THE TRANSNATIONAL MERIT OF OUR RESEARCH

Hyper-activation of signal transduction pathways can promote the progression of various human diseases. Thus developing inhibitors that downregulate a specific signaling transduction pathway is an important therapeutic strategy to prevent disease progression. Signaling molecules need to be secreted out of the cell to perform their physiological functions. Similarly, wild type transmembrane signaling receptors need to be delivered along the secretory transport pathway to the cell surface to induce downstream signaling transduction pathway. 

Our lab aims to investigating molecular mechanisms regulating surface delivery of disease-related transmembrane signaling receptors, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and secretion of soluble signaling molecules including Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). We have identified novel protein interactions that are important for surface delivery of EGFR and for the secreting of Shh or IGF2. We are currently identifying small chemical inhibitors that block these interactions. These chemical inhibitors can be used as a novel inhibitor to downregulate the signaling transduction induced by EGFR, Shh or IGF2. The following are the related patents that are invented from our lab:

1. Guo Y., Lau P.K., Lin Y. Disruption of EGFR-Sar1 interaction for cancer treatment.

(US Patent application has been submitted and the Notice of Allowance has been received; Application number: 16/254.287; Filing date: 01/22/2019).

2. Guo Y., Tang X., Wang T. Disruption of Sonic hedge-Surf4 interaction for cancer treatment (US Provisional patent Ref.: TTC.PA.1652)

3. 郭玉松，王锦辉，汪末.阻断AP-1和EGFR相互作用的抑制剂及药物组合物.（中国专利， 专利号202111158379.5）

In addition, we also have a patent related to extracellular vesicles from Prochlorococcus:

4. Guo Y., Zeng Q., Zhang L., Peng Z., Liu Y., Ma H.. Extracellular vesicles from Prochlorococcus as a novel skin care product (US Provisional patent Ref.: TTC.PA.01589)