Bao-Ting Zhu, PhD

Professor
Ph.D., University of Texas

Research Interests of our laboratory

• Enzymes involved in the multiple pathways of hepatic and extrahepatic estrogen metabolism, and factors that modulate the activity and levels of these metabolizing enzymes.

• Molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic and anticancer actions of some endogenously-formed estrogen metabolites.

• Unique physiological actions (e.g., neuroprotection, neuro-endocrine modulation, immune modulation) exerted by bioactive endogenous estrogen metabolites, and the estrogen receptor-independent mechanism of their actions.

• Identification of novel cellular proteins that can modulate the biological functions of estrogen receptors and their ligands.

• Physiological or pharmacological actions of various naturally-occurring compounds (such as dietary phenolic antioxidants and fatty acids), and their potential use as therapeutic agents in humans.

• Mechanism of chemical pathogenesis of some degenerative human diseases e.g., Parkinson's disease, diabetes).

Selected Recent Publications

Zhu BT [2012] Natural compounds as cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents: Insights gained from mechanistic and pharmacologic studies. Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 12: 1-2. [PMID: 22583401]

Fu X, Wang P, Fukui M, Long C, Yin L, Choi HJ and Zhu BT [2012] Pancreas-specific protein disulfide isomerase (PDIp) is a major intracellular estrogen-storage protein that modulates the tissue levels of estrogen in the pancreas. Biochemical Journal 447: 115-123. [PMID: 22747530]

Choi HJ and Zhu BT [2012] Cyclin B1/Cdc2 up-regulation is required for the induction of mitotic prometaphase arrest in human breast cancer cells treated with 2-methoxyestradiol. BBA - Molecular Cell Research 1823: 1306-1315. [PMID: 22580043]

Fukui M and Zhu BT [2012] Rapid generation of mitochondrial superoxide induces mitochondria-dependent but caspase-independent hippocampal neuronal cell death that morphologically resembles necroptosis. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 262: 156-166. [PMID: 22575170]  

Choi HJ, Fukui M and Zhu BT [2011] Role of cyclin B1/Cdc2 up-regulation in the development of mitotic prometaphase arrest in human breast cancer cells treated with nocodazole. PLoS ONE 6: e24312. [PMID: 21918689]

Fu XM, Wang P and Zhu BT [2011] Characterization of the estradiol-binding site structure of human protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). PLoS ONE 6(11): e27185. [PMID: 22073283]

Fu XM, Wang P and Zhu BT [2011] Characterization of the estradiol-binding site structure of human PDIp: Indispensable role of the hydrogen bond between PDIp-His278 and estradiol 3-hydroxyl group in the binding interaction.Biochemistry 50: 106-115 [PMID: 21080683]

Choi HJ, Kang KS, Fukui M and Zhu BT [2011] Role of JNK‒p53‒GADD45α apoptotic cascade in oxidative stress-induced neuronal death. British Journal of Pharmacology 162: 175-192. [PMID: 20955365]

Wang P, Bai HW and Zhu BT [2010] Molecular modeling study on the activation of cyclooxygenase I and II by bioflavonoids. PLoS ONE 5(8): e12316. [PMID: 20808785]

Kang KS, Wen Y, Yamabe N, Fukui M, Bishop SC and Zhu BT [2010] Dual beneficial effect of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate on levodopa methylation and neurodegeneration: in vitro and in vivo studies. PLoS ONE 5(8): e11951. [PMID: 20700524]

Fu XM and Zhu BT [2010] Human pancreas-specific protein disulfide isomerase (PDIp) can function as a chaperone independently of its enzymatic activity by forming stable complexes with denatured substrate proteins. Biochemical Journal 429: 157-169. [PMID: 20423326]

Fukui M, Choi HJ and Zhu BT [2010] Mechanism for the protective effect of resveratrol against glutamate-induced neuronal death in HT22 cells. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 49: 800-813 [PMID: 20542495] [PMCID: not available] [NIHMS212201]

Zhang EY, Chen AY and Zhu BT [2009] Mechanism of dinitrochlorobenzene-induced dermatitis in mice: Role of specific antibodies in pathogenesis. PLoS ONE 4(11): e7703. [PMID: 19890385]

Wang P, Wen Y, Han GZ, Sidhu PK and Zhu BT [2009] Characterization of the estrogenic activity of non-aromatic steroids: Are there male-specific estrogen receptor modulators? British Journal of Pharmacology 158: 1796-1807. [PMID: 19888961] [PMCID: PMC2801221]

Zhou R, Fukui M, Choi HJ and Zhu BT [2009] Induction of a reversible, non-cytotoxic S phase delay by resveratrol: Implications for a mechanism of lifespan prolongation and cancer protection. British Journal of Pharmacology 158: 462-474 [PMID: 19563536] [PMCID: PMC2757685]

Bai HW and Zhu BT [2008] Activation of cyclooxygenase I and II by bioflavonoids.Journal of Lipid Research 49: 2557-2570. [PMID: 18660529] [PMCID: PMC2582366]

Mills LH, Yu J, Xu XM, Lee AJ and Zhu BT [2008] Naturally-occurring estradiol-17b-fatty acid esters, but not estradiol-17b, preferentially induce mammary tumorigenesis in female ACI rats. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 229: 332-341. [PMID: 18394671]

Zhu BT, Gallo MA, Burger CW Jr, Meeker RJ, Cai MX, Xu S and Conney AH [2008] Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin administration and high-fat diet on the body weight and hepatic estrogen metabolism in female C3H/HeN mice.Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 226: 107-118. [PMID: 17945325] [PMCID: PMC2674321] [NIHMS39057]

Chen AY, Lee AJ and Zhu BT [2007] Chemical synthesis of six novel 17β-estradiol and estrone dimers and confirmation of their formation catalyzed by human cytochrome P450 isoforms. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 50: 5372-5381. [PMID: 17924615]

Bai HW, Shim JY and Zhu BT [2007] Biochemical and molecular modeling studies of the O-methylation of various endogenous and exogenous catechol substrates catalyzed by recombinant human soluble and membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferases. Chemical Research in Toxicology 20: 1409-1425. [PMID: 17880176]