Inflammation is an important host response to various stimuli and conditions including infection and tissue injury. Controlled inflammatory response is considered beneficial, but it can be rather detrimental if dysregulated. Diseases such as cancer, auto-immune diseases and infectious diseases all involve uncontrolled inflammation. The​re are many different mediators of inflammation, a crucial member of which is IL-1β. The production of functional IL-1β needs NF-kB dependent transcription of pro-IL-1β, followed with cleavage by caspases such as caspase-1. The activation of caspase-1 relays on the assembly of a protein complex called inflammasome, which consists of pattern recognition receptor (PRR) such as NLRP3 or AIM2, adaptor protein ASC and pro-caspase-1. The goal of our lab is to understand the function of innate immunity especially inflammasome in inflammatory diseases and related mechanisms.

2001－2005 Ph.D, Immunology, Technical University of Munich, Germany.

1998－2000 M.S., Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Co-Educate).

1997－1998 M.S., Zoology, Shandong Normal University，China (Co-Educate).

1993－1997 B.S., Biology, Shandong Normal University，China .

   

2010-        : Professor, Chief, Unit of Innate Immunity, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Science, China.

2005-2010: Post.Doc. Visiting fellow at Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Host Defenses, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA.

2001-2005: Ph.D student at Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Germany.

Immunology and virus

   

1, 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. (IF=8.904).PMID: 26119741.

 2, Chen M, Xing Y, Lu A, Fang W, Sun B, Chen C, Liao W, Meng G*. Internalized Cryptococcus neoformans Activates the Canonical Caspase-1 and the Noncanonical Caspase-8 Inflammasomes.  J Immunol. 2015 Nov 15;195(10):4962-72.  (IF=4.922). PMID: 26466953.

 3, Mao L#, Zhang L#, Li H, Chen W, Wang H, Wu S, Guo C, Lu A, Yang G, An L, Abliz P* , Meng G*. Pathogenic Fungus Microsporum canis Activates the NLRP3 Inflammasome. INFECT IMMUN. 2014 Feb; 82(2):882-92. (IF=4.062). [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24324190. PMCID: PMC3911390.

4, Xu Y#, Li H#, Chen W#, Yao X, Xing Y,Wang X,  Zhong J*, Meng G*. Mycoplasma hyorhinis Activates the NLRP3 Inflammasome and Promotes Migration and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells. PLOS ONE. 2013 Nov 6;8(11):e77955. (IF=4.244). PMID: 24223129. PMCID: PMC3819327.

 5, Li H#, Wu S#, Mao L#, Lei G, Zhang L, Lu A, An L, Yang G, Abliz P*, Meng G*. Human pathogenic fungus Trichophyton schoenleinii activates the NLRP3 inflammasome. Protein Cell. 2013 Jul;4(7):529-38. (IF=3.22).PMID: 23686720.

6, 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 Jul;23(7):965-8. (IF=10.216). PMID: 23567555. PMCID: PMC3698630.

7, Wang H, Xing Y, Mao L, Luo Y, Kang L, Meng G*. Pannexin-1 influences peritoneal cavity cell population but is not involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Protein Cell. 2013 Apr;4(4):259-65. (IF=3.22).PMID: 23549611.

8, Mao K#, Chen S#, Chen M, Ma Y, Wang Y, Huang B, He Z, Zeng Y, Hu Y, Sun S, Li J, Wu X, Wang X, Strober W, Chen C*, Meng G*, Sun B*. Nitric oxide suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation and protects against LPS-induced septic shock. Cell Res. 2013 Feb;23(2):201-12. (IF=10.216). PMID: 23318584. PMCID: PMC3567828.

9. Nakamura Y, Franchi L, Kambe N, Meng G, Strober W, Núñez G. Critical role for mast cells in interleukin-1β-driven skin inflammation associated with an activating mutation in the nlrp3 protein. Immunity. 2012 Jul 27;37(1):85-95. PMID: 22819042. PMCID: PMC3411177.

 10. Chen M, Wang H, Chen W, Meng G*. Regulation of adaptive immunity by the NLRP3 inflammasome. Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 May;11(5):549-54. Review. (IF=2.561). PMID: 21118671.

11. Meng G, Strober W*. New insights into the nature of autoinflammatory diseases from mice with Nlrp3 mutations. Eur J Immunol. 2010 Mar;40(3):649-53. Invited Review, CoverPage. (IF=4.893). PMID: 20201022. PMCID: PMC3729261.

12. Meng G, Zhang F, Fuss I, Kitani A, Strober W*. A mutation in the Nlrp3 gene causing inflammasome hyperactivation potentiates Th17 cell-dominant immune responses. Immunity. 2009 Jun 19;30(6):860-74. “Must read” paper in Faculty of 1000. (IF=21.094). PMID: 19501001. PMCID: PMC2764254.

13. Zhang F, Meng G, Strober W*. Interactions among the transcription factors Runx1, RORgammat and Foxp3 regulate the differentiation of interleukin 17-producing T cells. Nat Immunol. 2008 Nov; 9(11): 1297-306. Epub 2008 Oct 12. “Recommended” paper in Faculty of 1000. (IF=24.735). PMID: 18849990.

14. Meng G#, Rutz M#, Schiemann M, Metzger J, Grabiec A, Schwandner R, Luppa PB, Ebel F,Busch DH, Bauer S, Wagner H, Kirschning CJ*. Antagonistic antibody prevents Toll-like receptor 2 driven lethal shock-like syndromes. J Clin Invest. 2004 May 15; 113:1473-81. “Recommended” paper in Faculty of 1000. (IF=15.43). PMCID: PMC406529.

15. Meng G, Grabiec A, Vallon M, Ebe B, Hampel S, Bessler W, Wagner H, Kirschning CJ*. Cellular recognition of tri-/di-palmitoylated peptides is independent from a domain encompassing the N-terminal seven leucine-rich repeat (LRR)/LRR like motifs of TLR2.  J Biol Chem. 2003 Oct 10; 278 (41):39822-9. (IF=5.117). PMID: 12860988.

 16. Meng G, Grabiec A, Rutz M, Metzger J, Luppa PB, Wagner H, Bauer S, Kirschning CJ*. Murine TLR2 expression analysis and systemic antagonism by usage of specific monoclonal antibodies. Immunol Lett. 2005 May 15;98(2):200-7. (IF=2.698). PMID: 15860219.

1, Generation of a monoclonal antibody against Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 extracellular domain that’s blackade for cellulat signal transduction induced by spetic shock challenge via this receptor. PCT/EP2004/010700. USA and Europe. Carsten J. Kirschning, Guangxun Meng, and Hermann Wagner.

2, Application of citric acid ion and iron ion in the inhibition of RNA viruses. 201510201722.8. Guangxun Meng and Hongbin Wang.

3, Application of traditional Chinese medicine for inhibition of the inflammasome. 201510057046.1. Guangxun Meng and Wei Chen.​

1.“Hyper activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome Protectes Mice Against Lethal Challenge from Influenza A Virus”, Institut Pasteur International Network Scientific Symposium 2016,27-11-2016

2. the 16th International Congress of Immunology, 20-08-2016

3.“Reciprocal Regulation between Enterovirus 71 virus and the NLRP3 Inflammasome”,Scientific Symposium of the Institut Pasteur International Network, 14-10-2015

4.”Nlrp3-R258W Mutation Protects Mice from Animal Models of Colitis and Colorectal Cancer”, the 17th International Congress of Mucosal Immunology (ICMI2015) ,14-07-2015

5. ”NLRP3-R258W MUTATION PROTECTS MICE FROM EXPERIMENTAL COLITIS AND COLORECTAL CANCER”,the 6th Congress of the FIMSA, 30-06-2015

6. ”Function of the inflammasome in the host defense against Cryptococcus neoformans infection”, the  9th International Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis, 15-05-2014

Graduated Students:

Mingkuan Chen  01  19178  

Hongbin Wang  01  19178  

Wei Chen  01  19178  

Guang Xue  02  63228  

Current Students:

Xiaomin Yao  01  19178  

Yue Xing  01  19178  

Fujia Yao 02  63228  

Yihui Chen  01  19182  

Shuxian Wu  01  19182