Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D.

[email protected]
626-218-6419
Qiong (Annabel) Wang, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology
Research Area
  • Pathogenesis and Treatment of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Related Metabolic Syndromes.
Research Teams
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Qiong Wang, Ph.D., joined the Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute at City of Hope as an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. She comes to City of Hope after her postdoctoral training in Dr. Philipp Scherer’s laboratory at the Touchstone Diabetes Center at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she studied adipose tissue physiology.
 
During her postdoctoral training, Dr. Wang focused on using in vivo models to track adipogenesis, the process of cell differentiation by which preadipocytes become adipocytes, during adipose tissue development and remodeling. She further studied the requirement of key adipogenic transcription factors C/EBPα and PPARγ at various stages of adipogenesis in vivo. Her study showed that different fat depots undergo adipogenesis in distinct time frames both during development and through adulthood. She also unraveled a surprising diversity of transcriptional signals required at various stages of adipogenesis, opening up new possibilities for the selective stage- and location-specific interventions of adipogenesis.
 
Dr. Wang completed her Ph.D. training in Dr. Yong Liu laboratory at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her graduate study focused on identifying novel targets in the liver for the treatment of obesity and insulin resistance.
 

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 2003-2009, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, CHINA
  • 1999-2003
    Xinjiang University, Xinjiang, CHINA
     

Fellowship

  • 2009-2015, Touchstone Diabetes Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Research

Laboratory

The main interest of the Wang laboratory is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate the dynamics of adipogenesis in different fat depots on various occasions. The research efforts are devoted to the pathogenesis and treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic syndromes.

The Wang laboratory is currently working on two projects: 1) the molecular mechanisms that regulate the dramatic adipose tissue remodeling in the mammary gland, and how dysregulation of this remodeling contributes to whole body metabolic disorders and breast cancer, and 2) brown adipocyte heterogeneity, and how this heterogeneity remodels the energy-burning capacity of brown adipose tissue.

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2015, Keystone Symposia Scholarship, Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • 2015, Young Investigator Travel Grant Award, American Diabetes Association
  • 2011-2015, American Diabetes Association Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
  • 2009, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dean Award, the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • 2008, Excellent Yong Physiologist Reward, International Union of Physiological Sciences

Publications

  • Guan Wang, Gaoyan Li, Anying Song, Yutian Zhao, Jiayu Yu, Yifan Wang, Wenting Dai, Martha Salas, Hanjun Qin, Leonard Medrano, Joan Dow, Aimin Li, Brian Armstrong, Patrick T. Fueger, Hua Yu, Yi Zhu, Mengle Shao, Xiwei Wu, Lei Jiang, Judith Campisi, Xia Yang, Qiong A. Wang. Distinct adipose progenitor cells emerging with age drive active adipogenesis. Science (in press)
  • Songzi Liu, Xiaoge Zhang, Xin Yao, Guan Wang, Shijia Huang, Peng Chen, Mingliang Tang, Jie Cai, Zhuyin Wu, Yiliang Zhang, Rongzhi Xu, Kai Liu, Kangmin He, Yan Wang, Lei Jiang, Qiong A. Wang, Liangyou Rui, Jianmiao Liu & Yong Liu. Mammalian IRE1α dynamically and functionally coalesces with stress granules. Nature Cell Biology (2024) doi: 10.1038/s41556-024-01418-7.
  • Xing Zhang, Xiaofeng Ding, Chunqing Wang, Que Le, Dandan Wu, Anying Song, Guixiang Huang, Liping Luo, Yan Luo, Xin Yang, Aleyah E. Goins, Sharina P. Desai, Chengrui Qiu, Floyd D. Silva, Lily Elizabeth Feldman, Jianlin Zhou, Michael F. Spafford, Nathan H. Boyd, Eric R. Prossnitz, Xuexian O. Yang, Qiong A. Wang & Meilian Liu. Depletion of JunB increases adipocyte thermogenic capacity and ameliorates diet-induced insulin resistance. Nature Metabolism (2024) doi: 10.1038/s42255-023-00945-1.
  • Wenting Dai, Zhichao Wang, Guan Wang, Qiong A Wang, Ralph DeBerardinis, Lei Jiang. FASN deficiency induces a cytosol-to-mitochondria citrate flux to mitigate detachment-induced oxidative stress. Cell Report (2023) Aug 29;42(8):112971. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112971
  • Yong Chen, Zhuyin Wu, Shijia Huang, Xiaoxia Wang, Sijia He, Lin Liu, Yurong Hu, Li Chen, Peng Chen, Songzi Liu, Shengqi He, Bo Shan, Ling Zheng, Sheng-Zhong Duan, Zhiyin Song, Lei Jiang, Qiong A Wang, Zhenji Gan, Bao-Liang Song, Jianmiao Liu, Liangyou Rui, Mengle Shao, Yong Liu. Adipocyte IRE1α promotes PGC1α mRNA decay and restrains adaptive thermogenesis. Nature Metabolism (2022) DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00631-8
  • Wenting Dai, Zhichao Wang, Qiong A Wang, David Chan, Lei Jiang. Metabolic reprogramming of OPA1-deficient cells. Cell Mol Life Sci (2022) DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04542-5.
  • Eric A Hanse, Min Pan, Wenzhu Liu, Ying Yang, Mari B Ishak Gabra, Thai Q Tran, Xazmin H Lowman, Bryan Ruiz, Qiong A Wang, Mei Kong. The B56α subunit of PP2A is necessary for mesenchymal stem cell commitment to adipocyte. EMBO Reports (2021) Aug 4;22(8):e51910
  • Zhichao Wang, Tinglu Ning, Anying Song, Jared Rutter, Qiong A. Wang*, Lei Jiang*. Chronic cold exposure enhances glucose oxidation in brown adipose tissue. EMBO Reports (2020) Nov 5;21(11):e50085 (*Co-corresponding author)
  • Wenting Dai, Guan Wang, Jason Chwa, Myung Eun Oh, Tharindumala Abeywardana, Yanzhong Yang, Qiong A Wang, Lei Jiang. Mitochondrial division inhibitor (mdivi-1) decreases oxidative metabolism in cancer. British Journal of Cancer. (2020) Apr;122(9):1288-1297.
  • Anying Song, Wenting Dai, Min Jee Jang, Leonard Medrano, Zhuo Li, Hu Zhao, Mengle Shao, Jiayi Tan, Aimin Li, Tinglu Ning, Marcia M. Miller, Brian Armstrong, Janice M. Huss, Yi Zhu, Yong Liu, Viviana Gradinaru, Xiwei Wu, Lei Jiang, Philipp E. Scherer, Qiong A. Wang. Low- and high-thermogenic brown adipocyte subpopulations coexist in murine adipose tissue. Journal of Clinical Investigation. (2020) Jan 2;130(1):247-257. (Highlighted by Journal of Clinical Investigation)
  • Mengle Shao*, Qiong A. Wang*, Anying Song, Lavanya Vishvanath, Napoleon C. Busbuso, Philipp E. Scherer, Rana K. Gupta. Cellular Origins of Beige Fat Cells Revisited. Diabetes. (2019) Oct;68(10):1874-1885. (*equal contribution)
  • Zhuzhen Zhang, Mengle Shao, Chelsea Hepler, Zhenzhen Zi, Shangang Zhao, Yu A. An, Yi Zhu, Alexandra Ghaben, May-yun Wang, Na Li, Toshiharu Onodera, Nolwenn Joffin, Clair Crewe, Qingzhang Zhu, Lavanya Vishvanath,1 Ashwani Kumar, Chao Xing, Qiong A. Wang, Laurent Gautron, Yingfeng Deng, Ruth Gordillo, Ilja Kruglikov, Christine M. Kusminski, Rana K. Gupta, Philipp E. Scherer. Dermal adipose tissue has high plasticity and undergoes reversible dedifferentiation in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation. (2019) PMID: 31503545 DOI: 10.1172/JCI130239
  • Qiong A. Wang*#, Song Anying#, Wanze Chen, Petra C Schwalie, Fang Zhang, Lavanya Vishvanath, Lei Jiang, Risheng Ye, Mengle Shao, Caroline Tao, Rana K Gupta, Bart Deplancke, Philipp E Scherer*. Reversible De-differentiation of Mammary Adipocytes into Adipose Precursor-like Cells During Lactation. Cell Metabolism. (2018) Aug 7;28(2):282-288.e3. (*Corresponding author; #equal contribution; highlighted by Nature Reviews Endocrinology, Cell Metabolism, The Scientist)
  • Qiong A. Wang, Fang Zhang, Lei Jiang, Risheng Ye, Yu An, Mengle Shao, Caroline Tao, Rana K. Gupta and Philipp E. Scherer. PPARγ and its Role in Adipocyte Homeostasis and Thiazolidinedione-Mediated Insulin Sensitization. Molecular and Cellular Biology (2018) Volume 38 Issue 10 e00677-17 (Cover & Spotlight article)
  • Fang Zhang, Guiyang Hao, Mengle Shao, Kien Nham, Yu An, Qiong A. Wang, Yi Zhu, Christine M Kusminski, Gedaa Hassan, Rana K Gupta, Qiwei Zhai, Xiankai Sun, Philipp E Scherer, Orhan K Oz. An Adipose Tissue Atlas: An Image-Guided Identification of Human-like BAT and Beige Depots in Rodents. Cell Metabolism. (2018) 9;27(1):252-262
  • Caroline Tao, William L Holland, Qiong A Wang, Mengle Shao, Lin Jia, Kai Sun, Xiaoli Lin, Yi-Chun Kuo, Joshua A Johnson, Ruth Gordillo, Joel K Elmquist and Philipp E Scherer. Short-term vs. long-term effects of adipocyte toll-like receptor 4 activation on insulin resistance in male mice. Endocrinology. (2017) 158(5);1260-1270
  • Lei Jiang, Alexander A. Shestov, Pamela Swain, Chendong Yang,Seth J. Parker, Qiong A. Wang, Lance S. Terada, Nicholas D. Adams, Michael T. McCabe, Beth Pietrak, Stan Schmidt, Christian M. Metallo,8 Brian P. Dranka, Benjamin Schwartz and  Ralph J. DeBerardinis. Reductive carboxylation supports redox homeostasis during anchorage-independent growth. Nature. (2016) 532 (7598), 255-258
  • Risheng Ye, Miao Wang, Qiong A Wang, Stephen B Spurgin, Zhao V Wang, Kai Sun and Philipp E Scherer. Autonomous interconversion between adult pancreatic α-cells and β-cells after differential metabolic challenges. Molecular Metabolism. (2016) 10;5(7):437-48.
  • Christine M Kusminski, Shiuhwei Chen, Risheng Ye, Kai Sun, Qiong A Wang, Stephen B Spurgin, Phillip E Sanders, Joseph T Brozinick, Werner J Geldenhuys, Wen-hong Li, Roger H Unger and Philipp E Scherer. MitoNEET-Parkin effects in pancreatic α-and β-cells, cellular survival and intra-insular crosstalk. Diabetes. (2016) 65(6):1534-55
  • Lavanya Vishvanath, Karen A MacPherson, Chelsea Hepler, Qiong A Wang, Mengle Shao, Stephen B Spurgin, Margaret Y Wang, Christine M Kusminski, Thomas S Morley and Rana K Gupta. Pdgfrβ+ mural preadipocytes contribute to adipocyte hyperplasia induced by high-fat-diet feeding and prolonged cold exposure in adult mice. Cell Metabolism. (2016) 9;23(2):350-359
  • Mengle Shao, Jeff Ishibashi, Christine M Kusminski, Qiong A Wang, Chelsea Hepler, Lavanya Vishvanath, Karen A MacPherson, Stephen B Spurgin, Kai Sun, William L Holland, Patrick Seale and Rana K Gupta. Zfp423 maintains white adipocyte identity through suppression of the beige cell thermogenic gene program. Cell Metabolism. (2016) 23(6):1167-1184
  • Qiong A Wang, Caroline Tao, Lei Jiang, Mengle Shao, Risheng Ye, Yi Zhu, Ruth Gordillo, Aktar Ali, Yun Lian, William L Holland, Rana K Gupta and Philipp E Scherer. Distinct regulatory mechanisms govern embryonic versus adult adipocyte maturation. Nature Cell Biology. (2015) 17(9):1099–111
  • Risheng Ye*, Qiong A Wang*, Caroline Tao, Lavanya Vishvanath, Mengle Shao, Jeffery G McDonald, Rana K Gupta and Philipp E Scherer. Impact of tamoxifen on adipocyte lineage tracing: inducer of adipogenesis and prolonged nuclear translocation of cre recombinase. Molecular Metabolism. (2015) 4(17):771-778 (*equal contribution)
  • Risheng Ye, Miao Wang, Qiong A Wang and Philipp E Scherer. Adiponectin-mediated antilipotoxic effects in regenerating pancreatic islets. Endocrinology. (2015) 156(6):2019-28
  • Ingrid Wernstedt Asterholm, Caroline Tao, Thomas S Morley, Qiong A Wang, Fernando Delgado-Lopez, Zhao V Wang and Philipp E Scherer. Adipocyte inflammation is essential for healthy adipose tissue expansion and remodeling. Cell Metabolism. (2014) 20(1):103-18
  • Risheng Ye, William L Holland, Ruth Gordillo, Miao Wang, Qiong A Wang, Mengle Shao, Thomas S Morley, Rana K Gupta, Andreas Stahl and Philipp E Scherer. Adiponectin is essential for lipid homeostasis and survival under insulin deficiency and promotes β-cell regeneration. eLife. (2014) 3: e03851.
  • Kai Sun, Christine M Kusminski, Kate Luby-Phelps, Stephen B Spurgin, Yu A An, Qiong A Wang, William L Holland and Philipp E Scherer. Brown adipose tissue derived VEGF-A modulates cold tolerance and energy expenditure. Molecular Metabolism. (2014) 3(4):474-483
  • Joseph M Rutkowski, Nils Halberg, Qiong A Wang, William L Holland, Jonathan Y Xia and Philipp E Scherer. Differential transendothelial transport of adiponectin complexes. Cardiovascular Diabetology. (2014) 13:47
  • Qiong A Wang, Caroline Tao, Rana K Gupta and Philipp E Scherer. Tracing adipogenesis during white adipose tissue development, expansion and regeneration. Nature Medicine. (2013) 19(10):1338-1344
  • Incoronata Murano, Joseph M. Rutkowski, Qiong A. Wang, You-Ree Cho and Philipp E. Scherer and Saverio Cinti. Time course of histomorphological changes in adipose tissue upon acute lipoatrophy. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. (2013) 23(8):723-731
  • Pamela Fischer-Posovszky, Qiong A Wang, Ingrid Wernstedt Asterholm, Joseph M Rutkowski and Philipp E Scherer. Targeted deletion of adipocytes by apoptosis leads to adipose tissue recruitment of alternatively activated M2 macrophages. Endocrinology. (2011) 152(8): 3074-3081
  • Zhao V Wang, Yingfeng Deng, Qiong A Wang, Kai Sun and Philipp E Scherer. Identification and characterization of a promoter cassette conferring adipocyte-specific gene expression. Endocrinology. (2010) 151(6): 2933-2939
  • Ting Mao, Mengle Shao, Yifu Qiu, Jialiang Huang, Yongliang Zhang, Bo Song, Qiong Wang, Lei Jiang, Yi Liu, Jing-Dong J Han, Pengrong Cao, Jia Li, Xiang Gao, Liangyou Rui, Ling Qi, Wenjun Li and Yong Liu. PKA phosphorylation couples hepatic inositol-requiring enzyme 1α to glucagon signaling in glucose metabolism. PNAS. (2011) 108(38):15852-15287
  • Qiong Wang, Shoufeng Li, Lei Jiang, Yunhua Zhou, Zi Li, Mengle Shao, Wenjun Li and Yong Liu. Deficiency in hepatic ATP-citrate lyase affects VLDL-triglyceride mobilization and liver fatty acid composition in mice. Journal of Lipid Research. (2010) 51(9): 2516-2526
  • Lei Jiang, Qiong Wang, Yue Yu, Feng Zhao, Ping Huang, Rong Zeng, Robert Z Qi, Wenjun Li and Yong Liu. Leptin contributes to the adaptive responses of mice to high-fat diet intake through suppressing the lipogenic pathway. PLoS ONE. (2009) 4(9): e6884
  • Qiong Wang*, Lei Jiang*, Jue Wang, Shoufeng Li, Yue Yu, Jia You, Rong Zeng, Xiang Gao, Liangyou Rui, Wenjun Li and Yong Liu. Abrogation of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase protects against fatty liver and ameliorates hyperglycemia in leptin receptor-deficient mice. Hepatology. (2009) 49: 1166-1175 (*equal contribution)
  • Lei Jiang, Jia You, Xinxin Yu, Lety Gonzalez, Yue Yu, Qiong Wang, Guoqing Yang, Wenjun Li, Cai Li and Yong Liu. Tyrosine-dependent and -independent actions of leptin receptor in control of energy balance and glucose homeostasis. PNAS. (2008) 105: 18619-18624

To view more of Dr. Qiong (Annabel) Wang's publications, view NBCI publications here.