Education

1996, B.Sc., Dept. of Botony, Taiwan University;

1998, M.Sc., Institute of Basic Medicine, Chang Gung University;

2005, Ph.D., Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Yang Ming University.

Professional Experience

2005-2009, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica;

2009-2014, Research Associate, The Scripps Research Institute, USA;

2015-Present, Professor, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University.

Research Area

Self-reactive T cells cause tissue damage and inflammation by compromising T cell tolerance, which employs three mechanisms: deletion, anergy and regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated suppression. Dysregulation of self-reactive T cells is a major driving force in many autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. In addition, follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, Treg cells, CD8+ T cells, germinal center (GC) B cells, and plasma cells play critical roles in humoral immune responses and anti-tumor immunity. Our laboratory will focus on studying the regulation of Tfh, Treg, Th17, CD8 T, GC B, plasma cell differentiation and function by kinases, phosphatases, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and genes related to cell metabolism. The experimental approaches employed in our laboratory include gene expression profiling, in vitro and in vivo CRISPR screening, generation and analysis of knockout/transgenic mice, and mouse models of human diseases. Our goals are: 1) to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying generation and function of Tfh, Treg, Th17, CD8 T, GC B, plasma cells, and tumor immune tolerance, and 2) to establish the causative relationships between various mechanisms and immune responses, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Selected Publications

1.K. Liao^*, P. Chen^*, M. Zhang^*, J. Wang, T. Hatzihristidis, X. Lin, L. Yang, N. Yao, C. Liu, Y. Hong, X. Li, H. Liu, J. C. Zúñiga-Pflücker, P. E. Love, X. Chen^#, W.-H. Liu^#, B. Zhao^#, C. Xiao^#. (2024). Critical roles of the miR-17∼92 family in thymocyte development, leukemogenesis, and autoimmunity. Cell Rep. 43: 114261.
2.Y. Fu, C. Liu, J. Wang, X. Ji, R. Tang, K. Liao, L. Chen, Y. Hong, B. Fan, S. Wang, W.-H. Liu^#. (2024). Immunomodulatory function of Pien Tze Huang in T cell-mediated anti-tumor activity against B16-F10, MC38 and Hep1-6 tumor models. Chin. J Integr. Med. 30: 348-358.
3.X. Zhou^*, X. Jia^*, Z. Huang^*#, C Yang^*, J. Li, W. Xie, X. He, W. Ying, C. Liu, Y. Liu, K. Liao, Y. Hong, X. L. Chen, T. Zhang, N. Xia, W.-H. Liu^#, G. Fu^#, C. Xiao^#. (2023). MHC class II regulation of CD8+ T cell tolerance and implications in autoimmunity and cancer immunotherapy. Cell Rep. 42: 113452.
4.Y. Fu^#, J. Wang, C. Liu, K. Liao, X. Gao, R. Tang, B. Fan, Y. Hong, N. Xiao, C. Xiao, W.-H. Liu^#. (2023). Glycogen synthase kinase 3 controls T-cell exhaustion by regulating NFAT activation. Cell Mol. Immunol. 20: 1127-1139.
5.J. Xie^*, Y. Du^*, D. Liu, J. Wu, K. Yang, X. He, J. Zhao, P. Hong, K. Liao, H. Zhang, Y. Hong, J. R. Teijaro, S. G. Kang^#, C. Xiao^#, W.-H. Liu^#. (2023). The miR-17∼92 miRNAs promote plasma cell differentiation by suppressing SOCS3-mediated NIK degradation. Cell Rep. 42: 112968.
6.X. He^*, J. Zhao^*, A. Adilijiang, P. Hong, P. Chen, X. Lin, J. Xie, Y. Du, Y. Liu, L. Lin, H. Y. Jin, Y. Hong, W.-H. Liu^#, C. Xiao^#. (2023). Dhx33 promotes B-cell growth and proliferation by controlling activation-induced rRNA upregulation. Cell Mol. Immunol. 20: 277–291.
7.J. Wu^*, K. Yang^*, S. Cai^*, S. Zhang^*, L. Hu, F. Lin, S. Wu, C. Xiao, W.-H. Liu^#, J. Han^#. (2022). A p38α-BLIMP1 signalling pathway is essential for plasma cell differentiation. Nat Commun. 13: 7321.
8.C. Yang^*#, Y. Liu^*, Y. Hu^*, L. Fang, Z Huang, H. Cui, J. Xie, Y. Hong, W. Chen, N. Xiao, Q. Li^#, W.-H. Liu^#, C. Xiao^#. (2022). Myc inhibition tips the immune balance to promote antitumor immunity. Cell Mol. Immunol. 19: 1030-1041.
9.Q. Liu^*, Y. Zhou^*, L. Ma, F. Gu, K. Liao, Y. Liu, Y. Zhang, H. Liu, Y. Hong, M. Cao, W.-H. Liu^#, C. Liu^#, G. Liu^#. (2022). Sulfate oligosaccharide of Gracilaria lemaneiformis modulates type 1 immunity by restraining T cell activation. Carbohydr Polym. 15: 119377.
10.C. Liu^*, L. Ma^*, Y. Wang^*, J. Zhao, P. Chen, X. Chen, Y. Wang, Y. Hu, Y. Liu, X. Jia, Z. Yang, X. Yin, J. Wu, S. Wu, H. Zheng, X. Ma, X. Sun, Y. He, L. Lin, Y. Fu, K. Liao, X. Zhou, S. Jiang, G. Fu, J. Tang, W. Han, X. Chen, W. Fan, Y. Hong, J. Han, X. Huang, B.-A. Li, N. Xiao, C. Xiao^#, G. Fu^#, W.-H. Liu^#. (2021). Glycogen synthase kinase 3 drives thymocyte egress by suppressing β-catenin activation of Akt. Sci. Adv. 7: eabg6262.
11.L. Yang^*, W. Chen^*#, L. Li, Y. Xiao, S. Fan, Q. Zhang, T. Xia, M. Li, Y. Hong, T. Zhao, Q. Li^*, W.-H. Liu^#, N. Xiao^#. (2021). Ddb1 is essential for the expansion of CD4+ helper T cells by regulating cell cycle progression and cell death. Front Immunol. 12:72227.
12.W.-H. Liu^*#, S. G. Kang^*, Z. Huang^*, C.-J. Wu, H.-Y. Jin, C. J. Maine, Y. Liu, J. Shepherd, M. Sabouri‐Ghomi, A. Gonzalez-Martin, S. Xu, A. Hoffmann, Y. Zheng, L.-F. Lu, N. Xiao, G. Fu^#, C. Xiao^#. (2016). A miR-155-Peli1-c-Rel pathway controls the generation and function of T follicular helper cells. J. Exp. Med. 213: 1901-1919.
13.S. G. Kang^*, W.-H. Liu^*, P. Lu^*, H. Y. Jin, H. W. Lim, J. Shepherd, D. Fremgen, E. Verdin, M. B. A. Oldstone, H. Qi, J. R. Teijaro^# and C. Xiao^#. (2013). MiR-17~92 family microRNAs are critical regulators of T follicular helper cell differentiation. Nat. Immunol. 14: 849-857.
14.H.-W. Hsiao^*, W.-H. Liu^*, C.-J. Wang, Y.-H. Lo, Y.-H. Wu, S.-C. Jiang and M.-Z. Lai^#. (2009). Deltex1 is a novel NFAT target that promotes T cell anergy. Immunity 31: 72-83.