human patients. Additionally, I worked in Dr. Ozdinler lab’s at Northwestern University which studies corticospinal motor neurons in neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). As a PhD student in the Integrative Biology – Neuroscience program, my research is centered on the developmental patterns of the Interleukin-1 receptor expression. The mapping of IL-1R1 during development may provide key information for potential therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy which have been link to early life inflammation. Additionally, I am interested in understanding the role of cell-specific IL-1R1 and inflammatory mediators in experimental autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Numana Luqman – Undergraduate volunteer

I am an undergraduate student majoring in Cellular Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy, anticipating graduation from Wilkes Honors College spring of 2024. I'm also affiliated with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry as a peer mentor, and the Council for Scholarship and Inquiry. Additionally, I'm serving as the chair of the Student Travel Committee for the arbitration of funding for student lead research endeavors. My research in the Quan lab utilizes mice with genetic reporters for Interleukin 1 (IL-1) expression thus allowing for specific and novel characterizing of IL-1 producing cells.

Daniel Nemeth - Postdoctoral Fellow

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, I graduated from The Ohio State University with a double major in Biology and Neuroscience (B.S) with specialization in Cellular and Molecular Communication. I then received a Ph.D from The Ohio State University working with Dr. Ning Quan to dissect the functional mechanisms of cell type specific Interleukin-1 Receptor 1 (IL-1R1) in the central nervous system (CNS) along with researching how sub-chronic peripheral inflammation that dynamically alters microglia, the resident tissues macrophages of the CNS. Currently, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Ning Quan where I lead multiple avenues of research such as understanding the role of neuronal IL-1R1, characterizing the cell types in the CNS which express Interleukin-1β, and elucidating the role of non-neuronal IL- 1R1 expressing cells in an animal model of epilepsy.

Matthew Schrier, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Fellow

I graduated with a B.S. in Biology from University of Florida in 2013 and then went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a specialization in Molecular Medicine and Pharmacogenomics. In my Ph.D. studies I investigated the relationship between functional deficiency of Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), thiol metabolism, and antioxidant status in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Secondarily, I studied the metabolic and transcriptional effects of supra-physiological doses of methylcobalmin on neuronal and astroglial cultures. Now, I am a Postdoctoral fellow in both Drs. Ning Quan and Randy Blakely, my work involves elucidating the immunological and neural role of the Interleukin 1 Receptor and its correlations with serotonin regulated mechanisms.

Maria Smirnova, B.S. - Graduate Student

I received my B.S. in Cellular Neuroscience from the FAU Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD in the Integrative Biology-Neuroscience program at the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. My research in the Quan lab focuses on the role of Interleukin 1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) in adult neurogenesis. Using proliferation markers and early neuronal markers, I can track the generation and subsequent development and morphology of neural stem cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. One of the main goals of my study is to pinpoint the cell-type specific IL-1R1 responsible for alterations in adult dentate gyrus neurogenesis. I am experienced in techniques such as stereotaxic craniotomy, immunohistochemistry, PCR, ELISA, Golgi-cox staining, and confocal microscopy. The implications of my work can extend to potential molecular therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases to prevent neuronal loss.

Lab Publications

Nemeth DP, Quan N. Modulation of Neural Networks by Interleukin-1. Brain Plast. 2021
Nemeth DP, Liu X, McKim DB, DiSabato DJ, Oliver B, Herd A, Katta A, Negray CE, Floyd J, McGovern S, Pruden PS, Zhutang F, Smirnova M, Godbout JP, Sheridan J, Quan N. Dynamic Interleukin-1 Receptor Type 1 Signaling Mediates Microglia-Vasculature Interactions Following Repeated Systemic LPS. J Inflamm Res. 2022
DiSabato, D. J., Yin, W, Biltz, R.G., Gallagher, N. R., Oliver, B., Nemeth, D. P., Liu, X., Sheridan, J. F., Quan, N., and Godbout, J. P. IL-1 Receptor-1 on Vglut2+ neurons in the hippocampus is critical for neuronal and behavioral sensitization after repeated social stress. BBI-Health 2022, 100547
Floriane Bretheau, Adrian Castellanos-Molina, Dominic Bélanger, Maxime Kusik, Benoit Mailhot, Ana Boisvert, Nicolas Vallières, Martine Lessard1,MatthiasGunzer, Xiaoyu Liu, Éric Boilard,NingQuan, Steve Lacroix The alarmin interleukin-1α triggers secondary degeneration through reactive astrocytes and endothelium after spinal cord injury. Nature Communication 2022, 13:5786
DiSabato DJ, Nemeth DP, Liu X, Witcher KG, O'Neil SM, Oliver B, Bray CE, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP, Quan N. Interleukin-1 receptor on hippocampal neurons drives social withdrawal and cognitive deficits after chronic social stress. Mol Psychiatry. 2020
Freria CM, Brennan FH, Sweet DR, Guan Z, Hall JC, Kigerl KA, Nemeth DP, Liu X, Lacroix S, Quan N, Popovich PG. Serial Systemic Injections of Endotoxin (LPS) Elicit Neuroprotective Spinal Cord Microglia through IL-1-Dependent Cross Talk with Endothelial Cells. J Neurosci. 2020
Niu H, Wang Q, Zhao W, Liu J, Wang D, Muhammad B, Liu X, Quan N, Zhang H, Zhang F, Wang Y, Li H, Yang R. IL-1β/IL-1R1 signaling induced by intranasal lipopolysaccharide infusion regulates alpha-Synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb, substantia nigra and striatum. Brain Pathol. 2020
Böttcher M, Müller-Fielitz H, Sundaram SM, Gallet S, Neve V, Shionoya K, Zager A, Quan N, Liu X, Schmidt-Ullrich R, Haenold R, Wenzel J, Blomqvist A, Engblom D, Prevot V, Schwaninger M. NF-κB signaling in tanycytes mediates inflammation-induced anorexia. Mol Metab. 2020
Niu H, Wang Q, Zhao W, Liu J, Wang D, Muhammad B, Liu X, Quan N, Zhang H, Zhang F, Wang Y, Li H, Yang R. IL-1β/IL-1R1 signaling induced by intranasal lipopolysaccharide infusion regulates alpha-Synuclein pathology in the olfactory bulb, substantia nigra and striatum. Brain Pathol. 2020
Böttcher M, Müller-Fielitz H, Sundaram SM, Gallet S, Neve V, Shionoya K, Zager A, Quan N, Liu X, Schmidt-Ullrich R, Haenold R, Wenzel J, Blomqvist A, Engblom D, Prevot V, Schwaninger M. NF-κB signaling in tanycytes mediates inflammation-induced anorexia. Mol Metab. 2020
Zhu L, Liu X, Nemeth DP, DiSabato DJ, Witcher KG, Mckim DB, Oliver B, Le X, Gorantla G, Berdysz O, Li J, Ramani AD, Chen Z, Wu D, Godbout JP, Quan N. Interleukin-1 causes CNS inflammatory cytokine expression via endothelia-microglia bi-cellular signaling. Brain Behav Immun. 2019
Todd L, Palazzo I, Suarez L, Liu X, Volkov L, Hoang TV, Campbell WA, Blackshaw S, Quan N, Fischer AJ. Reactive microglia and IL1β/IL-1R1-signaling mediate neuroprotection in excitotoxin-damaged mouse retina. J Neuroinflammation. 2019
Xiaoyu Liu, Daniel P. Nemeth, Daniel B. McKim, Ling Zhu, Damon J. DiSabato, Olimpia Berdysz, Gowthami Gorantla, Braedan Oliver, Kristina G. Witcher, Yufen Wang, Christina E. Negray, Rekha S. Vegesna, John F. Sheridan, Jonathan P. Godbout, Matthew J. Robson, Randy D. Blakely, Phillip G. Popovich, Staci D. Bilbo and Ning Quan. Cell-type specific interleukin 1 receptor 1 signaling in the brain regulates distinct neuroimmune activities. Immunity 2019. 50:1-17.
Song A, Zhu L, Gorantla G, Berdysz O, Amici SA, Guerau-de-Arellano M, Madalena KM, Lerch JK, Liu X, Quan N. Salient type 1 interleukin 1 receptor expression in peripheral non-immune cells. Sci Rep. 2018
Liu X, Quan N. Microglia and CNS Interleukin-1: Beyond Immunological Concepts. Front Neurol. 2018
Anping Song, Ling Zhu, Gowthami Gorantla, Olimpia Berdysz, Stephanie A. Amici, Mireia Guerau-de-Arellano, Kathryn M. Madalena, Jessica K. Lerch, Xiaoyu Liu and Ning Quan. Salient type 1 interleukin-1 receptor expression in peripheral non-immune cells. Sci. Rep. 2018. 8:723 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-19248-7.
Bever SR, Liu X, Quan N, Pyter LM. Euflammation Attenuates Central and Peripheral Inflammation and Cognitive Consequences of an Immune Challenge after Tumor Development. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2017
McKim, D.B., Weber, M.D., Niraula, A., Sawicki, C.M., Liu, X., Jarrett, B.L., Ramirez-Chan, K., Wang, Y., Roeth, R.M., Sucaldito, A.D., et al. 2017. Microglial recruitment of IL-1β producing monocytes to brain endothelium causes stress-induced anxiety. Mol. Psychiatry. 00: 1-11.
DiSabato DJ, Quan N, Godbout JP. Neuroinflammation: the devil is in the details. J Neurochem. 2016
Liu, X., Nemeth, D.P., Tarr, A.J., Belevych, N., Syed, Z.W., Wang, Y., Ismail, A.S., Reed, N.S., Sheridan, J.F., Yajnik, A.R., et al. 2016. Euflammation attenuates peripheral inflammation-induced neuroinflammation and mitigates immune-to-brain signaling. Brain Behav Immun. 54: 140-148, DIO: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.01.018
Liu, X., Yamashita, T., Chen, Q., Belevych, N., Mckim, D.B., Tarr, A.J., Coppola, V., Nath, N., Nemeth, D.P., Syed, Z.W., et al. 2015. Interleukin 1 Type 1 Receptor Restore: A Genetic Mouse Model for Studying Interleukin 1 Receptor-Mediated Effects in Specific Cell Types. The Journal of Neuroscience 35:2860 –2870.
Qian, J., Zhu, L., Li, Q., Belevych, N., Chen, Q., Zhao, F., Herness, S., and Quan, N. 2012. Interleukin-1R3 mediates interleukin-1-induced potassium current increase through fast activation of Akt kinase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:12189-12194.
Chen, Q., Zhang, H., Li Q., An, Y., Herkenham, M., Lai, W., Popovich, P., Agarwal, S. and Quan, N (2009). Three promoters regulate tissue- and cell type-specific expression of murine IL-1R1. JBC 2009 Mar 27;284(13):8703-13
Belevych, N., Buchanan, K., Chen, Q., Bailey, M. and Quan, N. Location-specific activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus by localized inflammation. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 24 (2010) 1137–1147
Quan, N., Whiteside, M., Kim, L., and Herkenham, M. (1997) Induction of IkB-alpha mRNA in the central nervous system after peripheral lipopolysaccharide administration: an in situ hybridization histochemistry study in the rat. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 94:10985-10990
Quan, N., Banks, W.A., Brain-immune communication pathways. Brain Behav. Immun. 21:727-735. 2007.

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