Education

B.S. Nankai University, Bioscience,2007-2011;

Ph.D. Nankai University, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2011-2016;

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, 2016-2019;

Visiting Scholar, Yale University, 2016-2018;

Associate Professor, Biomedical Translational Research Institute, Jinan University, 2019-2026;

Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, 2026

Research Area

Human beings are constantly exposed to environmental pathogens such as virus and endogenous damages such as gene mutation, yet we can maintain health in most circumstances largely due to the immune system. Effector immune cells can eliminate pathogens and pathogenic cells, while regulatory immune cells prevent excessive reactions during this process. Under normal conditions, effector cells and regulatory cells maintain a dynamic balance. The imbalance of immune homeostasis leads to inflammation, autoimmune diseases, tumors, et al. My lab is dedicated to elucidating the characteristics and functions of Teff subsets and Tregs. By using conditional gene knockout mice, combined with cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and multi-omics techniques, we aim to understand the pathological mechanisms of immune-related diseases such as inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and tumors.

Selected Publications

1. Yan J#, Zeng Y#, Guan Z#, Li Z#, Luo S#, Niu J#, Zhao J#, Gong H, Huang T, Li Z, Deng A, Wen Q, Tan J, Jiang J, Bao X, Li S, Sun G, Zhang M, Zhi M*, Yin Z*, Sun WY*, Li YF*, He RR*, Cao G*. Inherent preference for polyunsaturated fatty acids instigates ferroptosis of Treg cells that aggravates high-fat-diet-related colitis. Cell Rep. 2024 Aug 27;43(8):114636.
2. Zhu L#, Xia X#, Li G#, Zhu C#, Li Q, Wang B, Shi NX, Lei Z, Yang S, Zhang Z, Li H, Tan J, Liu Z, Wen Q, Zhong H, Lin XJ, Sun G, Bao X, Wang Q*, Deng L*, Bin L*, Cao G*, Yin Z*. SLC38A5 aggravates DC-mediated psoriasiform skin inflammation via potentiating lysosomal acidification. Cell Rep. 2023 Aug 29;42(8):112910.
3. Xiao Z#, Wang S#, Tian Y#, Lv W, Sheng H, Zhan M, Huang Q, Zhang Z, Zhu L, Zhu C, Zhong H, Wen Q, Liu Z, Tan J, Xu Y, Yang M, Liu Y*, Flavell RA*, Yang Q*, Cao G*, Yin Z*. METTL3-mediated m6A methylation orchestrates mRNA stability and dsRNA contents to equilibrate γδ T1 and γδ T17 cells. Cell Rep. 2023 Jul 25;42(7):112684.
4. Li D#, Zhu J#, Zhang M#, Shi Q#, Guo R#, Zhang D, Zheng P, Zhang H, Li G, Wu J, Sun G, Wen Q, Tan J, Liu Z, Liu X, Yang H*, Lu H*, Cao G*, Yin Z*, Wang Q*. SOSTDC1 downregulation in CD4+ T cells confers protection against obesity-induced insulin resistance. Cell Rep. 2025 Apr 22;44(4):115496.
5. Wang Q#, Li D#, Cao G#, Shi Q#, Zhu J, Zhang M, Cheng H, Wen Q, Xu H, Zhu L, Zhang H, Perry RJ, Spadaro O, Yang Y, He S, Chen Y, Wang B, Li G, Liu Z, Yang C, Wu X, Zhou L, Zhou Q, Ju Z, Lu H, Xin Y, Yang X, Wang C, Liu Y, Shulman GI, Dixit VD, Lu L*, Yang H*, Flavell RA*, Yin Z*. IL-27 signalling promotes adipocyte thermogenesis and energy expenditure. Nature. 2021 Dec;600(7888):314-318.
6. Li Z#, Yang Q#, Tang X#, Chen Y, Wang S, Qi X, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Luo J, Liu H, Ba Y, Guo L, Wu B, Huang F, Cao G*, Yin Z*. Single-cell RNA-seq and chromatin accessibility profiling decipher the heterogeneity of mouse γδ T cells. Sci Bull. 2022 Feb 26;67(4):408-426.
7. Luo S#, Zeng Y#, Chen B#, Yan J, Ma F, Zhuang G, Hao H, Cao G*, Xiao X*, Li S*. Vitamin E and GPX4 cooperatively protect Treg cells from ferroptosis and alleviate intestinal inflammatory damage in necrotizing enterocolitis. Redox Biol. 2024 Sep;75:103303.
8. Zhang M#, Li D#, Zhu J#, Xia X, Zhang H, Wu J, Wang S, Deng A, Wen Q, Tan J, Hao J, Jiang J, Bao X, Sun G, Lu J, Yang Q, Yang H*, Cao G*, Yin Z*, Wang Q*. IL-27 disturbs lipid metabolism and restrains mitochondrial activity to inhibit γδ T17 cell-mediated skin inflammation. Cell Death Dis. 2024 Jul 9;15(7):491.
9. Lu J, Jiao Y, Cao G*, Liu Z*. Multimode CaCO3/pneumolysin antigen delivery systems for inducing efficient cellular immunity for anti-tumor immunotherapy. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2021 Sep 15; 420(1): 129746.
10. Zhu L#, Lei Z#, Xia X#, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Wang B, Li J, Li G, Yang G, Cao G*, Yin Z*. Yeast Shells Encapsulating Adjuvant AS04 as an Antigen Delivery System for a Novel Vaccine against Toxoplasma Gondii. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2021 Sep 1;13(34):40415-40428.
11. Li P#, Zhu X#, Cao G#, Wu R, Li K, Yuan W, Chen B, Sun G, Xia X, Zhang H, Wang X, Yin Z*, Lu L*, Gao Y*. 1α,25(OH)2D3 reverses exhaustion and enhances antitumor immunity of human cytotoxic T cells. J Immunother Cancer. 2022 Mar;10(3):e003477.
12. Xia X#, Cao G#, Sun G#, Zhu L, Tian Y, Song Y, Guo C, Wang X, Zhong J, Zhou W, Li P, Zhang H, Hao J, Li Z, Deng L*, Yin Z*, Gao Y*. GLS1-mediated glutaminolysis unbridled by MALT1 protease promotes psoriasis pathogenesis. J Clin Invest. 2020 Oct 1;130(10):5180-5196.
13. Tong J#, Cao G#, Zhang T#, Sefik E, Amezcua Vesely MC, Broughton JP, Zhu S, Li H, Li B, Chen L, Chang HY, Su B, Flavell RA*, Li HB*. m6A mRNA methylation sustains Treg suppressive functions. Cell Res. 2018 Feb;28(2):253-256.
14. Sun G#, Yang S#, Cao G#, Wang Q, Hao J, Wen Q, Li Z, So KF, Liu Z, Zhou S, Zhao Y, Yang H, Zhou L*, Yin Z*. γδ T cells provide the early source of IFN-γ to aggravate lesions in spinal cord injury. J Exp Med. 2018 Feb 5;215(2):521-535.
15. Cao G#, Wang Q#, Huang W#, Tong J, Ye D, He Y, Liu Z, Tang X, Cheng H, Wen Q, Li D, Chau HT, Wen Y, Zhong H, Meng Z, Liu H, Wu Z, Zhao L, Flavell RA, Zhou H, Xu A, Yang H*, Yin Z*. Long-term consumption of caffeine-free high sucrose cola beverages aggravates the pathogenesis of EAE in mice. Cell Discov. 2017 Jun 20;3:17020.
16. Cao G#, Wang Q#, Li G, Meng Z, Liu H, Tong J, Huang W, Liu Z, Jia Y, Wei J, Chi H, Yang H, Zhao L, Wu Z, Hao J*, Yin Z*. mTOR inhibition potentiates cytotoxicity of Vγ4 γδ T cells via up-regulating NKG2D and TNF-α. J Leukoc Biol. 2016 Nov;100(5):1181-1189.
17. Cao G#, Li HB#, Yin Z*, Flavell RA*. Recent advances in dynamic m6A RNA modification. Open Biol. 2016 Apr;6(4):160003. Review.