Antigen-specific T cell responses; molecular immunology; viral Immunopathogenesis; viral infections; therapeutic cancer vaccine; immunotherapy against chronic infections and cancers.

1.        Li Y, Lu Y, Wang S, Han Z, Zhu F, Ni Y, Liang R, Zhang Y, Leng Q, Wei G, Shi G, Zhu R, Li D, Wang H, Zheng SG, Xu H, Tsun A, Li B.USP21 prevents the generation of T-helper-1-like Treg cells. Nat Commun. 2016 Nov 18;7:13559.

2.        Yang J, Yang C, Guo N, Zhu K, Luo K, Zhang N, Zhao H, Cui Y, Chen L, Wang H, Gu J, Ge B, Qin CF, Leng Q. Type I interferons triggered through the TLR3-TRIF pathway control Coxsackievirus A16 infection in young mice. J Virol. 2015 Nov 1;89(21):10860-7.

3.        Yang CH, Guo N, Liu J, Yang J, Zhu K, Xiao H, Leng Q. Non-classical MHC I-E negatively regulates macrophage activation and Th17 cell development in NOD mice. Sci Rep. 2015 Aug 7;5:12941.

4.        Wang H, Lei X, Xiao X, Yang C, Lu W, Huang Z, Leng Q, Jin Q, He B, Meng G, Wang J. Reciprocal Regulation between Enterovirus 71 and the NLRP3 Inflammasome. Cell Rep. 2015 Jul 7;12(1):42-8.

5.        Zhu K, Yang J, Luo K, Zhang N, Yang CH, Chen J, Xu B, Guo NN, Wang J, Cui Y, Wang Y, Deng C, Qin C, Ge B, Hao S, Yang CF, Leng Q. TLR3 signaling in macrophages is indispensable for the protective immunity of invariant natural killer T cells against enterovirus 71 infection. PLoS Pathog 2015, 11(1):e1004613.

6.        Shao K, Zhang Y, Ding N, Huang S, Wu J, Li J, Yang C, Leng Q, Ye L, Lou J, Zhu L, Jiang C. Functionalized nanoscale micelles with brain targeting ability and intercellular microenvironment biosensitivity for anti-intracranial infection applications. Adv Healthc Mater. 2014, 54:89-97.

7.        Zhu K, Guo N, Zhang N, Xu, B, Yang CF, Yang J, Wang J, Yang CH, Shi Y, Leng Q.  SSC^highCD11b^highLy-6C^highLy-6G^low myeloid cells curtail CD4 T cell response by inducible nitric oxide synthase in murine experimental hepatitis. Int J Bio Cell Biol. 2014, 54:89-97.

8.        Han J, Zhang N, Zhang P, Yang C, Jin M,  Yang J, Wu X, Liu G,  Ji L,  Zhang C, Qin C,  Zhou D,  Lan K, Leng Q. Th2 type inflammation under condition of chronic diseases linked to poor clinical outcomes in patients with H7N9 infection. Microbe & Infect. 2014, 16(8):672-7.

9.        Qi Z, Li G, Hu H, Yang C, Zhang X, Leng Q, Xie Y, Yu D, Zhang X, Gao Y, Lan K, Deng Q. Recombinant covalently closed circular hepatitis B virus DNA induces prolonged viral persistence in immunocompetent mice. J Virol. 2014, 88(14):8045-56.

10.    Han J, Wang L, Liu J, Jin M, Hao F, Zhang P, Zhang Z, Wen D, Wu X, Liu G, Ji L, Xu D, Zhou D, Leng Q, Lan K, Zhang C. Co-circulation of three HA and two NA subtypes of avian influenza viruses in Huzhou, China, April 2013: implication for the origin of the novel H7N9 virus. J Virol. 2014, 88(11):6506-11.

11.    Cai Y, Ku Z, Liu Q, Leng Q, Huang Z. A combination vaccine comprising of inactivated enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16 elicits a balanced protective immunity against both viruses. Vaccine. 2014, 32(21):2406-12.

12.    Shen B, Zhang N, Zhou J, Zhang W, Wang J, Yang J, Chen L, Zhu K, Xu J, Hu B, Leng Q*, Huang X. One-step generation of different immunodeficient mice with multiple gene modifications by CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome engineering. Int J Bio Cell Biol, 2014, 46:49-55.  (*co-corresponding author)

13.    Zeng M, Zheng X, Wei R, Zhang N, Zhu K, Xu B, Yang CH, Yang CF, Deng C, Pu D, Wang X, Altmeyer R, Leng Q. The cytokine and chemokine profiles in patients with hand, foot and mouth disease of different severities in shanghai, china, 2010. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013, 7(12):e2599.

14.    Wei R, Xu L, Zhang N, Zhu K, Yang J, Yang C, Deng C, Zhu Z, De Groot AS, Altmeyer R, Zeng M, Leng Q. Elevated antigen-specific Th2 type response is associated with the poor prognosis of hand, foot and mouth disease. Virus Res. 2013, 177(1):62-5.

15.    Han J, Jin M, Zhang P, Liu J, Wang L, Wen D, Wu X, Liu G, Zou Y, Lv X, Dong X, Shao B, Gu S, Zhou D, Leng Q, Zhang C, Lan K. Epidemiological link between exposure to poultry and all influenza A (H7N9) confirmed cases in Huzhou city, China, March to May 2013. Euro Surveill. 2013; 18(20). pii: 20481.

16.    Han J, Niu F, Jin M, Wang L, Liu J, Zhang P, Xie B, Wu C, Wen W, Ji L, Yang Z, Zhang C, Zhou D, Liu G, Leng Q*, Lan K. Clinical presentation and sequence analyses of HA and NA antigens of the novel H7N9 viruses. Emerg Micro Infect. 2013, 2: e23. (*corresponding author)

17.    Lei G, Chen M, Li H, Niu JL, Wu S, Mao L, Lu A, Wang H, Chen W, Xu B, Leng Q, Xu C, Yang G, An L, Zhu LP, Meng G. Biofilm from a clinical strain of Cryptococcus neoformans activates the NLRP3 inflammasome. Cell Res. 2013, 23(7):965-8.

18.    Fang Z, Zhu K, Guo N, Zhang N, Guan M, Yang CF, Pan Q,  Wei R, Yang CH, Deng C, Zhao P, Leng Q. HCV J6/JFH1 skews the capability of myeloid-derived dendritic cells to trigger CD4+ T cell responses by favoring Th17-related inflammatory cytokines. Pharm Res. 2015, 32(3):741-8.

19.    Moise1 L, Gutierrez1 AH, Bailey-Kellogg C, Terry F, Leng Q, Hady KM, Ver Berkmoes N, Sztein MB, Losikoff F, Martin WD,  Rothman A, De Groot AS. The two-faced T cell epitope: examining the host-microbe interface with JanusMatrix. Human Vacc Immunoth. 2013; 9(7):1577-86.

20.    Li SH, Dong H, Li XF, Xie X, Zhao H, Deng YQ, Wang XY, Ye Q, Zhu SY, Wang HJ, Zhang B, Leng Q, Zuest R, Qin ED, Qin CF, Shi PY. Rational design of a flavivirus vaccine through abolishing viral RNA 2′-O methylation. J Virol. 2013, 87(10):5812-9.

21.    Wei R, Yang C, Zeng M, Terry F, Zhu K, Yang C, Altmeyer R, Martin W, De Groot AS, Leng Q. A dominant EV71-Sspecific CD4+ T cell epitope is highly conserved among human enteroviruses. PLoS One. 2012; 7(12):e51957.

22.    Liu Q, Huang X, Ku Z, Wang T, Liu F, Cai Y, Li D, Leng Q, Huang Z. Characterization of enterovirus 71 capsids using subunit protein-specific polyclonal antibodies. J Virol Methods. 2013, 187(1):127-31.

23.    Yao Y, Wang Y, Chen F, Huang Y,  Zhu S, Leng Q, Wang H, Shi Y, Qian Y. NLRC5 regulates MHC class I antigen presentation in host defense against intracellular pathogens. Cell Res, 2012; 22(5):836-47.

24.    Liu F, Liu Q, Cai Y, Leng Q, Huang H. Construction of an infectious clone of coxsackievirus A16. Virol J. 2011, 8(1)534.

25.    Deng C, Yang CF, Wan J, Zhu L, Leng Q. Irregular poliovirus vaccination correlates to pulmonary edema of hand, foot and mouth disease. Clin Vaccine and Immunol. 2011， 18(9):1589-90.

26.    Yang C, Deng C, Wan J, Zhu L, Leng Q. Neutralizing antibody response in the patients with hand, foot and mouth disease to enterovirus 71 and its clinical implications. Virol J. 2011, 8(1):306.

27.    Liu Q, Ku Z, Cai Y, Sun B, Leng Q, Huang Z. Detection, characterization and quantitation of Coxsackievirus A16 using polyclonal antibodies against recombinant capsid subunit proteins. J Virol Method. 2011, 173(1):115-20.

28.    Li Q, Ke F, Zhang W, Shen X, Xu Q, Wang H, Yu XZ, Leng Q, Wang H. Plasmin plays an essential role in amplification of psoriasis form skin inflammation in mice. PLoS One. 2011, 6(2):e16483.

29.    Qin CF, Jiang T, Han JF, Li XF, Qin ED, Leng QB. Continual seasonal influenza vaccinations for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2010, 17(5):887-8.

30.    Jiang T, Li X, Liu W, Yu M, Liu J, Yu X, Qin E, Cao W, Leng Q, Qin C. Serum Antibody Response to the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus in the Elderly. Clin Infect Dis. 2010, 50:285-6.

31.    Sun Y, Bian C, Xu K, Hu W, Wang T, Cui J, Wu H, Ling Z, Ji Y, Lin G, Tian L, Zhou Y, Li B, Hu G, Yu N, An W, Pan R, Zhou P, Leng Q, Huang Z, Ma X, Sun B. Immune protection induced on day 10 following administration of the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine. PLoS One. 2010, 5(12):e14270.

32.    Leng Q, Nie Y, Zou Y, Chen J. Elevated CXCL12 expression in the bone marrow of NOD mice promotes development of diabetes by disrupting T cell trafficking and diabetes development. BMC Immunol. 2008, 9:51.

33.    Leng Q, Ge Q, Nuygen T, Eisen HN, Chen J. Stage-dependent reactivity of thymocytes to self-peptide-MHC complexes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007, 104(12):5038-48.

34.    Leng Q, Bentwich Z, Borkow G. Increased TGF-beta, Cbl-b and CTLA-4 levels and immunosuppression in association with chronic immune activation. Int Immunol. 2006, 18(7):637-44.

35.    Leng Q*, Bentwich Z. A Novel Coronavirus and SARS. N Engl J Med. 2003, 349(7):709. (*Corresponding author)

36.    .Leng Q, Bentwich Z, Magen E, Kalinkovich A, Borkow G. CTLA-4 upregulation during HIV infection: association with anergy and possible target for therapeutic intervention. AIDS. 2002, 16:519-29.

37.    Leng Q, Borkow G, Bentwich Z. Attenuated signaling associated with immune activation in HIV-1-infected individuals. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002 298(4):464-7.

38.    Leng Q, Bentwich Z, Borkow G. CTLA-4 upregulation during aging. Mech Ageing Dev. 2002, 123(10):1419-21.

39.    Leng Q*, Bentwich Z. Beyond self and nonself: fuzzy recognition of the immune system. Scand J Immunol. 2002, 56(3):224-32. (*Corresponding author)

40.    Borkow G, Weisman Z, Leng Q, Stein M, Kalinkovich A, Wolday D, Bentwich Z. Helminths, human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis. Scand J Infect Dis. 2001, 33(8):568-71.

41.    Leng Q, Borkow G, Weisman Z, Stein M, Kalinkovich A, Bentwich Z. Immune activation correlates better than HIV plasma viral load with CD4 T-cell decline during HIV infection. J AIDS 2001, 27(4):389-97.

42.    Borkow G, Leng Q*, Weisman Z, Stein M, Galai N, Kalinkovich A, Bentwich Z. Chronic immune activation associated with intestinal helminth infections results in impaired signal transduction and anergy. J Clin Invest 2000, 106(8):1053-60. (*Equal contribution as first author)

1.      Leng Q, Chen J. Treatment of autoimmune diseases. PCT/US2008/074910.（U.S.S.N. 60/969362）.

2.      Leng Q, Yang C, Zhang N. An mouse-adaptive enterovirus 71 isolate and its applications(一种人肠道71型病毒鼠适应株及其应用). ZL 201110113557.2.

3.      Hu G, Wu J, Leng Q, Jin M. An enterovirus 7-specific polypeptide and its applications(一种人肠道71型病毒特异性多肽及其应用).CN201010174403.

4.      Leng Q, Zheng X.A CHO cell-adaptive EV71 virus and its application一种能感染中国仓鼠卵巢细胞病毒适应株及其应用.  CN201410035776.7

5.      Leng Q, GuoN, Chen X, Hu G. Novel strategies for enhancing antitumor T cell mmunity增强抗肿瘤免疫反应的新型免疫策略和免疫组合物，CN201610222062.6

Our unit is interested in understanding both molecular regulation of T cell response and immunopathogenesis of viral infections. We are using a combination of approaches including mouse genetics, cellular immunology and biochemistry, as well as models of cancers and viral or microbial infections. We wish our research can ultimately be translated to preventive or therapeutic strategies for infectious diseases or cancers.

Current research directions include:

1. Immune pathogenesis of hand, foot and mouth disease.

2. Antigen recognition of anti-tumor T cells and immunotherapy against cancers.

3. Molecular regulation of CD8 T cell response.

Postdoctoral Student

Marion Tarbe: mariontarbe@hotmail.fr

PhD students

Jianrong Wang: wangjianrong@ips.ac.cn

Xianyang Chen: xychen@ips.ac.cn

Guang Hu: ghu@ips.ac.cn

Dexian Quan: dxquan@ips.ac.cn

MSc Students

Shuo Zhang: szhang@ips.ac.cn

xinwei Jin: longlongxmj@126.com

Jingjing Li: lijing588122@163.com

Phone: +86-21-54923086