I am an Assistant Professor of Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). My research interest has focused on T cell and macrophage biology in the context of tumor immunity and immunotherapy, especially the modulation of their autophagy on the anti-tumor immune response. During the research period, I has published nearly 30 papers and 3 review articles in prestigious journals, including Nature Reviews Cancer, Nature, Science Immunology, Cancer Cell, Cell Metabolism, Nature Communication, JCI, CMI, and other 8 peer-review journals.

My lab works on the autophagy mediated regulation of immune response in tumor microenvironment. Autophagy is a regulated mechanism that removes unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular components and recycles metabolic substrates. In response to stress signals in the tumor microenvironment, the autophagy pathway is altered in tumor cells and immune cells, thereby differentially affecting tumor progression, immunity, and therapy. To further understand the effect of autophagy on the cancer progression and therapy, the laboratory employs a wide range of experimental techniques including traditional biochemical and molecular biological analyses; genetic approaches including conventional and conditional gene targeting and transgenesis in mice; large scale gene expression analyses and bioinformatics. In addition, the laboratory plans to screen autophagy specific inhibitors to synergize other anti-tumor immunotherapies.

2004-2010 Kunming institution of zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

2000-2004 Wuhan University

   

2010-2014 kunming institute of zoology, Chinese academy of sciences, Assistant Research;

2014-2021 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Research Fellow;

   

[1] Houjun Xia*, Youhai H Chen. How sugar instigates macrophages to be evils in tumor. 2022. Cellular & Molecular Immunology 19 (12), 1325-1327

[2] Fubing Li, Huichun Liang, Hua You, Ji Xiao, Houjun Xia, Xi Chen, Maobo Huang, Zhuo Cheng, Chuanyu Yang, Wenjing Liu, Hailin Zhang, Li Zeng, Yingying Wu, Fei Ge, Zhen Li, Wenhui Zhou, Yi Wen, Zhongmei Zhou, Rong Liu, Dewei Jiang, Ni Xie, Bin Liang, Zhenzhen Liu, Yanjie Kong, Ceshi Chen. Targeting HECTD3-IKKα axis inhibits inflammation-related metastasis. 2022. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 7 (1), 1-18.

[3] Yu Zhang, Dongyun Ouyang, Youhai H Chen, Houjun Xia*.Peritoneal resident macrophages in tumor metastasis and immunotherapy. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 10

[4] Lin, Heng, Kryczek, Ilona, Li, Shasha, Green, Michael D, Ali, Alicia, Hamasha, Reema, Wei, Shuang, Vatan, Linda, Szeliga, Wojciech, Grove, Sara, Li, Xiong, Li, Jing, Wang, Weichao, Yan, Yijian, Choi, Jae Eun, Li, Gaopeng, Bian, Yingjie, Xu, Ying, Zhou, Jiajia, Yu, Jiali, Xia, Houjun, Wang, Weimin, Alva, Ajjai, Chinnaiyan, Arul M, Cieslik, Marcin, Zou, Weiping. Stanniocalcin 1 is a phagocytosis checkpoint driving tumor immune resistance. CANCER CELL[J]. 2021, 39(4): 480-+, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2020.12.023.

[5] Houjun Xia, Douglas R Green, Weiping Zou. Autophagy in tumor immunity and therapy. Nat Rev Cancer[J]. 2021, 21(5): 281-297. 

[6] Bian, Yingjie, Li, Wei, Kremer, Daniel M, Sajjakulnukit, Peter, Li, Shasha, Crespo, Joel, Nwosu, Zeribe C, Zhang, Li, Czerwonka, Arkadiusz, Pawlowska, Anna, Xia, Houjun, Li, Jing, Liao, Peng, Yu, Jiali, Vatan, Linda, Szeliga, Wojciech, Wei, Shuang, Grove, Sara, Liu, J Rebecca, McLean, Karen, Cieslik, Marcin, Chinnaiyan, Arul M, Zgodzinski, Witold, Wallner, Grzegorz, Wertel, Iwona, Okla, Karolina, Kryczek, Ilona, Lyssiotis, Costas A, Zou, Weiping. Cancer SLC43A2 alters T cell methionine metabolism and histone methylation. NATURE[J]. 2020, 585(7824): 277-+, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7486248/.

[7] Houjun Xia, Shasha Li, Xiong Li, Weichao Wang, Yingjie Bian, Shuang Wei, Sara Grove, Weimin Wang, Linda Vatan, J Rebecca Liu, Karen McLean, Ramandeep Rattan, Adnan Munkarah, JunLin Guan, Ilona Kryczek, Weiping Zou. Autophagic adaptation to oxidative stress alters peritoneal residential macrophage survival and ovarian cancer metastasis. JCI Insight[J]. 2020, 5(18): https://doaj.org/article/6c9048172d6640499478c9301ae55769.

[8] Wang, Weimin, Green, Michael, Choi, Jae Eun, Gijon, Miguel, Kennedy, Paul D, Johnson, Jeffrey K, Liao, Peng, Lang, Xueting, Kryczek, Ilona, Sell, Amanda, Xia, Houjun, Zhou, Jiajia, Li, Gaopeng, Li, Jing, Li, Wei, Wei, Shuang, Vatan, Linda, Zhang, Hongjuan, Szeliga, Wojciech, Gu, Wei, Liu, Rebecca, Lawrence, Theodore S, Lamb, Candice, Tanno, Yuri, Cieslik, Marcin, Stone, Everett, Georgiou, George, Chan, Timothy A, Chinnaiyan, Arul, Zou, Weiping. CD8(+) T cells regulate tumour ferroptosis during cancer immunotherapy. NATURE[J]. 2019, 569(7755): 270-+. 

[9] Li, Fubing, Li, Yang, Liang, Huichun, Xu, Tao, Kong, Yanjie, Huang, Maobo, Xiao, Ji, Chen, Xi, Xia, Houjun, Wu, Yingying, Zhou, Zhongmei, Guo, Xiaomin, Hu, Chunmiao, Yang, Chuanyu, Cheng, Xu, Chen, Ceshi, Qi, Xiaopeng. HECTD3 mediates TRAF3 polyubiquitination and type I interferon induction during bacterial infection. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION[J]. 2018, 128(9): 4148-4162, https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000443283400046.

[10] Li, Wei, Tanikawa, Takashi, Kryczek, Ilona, Xia, Houjun, Li, Gaopeng, Wu, Ke, Wei, Shuang, Zhao, Lili, Vatan, Linda, Wen, Bo, Shu, Pan, Sun, Duxin, Kleer, Celina, Wicha, Max, Sabel, Michael, Tao, Kaixiong, Wang, Guobin, Zou, Weiping. Aerobic Glycolysis Controls Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Tumor Immunity via a Specific CEBPB Isoform in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. CELL METABOLISM[J]. 2018, 28(1): 87-+, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.04.022.

[11] Guo, Liang, Zhang, Peng, Chen, Zhimin, Xia, Houjun, Li, Siming, Zhang, Yanqiao, Kobberup, Sune, Zou, Weiping, Lin, Jiandie D. Hepatic neuregulin 4 signaling defines an endocrine checkpoint for steatosis-to-NASH progression. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION[J]. 2017, 127(12): 4449-4461, https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000417141100022.

[12] Houjun Xia, Wei Wang, Joel Crespo, Ilona Kryczek, Wei Li, Shuang Wei, Zhaoqun Bian, Tomasz Maj, Mingxiao He, Rebecca J Liu, Youwen He, Ramandeep Rattan, Adnan Munkarah, JunLin Guan, Weiping Zou. Suppression of FIP200 and autophagy by tumor-derived lactate promotes naïve T cell apoptosis and affects tumor immunity. Science immunology. 2017, 2(17): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5774333/.

[13] Ge, GuangZhe, Xia, HouJun, He, BaoLi, Zhang, HaiLin, Liu, WenJing, Shao, Ming, Wang, ChunYan, Xiao, Ji, Ge, Fei, Li, FuBing, Li, Yi, Chen, Ceshi. Generation and characterization of a breast carcinoma model by PyMT overexpression in mammary epithelial cells of tree shrew, an animal close to primates in evolution. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER[J]. 2016, 138(3): 642-651, https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000369162000013.

[14] Zhang, LinTao, Tian, RenRong, Zheng, HongYi, Pan, GuoQing, Tuo, XiaoYu, Xia, HouJun, Xia, XueShan, Pang, Wei, Zheng, YongTang. Translocation of microbes and changes of immunocytes in the gut of rapid- and slow-progressor Chinese rhesus macaques infected with SIVmac239. IMMUNOLOGY[J]. 2016, 147(4): 443-452, http://www.irgrid.ac.cn/handle/1471x/1151459.

[15] Shao Ming, Ge Guang-Zhe, Liu Wen-Jing, Xiao Ji, Xia Hou-Jun, Fan Yu, Zhao Feng, He Bao-Li, Chen Ceshi. Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Krüppel-like transcription factor (KLF) gene family in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). Oncotarget[J]. 2016, X(X): XX-XX, http://www.irgrid.ac.cn/handle/1471x/1154393.

[16] Qin, Junying, Zhou, Zhongmei, Chen, Wenlin, Wang, Chunyan, Zhang, Hailin, Ge, Guangzhe, Shao, Ming, You, Dingyun, Fan, Zhixiang, Xia, Houjun, Liu, Rong, Chen, Ceshi. BAP1 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by deubiquitinating KLF5. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS[J]. 2015, 6(X).

[17] Xia, HouJun, He, BaoLi, Wang, ChunYan, Zhang, HaiLin, Ge, GuangZhe, Zhang, YuanXu, Lv, LongBao, Jiao, JianLin, Chen, Ceshi. PTEN/PIK3CA genes are frequently mutated in spontaneous and medroxyprogesterone acetate-accelerated 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumours of tree shrews. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER[J]. 2014, 50(18): 3230-3242, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2014.10.012.

[18] Kong, Yanjie, Chen, Jianchao, Zhou, Zhongmei, Xia, Houjun, Qiu, MingHua, Chen, Ceshi. Cucurbitacin E Induces Cell Cycle G2/M Phase Arrest and Apoptosis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer. PLOS ONE[J]. 2014, 9(7): http://159.226.149.42:8080:8088/handle/152453/8028.

[19] Houjun Xia, Chunyan Wang, Wenlin Chen, Hailin Zhang, Leena Chaudhury, Zhongmei Zhou, Rong Liu, Ceshi Chen. Krüppel-like Factor 5 Transcription Factor Promotes Microsomal Prostaglandin E2 Synthase 1 Gene Transcription in Breast Cancer. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2013, 288(37): 26731-26740, http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M113.483958.

[20] Ma, JianPing, Xia, HouJun, Zhang, GaoHong, Han, JianBao, Zhang, LiGuo, Zheng, YongTang. Inhibitory effects of chloroquine on the activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in SIVmac239-infected Chinese rhesus macaques. CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY[J]. 2012, 9(5): 410-416, http://lib.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=43230943.

[21] Xia HJ, Wang CY, Zhang HL, He BL, Jiao JL, Chen CS. Characterization of spontaneous breast tumor in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinenesis). Zoological Research[J]. 2012, 33(1): 55-59, http://www.irgrid.ac.cn/handle/1471x/1154363.

[22] Xia, HouJun, Ma, JianPing, Zhang, GaoHong, Han, JianBao, Wang, JianHua, Zheng, YongTang. Effect of Plasma Viremia on Apoptosis and Immunophenotype of Dendritic Cells Subsets in Acute SIVmac239 Infection of Chinese Rhesus Macaques. PLOS ONE[J]. 2011, 6(12): http://www.irgrid.ac.cn/handle/1471x/352515.

[23] Xia, HouJun, Zhang, GaoHong, Ma, JianPing, Dai, ZhengXi, Li, ShaoYou, Han, JianBao, Zheng, YongTang. Dendritic cell subsets dynamics and cytokine production in SIVmac239-infected Chinese rhesus macaques. RETROVIROLOGY[J]. 2010, 7(1): http://159.226.149.42:8080:8088/handle/353002/6557.

[24] Xia, Houjun, Liu, Hongliang, Zhang, Gaohong, Zheng, Yongtang. Phenotype and Function of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells from Chinese Rhesus Macaques. CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY[J]. 2009, 6(3): 159-165, http://lib.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=30898780.

[25] Xia, HouJun, Zhang, GaoHong, Wang, RuiRui, Zheng, YongTang. The Influence of Age and Sex on the Cell Counts of Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Subpopulations in Chinese Rhesus Macaques. CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY[J]. 2009, 6(6): 433-440, http://159.226.149.42:8080:8088/handle/152453/6424.

[26] Li MH, Li SY, Xia HJ, Wang L, Wang YY, Zhang GH, Zheng YT. Establishment of AIDS Animal Model with SIVmac239 Infected Chinese Rhesus Monkey. VIROLOGICA SINICA[J]. 2007, 22(6): 509-516, http://159.226.149.42:8088/handle/152453/6416.

现指导学生

张雨  硕士研究生  086000-生物与医药