Papers under reviewed or revision
Harnessing the IL-7 pathway 1 to drive effector-like CD8 T cell responses in cancer. Yee J, Cui Z(co-first author), Guldberg S, JLee J, Jaszczak R, Chung J, Stensland Z, Daanen M, Apostolova M, Li H, Zeng Y, Woerner L, Xie W, Zhou C, Tamaki W, Tamaki S, Wolfarth A, Grandis J, Ha P, Fragiadakis G, Krishnan V, Wai K, Kang H, Johnson D, Spitzer M. (Under Revision of Cancer Cell).
Ahmed KI, Deng Q, Xiong X, Boyini S, Shah Y, and Cui Z (Corresponding author), KEAP1 loss confers anti-PD-1 resistance through ferroptotic stress suppression and enhanced tumor cell plasticity in HNSCC (Under review of iScience) Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=7036732 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.7036732
Boyini S, Wang J, Cui Z (Corresponding author). Integrated Interferon signaling-associated gene signature improves prognostic stratification in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (Under review of Translational Oncology)
Published peer reviewed papers
Caspase-8 mutation promotes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma development and resistance to anti-PD-1. Cui Z (corresponding author), Woerner L, Long S, Peterson C, VanLandingham N, Nazarenko A, Grandis J, and Johnson D. J Dent Res, 2026 Jul 9:220345261457066.doi: 10.1177/00220345261457066.Online ahead of print.
Evaluation of cyclic STAT3 oligonucletide decoy in immunocompetent models and pet cats with oral cancer. Grandis J, Skorupski K, Cheng N, Cui Z, Li H, Woerner L, Zeng Y, Shiah J, Bhola N, Blum K, Kim O, York D, Rebhun R, Murad N, Olshen A, Sparger E, Johnson D. Cancer Cell. 2025 Nov 10;43(11):2051-2068.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.07.015. Epub 2025 Aug 28.PMID: 40882634
Naara S, Cui Z, Izgutdina A, VanLandinham N, Nazarenko A, Woerner L, Fu B, Gilbert L, Johnson D, Grandis J. Neddylation as a target in PIK3CA-mutated head and neck cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2025 May 20:759:151703. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.151703.Epub 2025 Mar 25.
Johnson D, Cui Z (corresponding author). Triggering pyroptosis in cancer. Biomolecular. 2025, 15(3), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15030348
Cui Z, Kang H, Li Hua, Lee E, Peterson CN, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. CYLD alterations are associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in HPV-positive head and neck cancer. Head & Neck, 2025 Feb;47(2):606-614.
doi: 10.1002/hed.27944. Epub 2024 Sep 30.
Cui Z. Dabas, H, Leonard BC, Shiah J, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. Caspase-8 mutations associated with head and neck cancer differentially retain functional properties related to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and cytokine induction. Cell Death and Disease 2021 Aug 6;12(8):775.doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-04066-z.
Cui Z (corresponding author), Kang H, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. The role of CYLD alterations in malignant transformation and human papillomavirus-associated cancers. Molecular Cancer Research. 2021 Jan;19(1):14-24.doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-20-0565.Epub 2020 Sep 3.
Mani S, Yan B, Cui Z, Utturkar S, Foca A, Fares N, Durantel D, Lanman N, Merle P, Kazemian M, Andrisani O Restoration of RNA helicase DDX5 suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) biosynthesis and Wnt signaling in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Theranostics. 2020; 10(24): 10957–10972.
Mani S, Cui Z (co-first author), Yan B, Utturkar S, Foca A, Fares N, Durantel D, Lanman N, Merle P, Kazemian M, Andrisani O. RNA Helicase DDX5 Negatively Regulates Wnt Signaling and Hepatocyte Reprogramming in Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma. BioRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/765388
Mohammed S, Utturkar S, Lee M, Yang H, Cui Z, Lanman N, Zhang G, Cardona X, Mittal S, and Miller M. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Progression in Dog Model of Breast Cancer. Cancers2020, 12(2), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12020418.
Fan H, Cui Z, Zhang H, Mani SK, Diab A, Lefrancois L, Fares N, Merle P, Andrisani O. DNA demethylation induces SALL4 gene re-expression in subgroups of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with Hepatitis B or C virus infection. Oncogene 36 (17), 2435-2445
Cui Z, Shen Y, Chen KH, Mittal SK, Yang JY, hang GJ Z. KANK1 inhibits cell growth by inducing apoptosis though regulating CXXC5 in human malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Scientific Reports. 2017; 7: 40325. Published online 2017 Jan 9. doi: 10.1038/srep40325
Shi YC, Lin KS, Jhai YF, Lee BH, Han Y, Cui Z, Hsu WH, Wu SC. Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) Exhibits as a Novel Anti-Hyperuricaemia Agent. Molecules 2016, 21(2), 140; doi:10.3390/molecules21020140
Hensley MR, Cui Z (co-first author), Chua RF, Simpson S, Shammas NL, Yang JY, Leung YF, Zhang G. Evolutionary and developmental analysis reveals KANK genes were co-opted for vertebrate vascular development. Scientific Reports. 2016 Jun 13; 6:27816. doi: 10.1038/srep27816. Pubmed PMID: 27292017
Han Y, Cui Z, Li YH, Hsu WH, Lee BH. in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of pardaxin against proliferation and growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Mar Drugs. 2015 Dec 23; 14(1). pii: E2. doi: 10.3390/md14010002.
Cui Z, Song L, Hou Z, Han Y, Hu Y, Wu Y, Chen W, Mao L. PLU-1/JARID1B overexpression predicts proliferation properties in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. OncologyReports. 2015 May; 33(5):2454-60.
Zhang G, Yang JY, Cui Z. New insight into cancer aneuploidy in zebrafish. International Review of Cellular and Molecular Biology. 2015; 314:149-70.
Song L, Wang W, Zou X, Chen N, Cui Z, Wang B. Relationship Between expression of specificity protein 1 of colorectal adenocarcinoma and clinicopathological parameters (in Chinese). Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University. 34 (7), 973
Cui Z, Cao W, Li J, Song X, Mao L, Chen W. TRIM24 overexpression is common in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and correlates with aggressive malignant phenotypes. PLoS One. 2013;8 (5):e63887.
Cao W, Feng Z, Cui Z, Zhang C, Sun Z, Mao L, Chen W. Up-regulation of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 is associated positively with cyclin D1 overexpression and poor clinical outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer. 2012 Jun 1;118(11):2858-71.
Song X, Xia R, Cui Z, Chen W, Mao L. Presenilin 1 is frequently overexpressed and positively associates with EGFR expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Head and Neck Oncology. 2012 Sep 9.
Abstracts to conferences
Ahmed KI, Deng Q, Xiong X, Boyini S, Shah YD, Cui Z (Corresponding Author). Keap1 loss promotes cancer stemness and anti-PD-1 resistance in head and neck cancer. Cancer Research; April 202686 (8_Supplement):LB286-LB286; DOI:10.1158/1538-7445. AM2026-LB286.
Cui Z, Yee J, Li H, Zeng Y, Woerner L, Wolfarth A, Ferrando-Martinez S, Kang H, Grandis J, Spitzer M, Johnson D. NT-I7 increases lymphocytes and enhances chemotherapy and immunotherapy efficacy in HNSCC. Cancer Res (2025) 85 (8_Supplement_1): 2152. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.AM2025-2152.
Cui Z, Woerner L, Long S, Peterson C, VanLandingham N, Nazarenko A, Grandis J. Johnson D. Caspase-8 mutation promotes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma development and resistance to anti-PD-1.
Cancer Res (2025) 85 (5_Supplement): B009. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7445.GENFUNC25-B009
Cui Z, Tal H, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. HNSCC-associated CASP8 mutations promote resistance to apoptosis and mediate induction of immunosuppressive cytokines. 2020 multidisciplinary head and neck cancer symposium. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.02.005
Cui Z, Tal H, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. HNSCC-associated CASP8 mutations cause resistance to extrinsic apoptosis and mediate induction of immunosuppressive cytokines. 2020 TRDRP joining forces conference.
Cui Z, Tal H, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. HNSCC-associated CASP8 mutations resist to cancer cell apoptosis and confer induction of immunosuppressive cytokines. 2019 AACR Special Conference on Immune Cell Therapies for Cancer.
Cui Z, Tal H, Grandis JR, Johnson DE. HNSCC-associated caspase-8 mutations mediate resistance to apoptosis and up-regulation of immunosuppressive cytokines. Cancer research, DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.SABCS18-726 Published July 2019. AACR
Chen W, Cao W, Zhang P, Cui Z, Xu Q and Wang X. The study on molecular targets of classification of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer research, DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-13-B42 Published November 2013. AACR.
Lv Y, Cao W, Cui Z and Chen W. Overexpression of Tripartite Motif-containing 24 contributes to human epithelium cell carcinoma and correlates with poor prognosis of patient with local advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer research, DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2012-1144 Published April 2012 AACR