Dr. Ming-Derg Lai

EDUCATION

• Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, U.S.A (1987)

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• My research interests focus on the interactions between oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and how these intra-and extra-cellular interactions leading to cancer. To approach this question, specific cell lines with mutated oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes are introduced into syngeneic host, and the cell-cell interactions and tumorigenicity are studied. Our current studies are mainly on oncogenes neu and ras and tumor suppressor gene p53. We studied intracellular signal transduction pathways of these gene products and their relationships with metastasis and tumor formation. In addition, we are also interested in studing the linkage between genetic polymorphism and cancer susceptibility.

Publications:

1. Ye PH, Li CY, Cheng HY, Anuraga G, Wang CY, Chen FW, Yang SJ, Lee KT, Chang KY, Lai MD. A novel combination therapy of arginine deiminase and an arginase inhibitor targeting arginine metabolism in the tumor and immune microenvironment. Am J Cancer Res. 2023 May 13(5):1952-1969.


2. Li CY, Anuraga G, Chang CP, Weng TY, Hsu HP, Ta HDK, Su PF, Chiu PH, Yang SJ, Chen FW, Ye PH, Wang CY, Lai MD. Repurposing nitric oxide donating drugs in cancer therapy through immune modulation. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2023 Jan 14 42(1):22.


3. Wu YH, Yeh IJ, Phan NN, Yen MC, Hung JH, Chiao CC, Chen CF, Sun Z, Hsu HP, Wang CY, Lai MD. Gene signatures and potential therapeutic targets of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-infected human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2021 Oct 54(5):845-857.


4. Lin YY, Wang CY, Phan NN, Chiao CC, Li CY, Sun Z, Hung JH, Chen YL, Yen MC, Weng TY, Hsu HP, Lai MD. PODXL2 maintains cellular stemness and promotes breast cancer development through the Rac1/Akt pathway. Int J Med Sci. 2020 Jun 29 17(11):1639-1651. eCollection 2020.


5. Wang CY, Chiao CC, Phan NN, Li CY, Sun ZD, Jiang JZ, Hung JH, Chen YL, Yen MC, Weng TY, Chen WC, Hsu HP, Lai MD. Gene signatures and potential therapeutic targets of amino acid metabolism in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Am J Cancer Res. 2020 Jan 1 10(1):95-113. eCollection 2020.


6. Lee KT, Chang CL, Li CY, Song H, Shan YS, Lai MD. The oncogenic role of MST3 in human gastric cancer. Am J Cancer Res. 2018 Oct 1 8(10):2130-2139. eCollection 2018.


7. Weng TY, Wu HF, Li CY, Hung YH, Chang YW, Chen YL, Hsu HP, Chen YH, Wang CY, Chang JY, Lai MD. Homoharringtonine induced immune alteration for an Efficient Anti-tumor Response in Mouse Models of Non-small Cell Lung Adenocarcinoma Expressing Kras Mutation. Sci Rep. 2018 May 29 8(1):8216.


8. Weng TY, Li CJ, Li CY, Hung YH, Yen MC, Chang YW, Chen YH, Chen YL, Hsu HP, Chang JY, Lai MD. Skin Delivery of Clec4a Small Hairpin RNA Elicited an Effective Antitumor Response by Enhancing CD8+ Immunity In Vivo. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2017 Dec 15 9:419-427.


9. Wang CY, Li CY, Hsu HP, Cho CY, Yen MC, Weng TY, Chen WC, Hung YH, Lee KT, Hung JH, Chen YL, Lai MD. PSMB5 plays a dual role in cancer development and immunosuppression. Am J Cancer Res. 2017 Nov 1 7(11):2103-2120.


10. Hung YH, Huang HL, Chen WC, Yen MC, Cho CY, Weng TY, Wang CY, Chen YL, Chen LT, Lai MD. Argininosuccinate lyase interacts with cyclin A2 in cytoplasm and modulates growth of liver tumor cells. Oncol Rep. 2017 Feb 37(2):969-978.


11. Huang HL, Chen WC, Hsu HP, Cho CY, Hung YH, Wang CY, Lai MD. Silencing of argininosuccinate lyase inhibits colorectal cancer formation. Oncol Rep. 2017 Jan 37(1):163-170.


12. Wang SM, Hsu JC, Ko CY, Chiu NE, Kan WM, Lai MD, Wang JM. Astrocytic CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein Delta Contributes to Glial Scar Formation and Impairs Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury. Mol Neurobiol. 2016 Nov 53(9):5912-5927.


13. Chen WC, Hsu HP, Li CY, Yang YJ, Hung YH, Cho CY, Wang CY, Weng TY, Lai MD. Cancer stem cell marker CD90 inhibits ovarian cancer formation via β3 integrin. Int J Oncol. 2016 Nov 49(5):1881-1889.


14. Weng TY, Wang CY, Hung YH, Chen WC, Chen YL, Lai MD. Differential Expression Pattern of THBS1 and THBS2 in Lung Cancer: Clinical Outcome and a Systematic-Analysis of Microarray Databases. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 11 11(8):e0161007.


15. Chen WC, Wang CY, Hung YH, Weng TY, Yen MC, Lai MD. Systematic Analysis of Gene Expression Alterations and Clinical Outcomes for Long-Chain Acyl-Coenzyme A Synthetase Family in Cancer. PLoS One. 2016 May 12 11(5):e0155660.


16. Cho CY, Lee KT, Chen WC, Wang CY, Chang YS, Huang HL, Hsu HP, Yen MC, Lai MZ, Lai MD. MST3 promotes proliferation and tumorigenicity through the VAV2/Rac1 signal axis in breast cancer. Oncotarget. 2016 Mar 22 7(12):14586-604.


17. Huang HL, Chen WC, Hsu HP, Cho CY, Hung YH, Wang CY, Lai MD. Argininosuccinate lyase is a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer. Oncol Rep. 2015 Dec 34(6):3131-9.


18. Chen WC, Chang YS, Hsu HP, Yen MC, Huang HL, Cho CY, Wang CY, Chen CS, Lin YJ, Lai MD. Therapeutics targeting CD90-integrin-AMPK-CD133 signal axis in liver cancer. Oncotarget. 2015 Dec 15 6(40):42923-37.


19. Ou KC, Wang CY, Liu KT, Chen YL, Chen YC, Lai MD, Yen MC. Optimization protein productivity of human interleukin-2 through codon usage, gene copy number and intracellular tRNA concentration in CHO cells". Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014 Nov 14 454(2):347-52.


20. Weng TY, Yen MC, Huang CT, Hung JJ, Chen YL, Chen WC, Wang CY, Chang JY, Lai MD. DNA vaccine elicits an efficient antitumor response by targeting the mutant Kras in a transgenic mouse lung cancer model. Gene Ther. 2014 Oct 21(10):888-96.


21. Hung YH, Chan YS, Chang YS, Lee KT, Hsu HP, Yen MC, Chen WC, Wang CY, Lai MD. Fatty acid metabolic enzyme acyl-CoA thioesterase 8 promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Rep. 2014 Jun 31(6):2797-803.


22. Weng TY, Huang SS, Yen MC, Lin CC, Chen YL, Lin CM, Chen WC, Wang CY, Chang JY, Lai MD. A novel cancer therapeutic using thrombospondin 1 in dendritic cells. Mol Ther. 2014 Feb 22(2):292-302.


23. Huang HL, Hsu HP, Shieh SC, Chang YS, Chen WC, Cho CY, Teng CF, Su IJ, Hung WC, Lai MD. Attenuation of argininosuccinate lyase inhibits cancer growth via cyclin A2 and nitric oxide. Mol Cancer Ther. 2013 Nov 12(11):2505-16.


24. Chao YM, Lai MD, Chan JY. Redox-sensitive endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy at rostral ventrolateral medulla contribute to hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hypertension. 2013 Jun 61(6):1270-80.


25. Yen MC, Weng TY, Chen YL, Lin CC, Chen CY, Wang CY, Chao HL, Chen CS, Lai MD. An HDAC inhibitor enhances cancer therapeutic efficiency of RNA polymerase III promoter-driven IDO shRNA. Cancer Gene Ther. 2013 Jun 20(6):351-7.


26. Yen MC, Lai MD. Biolistic DNA delivery to mice with the low pressure gene gun. Methods Mol Biol. 2013 940:169-74.


27. Huang TT, Yen MC, Lin CC, Weng TY, Chen YL, Lin, CM, Lai MD. Skin delivery of short hairpin RNA of indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase induces anti-tumor immunity against orthotopic and metastatic liver cancer". Cancer Sci. 2011 Dec 102(12):2214-20.


28. Chang YS, Tsai CT, HuangFu CA, Huang W, Lei HY, Lin CF, SuIJ, Chang WT, Wu PH, Chen YT, Hung JH, Young KC, Lai MD. ACSL3 and GSK-3beta are essential for lipid upregulation induced by Endoplasmic reticulum stress in liver cells. J Cell Biochem. 2011 Mar 112(3):881-93.


29. Hung JH, Yan CW, Su IJ, Wang HC, Lei HY, Lin WC, Chang WT, Huang W, Lu TJ, Lai MD. Hepatitis B virus surface antigen interacts with acid alpha-glucosidase and alters glycogen metabolism. Hepatol Res. 2010 Jun 40:633-40.


30. Yang HJ, Yen MC, Lin CC, Lin CM, Chen YL, Weng TY, Huang TT, Wu CL, Lai MD. A combination of the metabolic enzyme inhibitor APO866 and the immune adjuvant L-1-methyl tryptophan induces additive antitumor activity. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2010 Jul 235:869-76.


31. Lai MD, Chen CS, Chi-Rei Yang CR, Yuan SY, Tsai JJ, Tu CF, Wang CC, Yen MC, Lin CC. HDAC inhibitor enhances anti-tumor response of CMV promoter –driven DNA vaccine. Cancer Gene Ther. 2010 Mar 17:203-11.


32. Yen MC, Lin CC, Chen YL, Huang SS, Yang HJ, Chang CP, Lei HY, Lai MD. A novel cancer therapy by skin delivery of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase siRNA". Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Jan 15: 641-649.


33. Ling P, Lu TJ, Yuan CJ, Lai MD. Biosignalling of mammalian ste20 related kinase. Cell Signal. 2008 Jul 20(7):1237-47.


34. Lin CC, Yen MC, Lin CM, Huang SS, Yang HJ, Chow NH, and Lai MD. Skin delivery with non-carrier naked DNA vaccine by supersonic flow polarizes Th1 immune response against cancer. J Gene Med. 2008 Jun 10(6):679-89.


35. Lin CC, Yang HJ, Tu CF, Lai MD. The Opposing Effects of Lipopolysaccharide on the Antitumor Therapeutic Efficacy of DNA Vaccine. DNA Cell Biol. 2008 Mar 27(3):151-7.


36. Lin CC, Tu CF, Yen MC, Chen MC, Hsieh WJ, Chang WC, Chang WT, Lai MD. Inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 enhances the anti-tumor effect of DNA vaccine targeting clients of heat shock protein. Mol Ther. 2007 Feb 15(2):404-10.


37. Tu CF, Lin CC, Chen MC, Ko TM, Lin CM, Wang YC, Lai MD. Autologous neu DNA vaccine can be as effective as xenogenic neu DNA vaccine by altering administration route. Vaccine. 2007 Jan 8 25(4):719-28.


38. Lu TJ, Lai WY, Huang CY, Hsieh WJ, Yu JS, Hsieh YJ, Chang WT, Leu TH, Chang WC, Chuang WJ, Tang MJ, Chen TY, Lu TL, Lai MD.. Inhibition of cell migration by autophosphorylated mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 3 (MST3) involves paxillin and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-PEST. J Biol Chem. 2006 Dec 15 281(50):38405-17.


39. Lu TJ, Huang CY, Yuan CJ, Lee YC, Leu TH, Chang WC, Lu TL, Jeng WY, Lai MD. Zinc ion acts as a cofactor for serine/threonine kinase MST3 and has a distinct role in autophosphorylation of MST3. J Inorg Biochem. 2005 Jun 99(6):1306-13.


40. Lai MD, Lin WC, Sun YM, Chang FL.. Phosphorylated and hypoacetylated mutant p53 enhances cisplatin-induced apoptosis through caspase-9 pathway in the absence of transcriptional activation or translation. Int J Mol Med. 2005 Apr 15(4):725-34.


41. Hung JH, Su IJ, Lei HY, Wang HC, Lin WC, Chang WT, Huang W, Chang WC, Chang YS, Chen CC, Lai MD. Endoplasmic reticulum stress stimulates the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 through activation of NF-kB and pp38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. J Biol Chem. 2004 Nov 5 279(45):46384-92.


42. Lin CC, Chou CW, Shiau AL, Tu CF, Ko TM, Chen YL, Yang BC, Tao MH, Lai MD. Therapeutic HER2/neu DNA vaccine inhibits mouse tumor naturally overexpressing endogenous neu. Mol Ther. 2004 Aug 10(2):290-301.


43. Chang FL, Lai MD. Various forms of mutant p53 confer sensitivity to cisplatin and adriamycin in bladder cancer cells. J Urol. 2001 Jul 166(1):304-10.


44. Chen SA, Tsai MH, Wu FT, Hsiang A, Chen YL, Lei HY, Tzai TS, Leung HW, Jin YT, Hsieh CL, Hwang LH, Lai MD. Induction of anti-tumor immunity with combination of HER2/neu DNA vaccine and IL-2 gene-modified tumor vaccine. Clin Cancer Res. 2000 Nov 6(11):4381-8.


45. Chang FL and Lai MD. The relationship between p53 status and anticancer drug-induced apoptosis in nine human bladder cancer cell lines. Anticancer Res. 2000 Jan-Feb 20(1A):351-5.


46. Chang FL, Ling YF, Lai MD. Exogenous mutant p53 DNA enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis in TSGH-8301 human bladder cancer cells. Anticancer Res. 2000 Jan-Feb 20(1A):329-36.