Scientists

Jingbo Pi

Jingbo Pi

Education

M.D., China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China, 1990.
M.S., labor hygiene and occupational health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China, 1995.
Ph.D., environmental medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, 2002.
Postdoctoral training, Inorganic Carcinogenesis Section, Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 2002-2004.
Postdoctoral training, Division of Biological Sciences, CIIT Centers for Health Research, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 2004-2006.

Research

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become a public health problem of enormous proportions on a global scale. It has been estimated that approximately 150 million people worldwide had T2D in the year 2000, with the prediction that this number could double by 2025. The medical and socioeconomic burdens of the disease are a result of many often associated complications (e.g. heart disease, kidney failure, blindness), which impose tremendous strain on health-care systems and economic wealth. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of T2D will improve preventive measures and enable the development of novel pharmacological concepts and the identification of new drug targets for intervention.


My current research involves: (1) pathogenic mechanisms of T2D with particular emphasis on the paradoxical roles of reactive oxygen species in pancreatic β-cell function; (2) pathogenic roles of environmental oxidative stress in T2D; and (3) regulatory mechanisms of transcription factor Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response and its application in the prevention and treatment of T2D.

Publications

Liu J, Wu Q, Lu Y, Pi J. New insights into generalized hepatoprotective effects of oleanolic acid: key roles of metallothionein and Nrf2 induction. Biochemical Pharmacol. (2008); (in press)

Pi J, Diwan BA, Qu W, Liu J, Sun Y, Miroslav Styblo, Waalkes MP. Arsenic-induced malignant transformation of human keratinocytes: involvement of Nrf2. Free Radic Biol Med. (2008);
45:651-658.

Zhang Q, Pi J, Woods CG, Jarabek AM, Clewell HJ, Andersen ME. Hormesis and adaptive cellular control systems. Dose Response. (2008); 6: 196-208.

Li X, Pi J, Li B, Xu Y, Jin Y, Sun G. Urinary arsenic speciation and its correlation with 8-OHdG level in patients exposed to arsenic through coal burning. Bull Environ. Contam. Toxicol. (2008); (in press).

Pi J, Zhang Q, Wong V, Woods C, Collins S, Andersen ME. Activation of Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response in macrophages by hypochlorous acid. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. (2008); 226:236-43.

Zhu L, Pi J, Wachi S, Andersen ME, Wu R, Chen Y. Identification of Nrf2-dependent airway epithelial adaptive response to proinflammatory oxidant-hypochlorous acid (HOCl) challenge by transcription profiling. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. (2008); 294:L469-77.

Pi J, Bai Y, Zhang Q, Floering LM, Wong V, Daniel K, Reece JM, Deeney JT, Corkey BE, Collins S. Reactive oxygen species as a signal in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Diabetes. (2007); 56:1783-1791.

Pi J, Bai Y, Reece JM, William J, Liu D, Freeman ML, Fahl WE, Shugar D, Liu J, Qu W, Collins S, Waalkes MP. Molecular mechanism of Nrf2 activation and degradation: role of sequential phosphorylation by protein kinase CK2. Free Radic Biol Med. (2007); 42:1797-806.

Qu CF, Liu HY, Pi J, Liu Z, Quon MJ, Cao W. Epigallocatechin-3-3 gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis through 5’-AMP-activated protein kinase. J Biol Chem. (2007); 282:30143-9.

Qu W, Ke H, Pi J, Broderick D, French JE, Webber MM, Waalkes MP. Acquisition of apoptotic resistance in cadmium-transformed human prostate epithelial cells: Bcl-2 overexpression blocks the activation of JNK signal transduction pathway. Environ Health Perspect. (2007);115:1094-100.

Cui R, Iso H, Pi J, Kumagai Y, Yamagishi K, Tanigawa T, Shimamoto T. Metabolic syndrome and urinary cGMP excretion in general population. Atherosclerosis. (2007); 190:423-428.

He Y, Pi J, Huang J, Diwan BA, Waalkes MP, Chignell CF. Chronic UVA irradiation of human keratinocytes induces malignant transformation associated with acquired apoptotic resistance: role of PTEN. Oncogene. (2006); 25:3680-8.

Sun G, Li X, Pi J, Sun Y, Li B, Jin Y, Xu Y. Current research problems of chronic arsenicosis in China. (Review). J Health Popul Nutr. (2006); 24:176-81.

Pi J, Yamauchi H, Sun G, Yoshida T, Aikawa H, Fujimoto W, Iso H, Cui R, Waalkes MP, Kumagai Y. Vascular dysfunction in patients with chronic arsenosis can be reversed by reduction of arsenic exposure. Environ. Health Perspect. 2005; 113:339-341.

Pi J, He Y, Bortner C, Huang J, Liu J, Zhou T, Qu W, North SL, Kasprzak KS, Diwan BA, Chignell CF, Waalkes MP. Low level, long-term inorganic arsenite exposure causes generalized resistance to apoptosis in cultured human keratinocytes: potential roles in skin co-carcinogenesis. Int J Cancer. (2005); 116:20-26.

Qu W, Diwan BA, Reece JM, Bortner CD, Pi J, Liu J, Waalkes MP. Cadmium-induced malignant transformation in rat liver cells: Role of aberrant oncogene expression and minimal role of oxidative stress. Int J Cancer. (2005); 114:346-355.

Cui R, Iso H, Pi J, Kumagai Y, Yamagishi K, Tanigawa T, Shimamoto T. Relationship between urinary cyclic GMP excretion and serum total cholesterol levels in a general population. Atherosclerosis. (2005); 179:379-386.

Cui R, Iso H, Pi J, Kumagai Y, Yamagishi K, Tanigawa T, Shimojo N, Shimamoto T. Urinary cyclic GMP excretion and blood pressure levels in a general population. Atherosclerosis. (2004) 172(1): 161-6.

Yamauchi H, Aminaka Y, Yoshida K, Sun G, Pi J, Waalkes MP. Evaluation of the DNA damage in patients with arsenic poisoning: Urinary 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanine (8-OHdG). Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. (2004); 198:291-296.

Kumagai Y and Pi J. Molecular basis for arsenic-induced alteration in nitric oxide production and oxidative stress: implication of endothelial dysfunction. (Review) Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. (2004); 198:450-457.

Pi J, Qu W, Reece JM, Kumagai Y, Waalkes MP. Transcription factor Nrf2 activation by inorganic arsenic in cultured keratinocytes: Involvement of hydrogen peroxide. Exp Cell Biol. (2003); 290:234-245.

Nikaido M, Pi J, Kumagai Y, Yamauchi H, Taguchi K, Horikuchi S, Sun G, Shimojo N. Decreased enzyme activities of hepatic thioredoxin reductase and glutathione reductase by prolonged exposure of rabbit to inorganic pentavalent arsenic. Environ Toxicol. (2003); 18:306-311.

Pi J, Horikuchi S, Sun Y, Nikaido M, Shimojo N, Hayashi T, Yamauchi H, Itoh K, Yamamoto M, Sun G, Waalkes MP, Kumagai Y. A potential mechanism for the impairment of nitric oxide formation caused by prolonged oral exposure to arsenate in rabbits. Free Radic Biol Med. (2003); 35: 102-13.

Pi J, Yamauchi H, Kumagai Y, Sun G, Yoshida T, Aikawa H, Hopenhayn-Rich C, Shimojo N. Evidence for induction of oxidative stress caused by chronic exposure of Chinese residents to arsenic contained in drinking water. Environ. Health Perspect. (2002); 110(4): 331-336.

Li B, Pi J, Sun G. Methylarsonous acid: A labile metabolite of inorganic arsenic in body with higher toxicity. (Review) Chin. J Endemiology.(2002); 20: 219-221.

Sun G, Liu S, Li B, Li X, Sun X, Guo X, Qian C, Pi J. Current situation of endemic arsenicosis in China. Environ. Sciences. (2001); 5: 425-434.

Pi J, Kumagai Y, Shimojo N. Improved method for simultaneous determination of L-arginine and its mono- and dimethylated metabolites in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr B. (2000); 742: 199-203.

Pi J, Kumagai Y, Sun G, Yamauchi H, Yoshida T, Iso H, Endo A, Yu L, Yuki K, Miyauchi T, Shimojo N. Decreased serum concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites among Chinese in an endemic area of chronic arsenic poisoning in Inner Mongolia. Free Radic Biol Med. (2000); 28(7): 1137-42.

Kumagai Y, Pi J, Lee S, Sun G, Yamanushi T, Sagai M, Shimojo N. Serum antioxidant vitamins and risk of lung and stomach cancers in Shenyang, China. Cancer Lett. (1998); 29(2): 145-9.

Sun G, Shimojo N, Pi J, Li S, Kumagai Y. Gene deficiency of glutathione S-transferase mu isoform associated with susceptibility to lung cancer in a Chinese population. Cancer Lett. (1997); 113: 169-72.