主要从事 DNA 和 RNA 逆转录病毒致病机制及其靶向药物的研究，在人内源性逆转录病毒（HERV）、乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）等方面开展了系统性和原创性工作：在 HERV 研究中，初步揭示了 HERV 在精神分裂症发生与发展的作用及其分子机制，提出了 HERV 在疾病进程中可能发挥 “Trigger”（触发因子）与 “Bridge”（桥梁因子）双重作用的科学假说，为深入阐明 HERV 的病理机制提供了新的理论框架和研究思路。在 HBV 研究方面，阐明了 HBV 影响肝癌患者临床转归的新机制，并发现了潜在的治疗靶点，为肝癌的精准治疗与药物研发提供了新的科学依据。
Wenshi Li, Xing Xue, Xuhang Li, Xiulin Wu, Ping Zhou, Yaru Xia, Jiahang Zhang, Mengqi Zhang, Fan Zhu*. Ancestral Retrovirus Envelope Protein ERVWE1 Upregulates Circ_0001810, a Potential Biomarker for Schizophrenia, and induces Neuronal Mitochondrial Dysfunction via activating AK2. Cell and Bioscience 2024 Nov 14; 14(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s13578-024-01318-1
Zhao Lv#, Lijuan Liu#, Jian You, Ping Zhou, Yaru Su, Kexin Zhao, Jiahang Zhang, Fan Zhu*. Small HBV surface antigen (SHBs) Drives Regorafenib Resistance in HCC via KIAA1429-Dependent m6A modification of CCR9. Journal of Medical Virology 2024 Sep; 96(9):e29894. doi: 10.1002/jmv.29894
Shuang Ding, Haibin Liu, Lijuan Liu, Li Ma, Zhen Chen, Miao Zhu, Lishi Liu, Xueyan Zhang, Haojie Hao, Li Zuo, Jingwen Yang, Xiulin Wu, Ping Zhou, Huang Fang, Fan Zhu*, Wuxiang Guan*. Epigenetic addition of m5C to HBV transcripts promotes viral replication and evasion of innate antiviral responses. Cell Death & Disease. 2024, Jan 12; 15(1):39. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-06412-9
Xiulin Wu, Lianzhong Liu, Xing Xue, Xuhang Li, Kexin Zhao, Jiahang Zhang, Wenshi Li, Wei Yao, Shuang Ding, Chen Jia, Fan Zhu*. Captive ERVWE1 triggers impairment of 5-HT neuronal plasticity in the first-episode schizophrenia by post-transcriptional activation of HTR1B in ALKBH5-m6A dependent epigenetic mechanisms. Cell & Bioscience 2023 Nov 21; 13:213. doi: 10.1186/s13578-023-01167-4.
Yan Zhou, Lijuan Liu, Youyi Liu, Ping Zhou, Qiujin Yan, Honglian Yu, Xiaobei Chen, Fan Zhu*. Implication of human endogenous retrovirus W family envelope in hepatocellular carcinoma promotes MEK/ERK-mediated metastatic invasiveness and doxorubicin resistance. Cell Death Discovery 2021 Jul 8; 7(1):177. doi: 10.1038/s41420-021-00562-5.
Youyi Liu, Lijuan Liu, Yan Zhou, Ping Zhou, Qiujin Yan, Xiaobei Chen, Shuang Ding, Fan Zhu*. CKLF1 Enhances Inflammation-mediated Carcinogenesis and Prevents Doxorubicin-induced Apoptosis via IL-6/STAT3 Signaling in HCC. Clinical cancer research 2019 Jul 1; 25(13):4141-4154. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-3510.
Xiuling Wang#, Zhongchun Liu#, Peigang Wang, Shan Li, Jie Zeng, Xiaoning Tu, Qiujin Yan, Zheman Xiao, Mengxian Pan, Fan Zhu*. Syncytin-1, an endogenous retroviral protein, triggers the activation of CRP via TLR3 signal cascade in glial cells. Brain Behavior and Immunity 2018 Jan; 67:324-334. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.09.009.
Honglian Yu#, Tao Liu#, Zhankui Zhao, Yatang Chen, Jie Zeng, Shaojun Liu, Fan Zhu*. Mutations in 3‘long terminal repeat of HERV-W family in chromosome 7 upregulate syncytin-1 expression in urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder through interacting with c-Myb. Oncogene 2014 Jul 24; 33(30):3947-58. doi: 10.1038/onc.2013.366.
Lijuan Liu#, Xiaobei Chen#, Shuixiang Xie, Chuanjie Zhang, Zhenpeng Qiu, Fan Zhu*. Variant 1 of KIAA0101, overexpressed in hepatocelluler carcinoma, prevents Doxorubicin-induced apoptosis by inhibiting p53 activation. Hepatology 2012 Nov; 56(5):1760-9. doi: 10.1002/hep.25834.
Wenjie Huang#, Shan Li#, Yuanmin Hu, Hongnian Yu, Feng Luo, Qi Zhang, Fan Zhu*. Implication of the env Gene of the Human Endogenous Retrovirus W Family in the Expression of BDNF and DRD3 and Development of Recent-Onset Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2011, Sep; 37(5):988-1000. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbp166.
