Research in Neuroscience

Research in Neuroscience is a peer-reviewed journal aims to advance our understanding of the nervous system in health and disease, thereby improving the diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. It presents novel results that can be of interest to a broad spectrum of neuroscientists and that were generated by experiments guided by clearly defined aims or hypotheses.

Wen-Quan Zou

Editorial Board Member of Research in Neuroscience

Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, USA

Research Areas

Neuroscience, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Prion Diseases, Alzheimer Disease

Education

1992-1995Ph.DShanghai Medical University, Shanghai, China. Mentor: Dr. Shanyan Lin
1986-1989M.ScTongji Medical University, Wuhan, China. Mentor: Dr. Weixing Ye
1979-1984M.D.Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang, China

Experience

2011-presentAssociate Professor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
2011-presentAssociate Professor, Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
2008-presentAssociate Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
2004-2011Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
2003-2004Instructor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
1995-1996Attending Physician, Division of Nephrology, Changzheng Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai, China
1989-1992Attending Physician, Division of Nephrology, Changzheng Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai, China.
1984-1986Physician, Department of Internal Medicine, Fourth Hospital of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China

Academic Achievement

2009 Annals of Neurology 2009 Prize for our research article entitled "A novel human disease with abnormal prion protein sensitive to protease" published in Ann. Neurol. 63:697, 2008 in which I am a co-corresponding author
2009-present: Guest Professor, Nanchang University School of Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
2007 Visiting Scientist, University of British Columbia, Brain Research Center, Vancouver, Canada
2002 First Annual Post-doctoral Fellowship Research Day Award of Case Western Reserve University
1995 Scholarship of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture
1993-1994 Dongfang Scholarship
1992-1993 National Education Committee Outstanding Scholarship
1979-1983 Outstanding Medical Student Awards

Membership

2003-present Society for Neuroscience
2003-present International Society for Neurochemistry
2003-present Protein Society
2006-present American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Publications: Journals

[1]  Zou, W. Q., Zhou, X., Yuan, J., & Xiao, X. Insoluble prion protein and Alzheimer disease. Prion 2011, 5:1-7. (Invited review).
[2]  Zhou, X., Bi, H., Wong, J., Shimoji, M., Yuan, J., Xiao, X., Wang, G., & *Zou, W. Q. Alkylating antitumor drug mechlorethamine inhibits in vitro prion amplification by concealing a structured PrP domain. J. Toxicolo. Environ. Health 2011, in press, *Corresponding author.
[3]  Gambetti, P., Puoti, G., & Zou, W. Q. Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy: a novel disease of the prion protein. J. Mol. Neurosci. 2011 May 17. Epub ahead of print.
[4]  Vital, A., Laplanche, J. L., Bastard, J. R., Xiao, X., Zou, W. Q., Vital, C. A case of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease with a novel six octapeptide repeat insertion. Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol. 2011 Mar 23. Epub ahead of print.
[5]  *Zou, W. Q., Xiao, X., Yuan, J., Puoti, G., Fujioka, H., Wang, X., Richardson, S., Zhou, X., Zou, R., Li, S., McGeer, P. L., McGeehan, J., Kneale, G., Rincon-Limas, D. E., Fernandez-Funez, P., Lee, H. G., Smith, M. A., Petersen, R. B., & Guo, J. P. Amyloid-β interacts mainly with prion protein in the Alzheimer's brain. J. Biol. Chem. 2011; 286:15095-15105. *Corresponding author.
[6]  Gambetti, P., Cali, I., Notari, S., Kong, Q., Zou, W. Q., & Surewicz, W. Molecular biology and pathology of prion strains in sporadic prion diseases. Acta Neuropathol. 2010; 121:79-90.
[7]  Fernandez-Funez, P., Zhang, Y., Casas-Tinto, S., Xiao, X., Zou, W. Q., & Rincon-Limas, D. E. Sequence-dependent prion protein misfolding and neurotoxicity. J. Biol. Chem. 2010; 285:36897-36908.
[8]  Parchi, P., Cescatti, M., Notari, S., Schulz-Schaeffer, W., Capellari, S., Giese, A., Zou, W. Q., Kretzschmar, H., Ghetti, B., & Brown, P. Agent strain variation in human prion disease: Insights from a molecular and pathological revision of the NIH series of experimentally transmitted disease. Brain 2010; 133:3030-3042.
[9]  Zou, W. Q. Chameleon-like prion protein and human cognition. Current Topics on Biochemical Research 2010, 12:1-8. (Invited review).
[10]  Dagdanova, A., Ilchenko, S., Notari, S., Yang, Q., Obrenovich, M. E., Hatcher, K., McAnulty, P., Huang, L., Zou, W. Q., Kong, Q., Gambetti, P., & Chen, S. G. Characterization of the prion protein in human urine. J. Biol. Chem. 2010; 285:30489-30495.
[11]  *Zou, W. Q., Puoti, G., Xiao, X., Yuan, J., Qing, L., Cali, I., Shimoji, M., Langeveld, J., Castellani, R., Notari, S., Troncoso, J., Schmidt, R. E., Geschwind, M., DeArmond, S. J., Cairns, N., Dickson, D., Honig, L., Torres, J. M., Mastrianni, J., Capellari, S., Giaccone, G., Belay, E. D., Schonberger, L. B., Cohen, M., Perry, G., Kong, Q., Parchi, P., Tagliavini, F., & *Gambetti, P. Variably Protease-Sensitive Prionopathy: A New Sporadic Disease of the Prion Protein. Ann. Neurol. 2010; 68:162-172. *Co-corresponding author.
[12]  *Zou, W. Q., Langeveld, J., Xiao, X., Chen, S., McGeer, P. L., Yuan, J. Payne, M. C., Kang, H. E., McGeehan, J., Sy, M. S., Greenspan, N. S., Kaplan, D., Wang, G. X., Parchi, P., Hoover, E., Kneale, G., Telling, G., Surewicz, W. K., Kong, Q., & Guo, J. P. PrP conformational transitions alter species-preference of a PrP specific antibody. J. Biol. Chem. 2010;285:13874-13884. *Corresponding author.
[13]  Notaria, S., Moleresa, F. J., Hunterb, S. B., Belayc, E. D., Schonbergerc, L. B., Calia, I., Parchid, P., Shiehc, W. J., Browne, P., Zakic, S. R., Zou, W. Q., & Gambetti, P. Multi-organ detection and characterization of the protease resistant prion protein in a case of variant cjd examined in the United States. Plos ONE 2009;5:e8765.
[14]  Zou, W. Q., Gambetti, P. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: French versus British. Ann Neurol. 2009; 65:233-5.
[15]  Cali, I., Castellani, R., Alshekhlee, A., Cohen, Y., Blevins, J., Yuan, J., Langeveld, J. P. M., Parchi, P., Safar, J. G., *Zou, W. Q. & *Gambetti, P. Co-existence of scrapie prion protein types 1 and 2 in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: its effect on the phenotype and prion-type characteristics. Brain, 132(Pt 10):2643-58, 2009, *Cocorresponding author.
[16]  Xiao, X., Miravalle, L., Yuan, J., McGeehan, J., Dong, Z., Wyza, R., MacLennan, G. T., Golichowski, A. M., Kneale, G., King, N., Kong, Q., Spina, S., Vidal, R., Ghetti, B., Roos, B., Gambetti, P. & *Zou, W. Q. Failure to detect the presence of prions in the uterine and gestational tissues from a gravida with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Am J Pathol. 174:1602, 2009. *Corresponding author.
[17]  Notari, S., Strammiello, R., Capellari, S., Giese, A., Cescatti, M., Grassi, J., Ghetti, B., Langeveld, J. P., Zou, W. Q., Gambetti, P., Kretzschmar, H. A., Parchi, P. Characterization of truncated forms of abnormal prion protein in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. J. Biol. Chem. 283:30557, 2008.
[18]  Maddox, R. A., Belay, E. D., Curns, A. T., Zou, W. Q., Nowicki, S., Lembach, R. G., Geschwind, M. D., Haman, A., Shinozaki, N., Nakamura, Y., Borer, M. K. & Schonberger, L. B., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in recipients of corneal transplants. Cornea 27:851, 2008.
[19]  *Gambetti P, Dong Z, Yuan J, Xiao X, Zheng M, Alshekhlee A, Castellani R, Cohen M, Barria MA, Romero DG, Belay ED, Schonberger LB, Marder K, Harris C, Burke JR, Montine T, Wisniewski T, Dickson DW, Soto C, Hulette CM, Mastrianni JA, Kong Q, *Zou W. Q. A novel human disease with abnormal prion protein sensitive to protease. Ann. Neurol. 63:697, 2008. *Co-corresponding author.
[20]  Kong, Q., Zheng, M., Casalong, C., Qing, L., Huang, S., Chakraborty, B., Wang, P., Chen, F., Cali, I., Corona, C., Martucci, F., Iulini, B., Acutis, P., Wang, L., Liang, J., Wang, M., Li, X., Monaco, S., Zanusso, G., Zou, W. Q., Caramelli, M. & Gambetti, P. Evaluation of the human transmission risk of an atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy prion strains. J. Virol. 82:3697, 2008.
[21]  Yuan, J., Dong, Z., Guo, J.-P., McGeehan,J., Xiao, X., Wang, J., Cali, I., McGeer, P. L., Cashman, N. R., Bessen, R., Surewicz, W. K., Kneale,G., Petersen, R. B., Gambetti, P. & *Zou, W. Q. Accessibility of a critical prion protein region involved in strain recognition and its implications for the early detection of prions. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65:631, 2008 *Corresponding author.
[22]  Lahar R. Mehta, L. R., Huddleston, B. J., Elaine J. Skalabrin, E. J., Burns, J. B., Zou, W. Q., Gambetti, P. & Chin, S. S. Sporadic Fatal Insomnia Masquerading as a Paraneoplastic CerebellarSyndrome. Arch. Neurol. 65:971, 2008.
[23]  Lefebvre-Roque, M., Kremmer,E., Gilch, S. Zou, W. Q., Féraudet, C., Mourton-Gilles, C., Salès, N., Grassi, J., Gambetti, P., Baron, T. G. M., Schätzl, H. & Lasmézas, CI. Toxic Effects of Intracerebral PrP Antibody Administration During the Course of BSE Infection in Mice. Prion 1:198, 2007.
[24]  *Zou, W. Q. & Gambetti, P. Prion: the chameleon protein. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 64: 3266, 2007. *Corresponding author and invited author by the journal.
[25]  Zou, W. Q. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy and beyond (E-letter). Science http://www.sciencemag.org/content/308/5727/1420.long/reply#sci_el_10316, 20, Sep 2007.
[26]  Yuan, J., Xiao, X., McGeehan, J., Dong, Z., Cali, I., Fujioka, H., Kong, Q., Kneale, G., Gambetti, P. & *Zou, W. Q. Insoluble aggregates and protease-resistant conformers of prion protein in uninfected human brains. J. Biol. Chem. 281:34848, 2006. *Corresponding author.
[27]  Cali, I., Capellari, S., Yuan, J., Al-Shekhlee, A., Cohen, M. L., Xiao, X., Moleres, F. J., Parchi, P., *Zou, W. Q., & *Gambetti, P. Classification of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease revisited. Brain 129:2266, 2006. *Co-corresponding author.
[28]  Xie, Z., O'Rourke, K., Dong, Z., Jenny, A.L., Schonberger, L. B., Belay, E. D., Petersen, R. B., Zou, W. Q., Kong, Q., Gambetti, P. & Chen, S. G. Chronic wasting disease of elk and deer and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Comparative analysis of the scrapie prion Protein. J. Biol. Chem. 281:4199, 2006.
[29]  Crain, B. J., Zou, W. Q., Yousem, D. M. A prion disease: possible Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker. J. Comput. Assist. Tomogr. 30:135, 2006.
[30]  Pastore, M., Chin, S. S., Bell, K. L., Dong, Z., Yang, Q., Yang, L., Yuan, J., Chen, S. Q., Gambetti, P. & Zou, W. Q. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) with a mutation at codon 148 of prion protein gene: relationship with sporadic CJD. Am. J. Pathol. 167: 1729, 2005.
[31]  Kong, Q., Huang, S., Zou, W. Q., Vanegas, D., Wang, M., Wu., Yuan, J., Bai, H., Zheng, M., Deng, H., Chen, K., Jenny, A. L., O'Rourke, K., Belay, E. D., Schonberger, L. B., Petersen, R. B., Sy, M. S., Chen, S. G. & Gambetti, P. Transmissibility of chronic wasting disease of elk to humans. J. Neurosci. 25: 7944, 2005.
[32]  Belay, E. D., Sejvar, J. J., Shieh, W. J., Wiersma, S. T., Zou, W. Q., Gambetti, P., Hunter, S., Maddox, R. A., Crockett, L., Zaki, S. R. & Schonberger, L. B. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease death, United States. Emerging Infect. Dis. 11: 1351, 2005.
[33]  Zou, W. Q. & Gambetti, P. From microbes to prions: The final proof of the prion hypothesis. Cell 121: 155, 2005.
[34]  Yuan, J., Kinter, M., McGeehan, J., Perry, G., Kneale, G. G., *Gambetti, P. & *Zou, W. Q. Concealment of epitope by reduction and alkylation in prion protein. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun. 326: 652, 2005. *Co-corresponding author.
[35]  Mishra, R. S., Bose, S., Gu, Y., Luo, X., Zou, W.Q., Mishra, R., Li, R., Chen, S. G., Gambetti, P., Fujioka, H. & Singh, N. Protease-resistant human prion protein and ferritin are co-transported across Caco-2 epithelial cells: Implications for species barrier in prion uptake from the intestine. J. Neurosci. 24:11280, 2004.
[36]  Zou, W.Q. & Gambetti, P. Modeling of human prions and prion diseases in vitro and in vivo. Drug Disc. Today: Dis. Mod. 1:157, 2004.
[37]  Castellani, R.J., Colucci, M., Xie, Z., Zou, W.Q., Li, C., Parchi, P., Capellari, S., Pastore, M., Rahbar, M.H., Chen, S.G. & Gambetti, P. Sensitivity of 14-3-3 protein test varies in subtypes of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Neurology, 63:436, 2004.
[38]  Zou, W.Q., Zheng, J., Gray, D.M., Gambetti, P. & Chen, S.G. Antibody to DNA specifically detects scrapie but not normal prion protein. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101:1380, 2004.
[39]  Paramithiotis, E., Pinard, M., Lawton, T., LaBossiere, S., Leathers, V., Zou, W.Q., Estey, L., Lamontagne, J., Lehto, M. T., Kondejewski, L.H., Francoeur, G. P., Papadopoulos, M., Haghighat, A., Spatz, S.J., Head, M., Will, R., Ironside, J., O'Rourke, K., Tonelli, Q., Ledebur, H.C., Chakrabartty, A. & Cashman, N.R. Properties of a disease-specific prion probe. Nat. Med., 10:11, 2004.
[40]  Gambetti, P., Kong, Q., Zou, W.Q., Parchi, P. & Chen, S.G. Sporadic and familial CJD: classification and characterisation. Br. Med. Bull. 66:213, 2003.
[41]  Zou, W.Q., Capellari, S., Parchi, P., Sy, M-S., Gambetti, P. & Chen, S.G. Identification of novel proteinase K-resistant C-terminal fragments of PrP in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. J. Biol. Chem., 278: 40429, 2003.
[42]  Paramithiotis, E., Pinard, M., Lawton, T., LaBossiere, S., Leathers, V., Zou, W.Q., Estey, L., Lamontagne, J., Lehto, M. T., Kondejewski, L.H., Francoeur, G. P., Papadopoulos, M., Haghighat, A., Spatz, S.J., Head, M., Will, R., Ironside, J., O'Rourke, K., Tonelli, Q., Ledebur, H.C., Chakrabartty, A. & Cashman, N.R. A prion protein epitope selective for the pathologically misfolded conformation. Nat. Med., 9:893, 2003.
[43]  Zou, W.Q. & Cashman, N.R. Acidic pH and detergents enhance in vitro conversion of human brain PrPC to a PrPSc-like form. J. Biol. Chem., 277:43942, 2002.
[44]  Zou, W.Q., Yang, D. S., Fraser, P. E., Cashman, N. R. & Chakrabartty, A. All or none fibrillogenesis of a prion peptide. Eur. J. Biochem. 268(18):4885, 2001.
[45]  Chen, S.G, Zou, W.Q, Parchi P. & Gambetti, P. PrPSc typing by N-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry. Arch. Virol., 16 (suppl.):209, 2000.
[46]  Parchi, P., Zou, W.Q., Wang, W., Brown, P., Capellari, S., Ghetti, B., Kopp, N., Schulz-Schaeffer, W. J., Kretzschmar, H. A., Head M. W., Ironside, J. W., Gambetti, P. & Chen, S. G. Genetic influence on the structural variations of abnormal prion protein. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 97:10168, 2000.
[47]  Lin, S. T., Zou W.Q., Chen, J., & Li, P. Stress and dietary salt intake in the pathogenesis of hypertension: role of the renal and sympathetic nervous system. Sheng Li Xue Ba (in Chinese) 51: 7, 1999.
[48]  Parchi, P., Chen, S. G., Brown, P., Zou, W.Q., Capellari, S., Budka, H., Hainfellner, J., Reyes, P. F., Golden, G. T., Hauw, J. J. Gajdusek, D. C. & Gambetti, P. Different patterns of truncated prion protein fragments correlate with distinct phenotypes in P102L Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95:8322, 1998.
[49]  Chen, S.G., Parchi, P., Brown, P., Capellari, S., Zou, W.Q., Cochran, E.J., Vnencak-Jones, C.L., Julien, J., Vital, C., Mikol, J., Lugaresi, E., Aautilio-Gamebetti, L.,& Gambetti, P. Allelic origin of the abnormal prion protein isoform in familial prion diseases. Nat. Med. 3(9):1009, 1997.
[50]  Zhou, J., Gu, Y., Zou, W.Q. & Lin, S. Effect of dialytic therapy on serum α1-microglobulin in uremic patients. Acta Academiae Medicinae Shanghai (in Chinese) 21(Suppl.):186, 1994.
[51]  Zou, W.Q., Zhang, B. & Mei, C. HLA typing in patients with chronic renal failure induced by glomerulonephritis. Academic Journal of Second Military Medical University (in Chinese) 15(3):221, 1994.
[52]  Zou, W.Q., Zhang, B. & Mei, C. Analyses of cause of bone marrow necrosisdeveloped after renal transplantation. Academic Journal of Second Military Medical University (in Chinese) 14(2):115, 1993.
[53]  Zou, W.Q., Zhang, B. & Mei, C. Clinical significance of detecting α1 microglobulin in sera and urine of patients with renal diseases. Chinese Journal of Nephrology (in Chinese) 8(1):37, 1992.
[54]  Zou, W.Q., Zhang, B. & Ye, W. Determination of anti-dsDNA antibody in sera of patients with Graves' diseases. Shanghai Journal of Medical Determination (in Chinese) 5(3):138, 1990.
[55]  Chen, G., Zhang, Y. G., Sun, J. Z., Zou, W.Q. & Ye, W. Application of 125I-labeled protein A in detecting IgG immune complexes. Shanghai Journal of Immunology (in Chinese) 10(3):173, 1990.
[56]  Chen, G., Zou, W.Q. & Ye, W. A new lowry's technique for quantitative measurement of protein. Nuclear Techniques (in Chinese) 13(12):756, 1990.
[57]  Zou, W.Q. & Ye, W. Ganglioside enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of thyroid stimulating antibody in patients with Graves' disease. Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (in Chinese) 6(2):99, 1990.
[58]  Xiong, J., Li, J. & Zou, W.Q. Analyses of cause of misdiagnosis of polyarteritis. Academic journal of Jiangxi Medical College (in Chinese) 27(3):91, 1987.

Publications: Books/Book Chapters

[1]  Zou, W. Q. & Gambetti, P (Eds). Prions and diseases. Springer, New York, USA, 2011, in preparation (one of invited editors).
[2]  Gambetti, P., Puoti, G., Kong, Q., & Zou, W. Q. A new prion disease: Protease-Sensitive Prionopathy. In: Dickson, D. W. and Weller, R. O. (Eds): Neurodegeneration: The molecular Pathology of Dementia and Movement Disorders. Blackwell Publishing Let., Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2011; 350-353.
[3]  Notari, S., Xiao, X., Shimoji, M., Yuan, J., Bi, H., Cali, I., Kong, Q. & Zou, W. Q. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In: Kompoliti K. and Verhagen L. (Eds): Encyclopedia of Movement Disorders. Elsevier, London, UK, 2010; 315-320.
[4]  Gambetti, P., Puoti, G., Cali, I., Kong, Q. & Zou, W. Q. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In: Kompoliti K. and Verhagen L. (Eds): Encyclopedia of Movement Disorders. Elsevier, London, UK, 2010; 263-269.
[5]  Kong, Q., Surewicz, W.K., Petersen, R. B., Zou, W.Q., Chen, S.G., Parchi, P., Capellari, S., Goldfarb, L., Montagna, P., Lugaresi, E., Piccardo, P., Ghetti, B. & Gambetti, P. Inherited prion diseases. in: Prion biology and diseases. Edited by Prusiner, S.B., pp. 673-775. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory press, New York. 2004.
[6]  Zou, W.Q., Colucci, M., Gambetti, P. & Chen, S.G. Characterization of prion proteins. in: Methods in Molecular Biology-Neurogenetics: Methods and Protocols. Edited by Potter, N.T., pp. 305-314. Humana Press Inc., Totowa. 2002.
[7]  Zou, W.Q. Peritoneal dialysis. Pulmonary and pleural diseases of dialytic patients. Gastrointestinal disease of dialytic patients. In: Handbook of Dialysis (in Chinese). edited by Zhang, B. & Mei, C., pp. 259-337. pp. 383-387. pp.407-416. Shanghai Science, Shanghai. 1992.