Ling Wei, M.D. Associate Professor Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Phone: (843) 792-4112 Fax: (843) 792-0368

Education:

• M.D., Beijing Capital Institute of Medicine, 1982
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Neurological Surgery, SUNY at Stony Brook NY 1986-1992
• MD Research Fellowship, Neurological Surgery, Washington University 1993-1996

   

Research Interests:

Our research focuses on cell injury in cerebral ischemia and the treatment of ischemic stroke. Focal and global ischemia models in adult and young animals are used for studies of cell protection and functional recovery. Cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) and mechanism of cell protection are investigated at cellular, molecular, and animal levels. Genetically modified mice have been used for understanding particular genes in pathogenesis and potential therapeutic applications.

We are particularly interested in neural and vascular plasticity (neurogenesis and angiogenesis) that may promote long-term functional recovery after stroke. Our recent research on embryonic stem (ES) cell transplantation is aimed at repairing damaged structures and promoting functional recovery in the ischemic brain after stroke, as well as in injured peripheral nerves, using wild-type and genetically modified embryonic stem cells.

Functional optical imaging, quantitative autoradiography, immunohistochemistry, molecular/cellular biology, electron/confocal microscopy, and electrophysiology are used in our investigations.

Research Funding: NIH/NINDS: 5 R01-NS 37372, R01-NS 045155, R01-NS 045810 and AHA 0170063N,

Selected Publications:

Li Y, Lu Z, Keogh CL, Yu SP, Wei L.: Erythropoietin-induced neurovascular protection, angiogenesis, and cerebral blood flow restoration after focal ischemia in mice. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2007 May;27(5):1043-54. Epub Related Articles

Keogh CL, Yu SP, Wei L.: The Effect of Recombinant Human EPO on Neurovasculature Repair after Focal Ischemic Stroke in Neonatal Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2007 322(2):521-8. Epub Related Articles

Li   Z, Theus MH, Wei L.: Role of ERK 1/2 signaling in neuronal differentiation of cultured embryonic stem cells.
Dev Growth Differ. 2006 Oct;48(8):513-23. Epub Related Articles

Theus M, Wei L, Francis K, Yu SP.: Critical roles of Src family tyrosine kinases in excitatory neuronal differentiation of cultured embryonic stem cells. Exp Cell Res. 2006 Oct 1;312(16):3096-107. Epub Related Articles

Abdalah   R, Wei L, Francis K, Yu SP.: Valinomycin-induced apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
Neurosci Lett. 2006 Sep 11;405(1-2):68-73. Epub Related Articles

Hu   Y, Yang LJ, Wei L, Dai XY, Hua HK, Qi J, Sun H, Zheng Y.: [Study on the compliance and safety of the oral antifungal agents for the treatment of onychomycosis] Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2005 Dec;26(12):988-91. Chinese. Epub Related Articles

Whitaker   VR, Cui L, Miller S, Yu SP, Wei L.: Whisker stimulation enhances angiogenesis in the barrel cortex following focal ischemia in mice. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2006 May 3; Epub Related Articles

Sheline CT, Wei L.: Free radical-mediated neurotoxicity may be caused by inhibition of mitochondrial dehydrogenases in vitro and in vivo. Neuroscience. 2006 Jun 19;140(1):235-46. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Han BH, Li Y, Keogh CL, Holtzman DM, Yu SP.: Cell death mechanism and protective effect of erythropoietin after focal ischemia in the whisker-barrel cortex of neonatal rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006 Apr;317(1):109-16. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Keogh CL, Whitaker VR, Theus MH, Yu SP.: Angiogenesis and stem cell transplantation as potential treatments of cerebral ischemic stroke. Pathophysiology. 2005 Jul;12(1):47-62. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Cui L, Snider BJ, Rivkin M, Yu SS, Lee CS, Adams LD, Gottlieb DI, Johnson EM Jr, Yu SP, Choi DW.: Transplantation of embryonic stem cells overexpressing Bcl-2 promotes functional recovery after transient cerebral ischemia. Neurobiol Dis. 2005 Jun-Jul;19(1-2):183-93.Epub Related Articles

Yang A, Wang XQ, Sun CS, Wei L, Yu SP.: Inhibitory effects of clofilium on membrane currents associated with Ca channels, NMDA receptor channels and Na+, K+-ATPase in cortical neurons. Pharmacology. 2005 Mar;73(3):162-8. Epub 2005 Jan 3. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Ying DJ, Cui L, Langsdorf J, Yu SP.: Necrosis, apoptosis and hybrid death in the cortex and thalamus after barrel cortex ischemia in rats. Brain Res. 2004 Oct 1;1022(1-2):54-61. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Xiao AY, Jin C, Yang A, Lu ZY, Yu SP.: Effects of chloride and potassium channel blockers on apoptotic cell shrinkage and apoptosis in cortical neurons. Pflugers Arch. 2004 Jun;448(3):325-34. Epub 2004 Apr 1.Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Yu SP, Gottron F, Snider BJ, Zipfel GJ, Choi DW.: Potassium channel blockers attenuate hypoxia- and ischemia-induced neuronal death in vitro and in vivo. Stroke. 2003 May;34(5):1281-6. Epub 2003 Apr 3.Epub Related Articles

Wang X, Yan R, Yang L, Qi F, Zhu S, Zhao B, Zhang Q, Hui R, Guo C, Wei L.: [Change of expression of cell/organs defense genes in brain tissue of rats with stroke-like episodes induced by complex environmental factors] Zhonghua Yi Xue Yi Chuan Xue Za Zhi. 2003 Apr;20(2):143-6. Chinese.Epub Related Articles

Wang XQ, Xiao AY, Yang A, LaRose L, Wei L, Yu SP.: Block of Na+,K+-ATPase and induction of hybrid death by 4-aminopyridine in cultured cortical neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 May;305(2):502-6. Epub Related Articles

Adams LD, Choi L, Xian HQ, Yang A, Sauer B, Wei L, Gottlieb DI.: Double lox targeting for neural cell transgenesis.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2003 Feb 20;110(2):220-33.Epub Related Articles

Ewing JR, Wei L, Knight RA, Pawa S, Nagaraja TN, Brusca T, Divine GW, Fenstermacher JD.: Direct comparison of local cerebral blood flow rates measured by MRI arterial spin-tagging and quantitative autoradiography in a rat model of experimental cerebral ischemia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2003 Feb;23(2):198-209. Epub Related Articles

Xiao AY, Wei L, Xia S, Rothman S, Yu SP.: Ionic mechanism of ouabain-induced concurrent apoptosis and necrosis in individual cultured cortical neurons. J Neurosci. 2002 Feb 15;22(4):1350-62. Epub Related Articles

Majid A, He YY, Gidday JM, Kaplan SS, Gonzales ER, Park TS, Fenstermacher JD, Wei L, Choi DW, Hsu CY.: Differences in vulnerability to permanent focal cerebral ischemia among 3 common mouse strains. Stroke. 2000 Nov;31(11):2707-14. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Erinjeri JP, Rovainen CM, Woolsey TA.: Collateral growth and angiogenesis around cortical stroke.
Stroke. 2001 Sep;32(9):2179-84. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Craven K, Erinjeri J, Liang GE, Bereczki D, Rovainen CM, Woolsey TA, Fenstermacher JD.: Local cerebral blood flow during the first hour following acute ligation of multiple arterioles in rat whisker barrel cortex. Neurobiol Dis. 1998 Sep;5(3):142-50. Epub Related Articles

Chen JL, Wei L, Bereczki D, Hans FJ, Otsuka T, Acuff V, Ghersi-Egea JF, Patlak C, Fenstermacher JD.: Nicotine raises the influx of permeable solutes across the rat blood-brain barrier with little or no capillary recruitment. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1995 Jul;15(4):687-98. Epub Related Articles

Chen JL, Wei L, Acuff V, Bereczki D, Hans FJ, Otsuka T, Finnegan W, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Slightly altered permeability-surface area products imply some cerebral capillary recruitment during hypercapnia.
Microvasc Res. 1994 Sep;48(2):190-211. Epub Related Articles

Chen JL, Wei L, Bereczki D, Hans FJ, Otsuka T, Acuff V, Richardson G, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Virtually unaltered permeability-surface area products imply little capillary recruitment in brain with hypoxia. Microcirculation. 1994 Apr;1(1):35-47. Epub Related Articles

Hans FJ, Wei L, Bereczki D, Acuff V, Demaro J, Chen JL, Otsuka T, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Nicotine increases microvascular blood flow and flow velocity in three groups of brain areas. Am J Physiol. 1993 Dec;265(6 Pt 2):H2142-50. Epub Related Articles

Bereczki D, Wei L, Otsuka T, Hans FJ, Acuff V, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Hypercapnia slightly raises blood volume and sizably elevates flow velocity in brain microvessels. Am J Physiol. 1993 May;264(5 Pt 2):H1360-9. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Otsuka T, Acuff V, Bereczki D, Pettigrew K, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: The velocities of red cell and plasma flows through parenchymal microvessels of rat brain are decreased by pentobarbital. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1993 May;13(3):487-97. Epub Related Articles

Bereczki D, Wei L, Otsuka T, Acuff V, Pettigrew K, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Hypoxia increases velocity of blood flow through parenchymal microvascular systems in rat brain. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1993 May;13(3):475-86. Epub Related Articles

Tajima A, Hans FJ, Livingstone D, Wei L, Finnegan W, DeMaro J, Fenstermacher J.: Smaller local brain volumes and cerebral atrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hypertension. 1993 Jan;21(1):105-11. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Lin SZ, Tajima A, Nakata H, Acuff V, Patlak C, Pettigrew K, Fenstermacher J.: Cerebral glucose utilization and blood flow in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hypertension. 1992 Oct;20(4):501-1 Epub Related Articles

Bereczki D, Wei L, Acuff V, Gruber K, Tajima A, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J.: Technique-dependent variations in cerebral microvessel blood volumes and hematocrits in the rat. J Appl Physiol. 1992 Sep;73(3):918-24. Epub Related Articles

Otsuka T, Wei L, Bereczki D, Acuff V, Patlak C, Fenstermacher J. : Pentobarbital produces dissimilar changes in glucose influx and utilization in brain. Am J Physiol. 1991 Aug;261(2 Pt 2):R265-75. Epub Related Articles

Otsuka T, Wei L, Acuff VR, Shimizu A, Pettigrew KD, Patlak CS, Fenstermacher JD.: Variation in local cerebral blood flow response to high-dose pentobarbital sodium in the rat. Am J Physiol. 1991 Jul;261(1 Pt 2):H110-20. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Craven K, Erinjeri J, Liang GE, Bereczki D, Rovainen CM, Woolsey TA, Fenstermacher JD.:Local cerebral blood flow during the first hour following acute ligation of multiple arterioles in rat whisker barrel cortex. Neurobiol Dis. 1998 Sep;5(3):142-50. Epub Related Articles

Woolsey TA, Rovainen CM, Cox SB, Henegar MH, Liang GE, Liu D, Moskalenko YE, Sui J, Wei L.: Neuronal units linked to microvascular modules in cerebral cortex: response elements for imaging the brain. Cereb Cortex. 1996 Sep-Oct;6(5):647-60. Review. Epub Related Articles

Moskalenko YuE, Rovainen C, Woolsey TA, Wei L, Lui D, Spence ME, Semernia VN, Weinstein GB, Malysheva NG.: Comparison of measurements of local brain blood flow by hydrogen clearance with the inhalation of hydrogen and its electrochemical generation in brain tissue. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 1996 May-Jun;26(3):245-50. No abstract available. Epub Related Articles

Wei L, Rovainen CM, Woolsey TA.: Ministrokes in rat barrel cortex. Stroke. 1995 Aug;26(8):1459-62. Epub Related Articles

Moskalenko IuE, Rovainen CM, Woolsey TA, Wei L, Lui D, Spence ME, Semernia VN, Weinstein GB, Malysheva NG.: [A comparison of the measurements of local cerebral blood flow by hydrogen clearance with hydrogen inhalation and by its electrochemical generation in brain tissue] Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 1994 Dec;80(12):119-26. Russian. Epub Related Articles