Dr. Chau, Lee-Young 's publons link picture

Dr. Chau, Lee-Young

Emeritus Research Fellow

Specialty:
  • Cardiovascular/Cancer Disease
  • Inflammation

Education and Positions:
  • Ph.D. University of Kentucky


My group is interested in investigating the functional role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which is an ER-anchored enzyme catalyzing the oxidative degradation of cellular heme to free iron, carbon monoxide (CO), and biliverdin, in inflammation-associated diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer.  Compelling evidence has demonstrated that HO-1 exerts potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects via the action of CO and biliverdin, respectively.  Although HO-1 provides multiprotective functions in cardiovascular system, HO-1 promotes tumorigenesis in cancer.  We recently identified the tumor suppressor TRC8 is an E3 ligase mediating the ubiquitination and degradation of HO-1.  We also found that HO-1 is susceptible to the intramembrane cleavage by an ER-resident peptidase and translocates into nucleus to promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion independent of its enzymatic activity.  Studies are currently ongoing to investigate the mechanism underlying the tumorigenic function of nuclear HO-1. Moreover, the role of myeloid HO-1 implicated in cancer-associated inflammation and its impacts on cancer metastasis is also under investigation.      

Our Team
Team photo

Journal 63 Book 0

  1. Chiang MT, Chen IM, Hsu FF, Chen YH, Tsai MS, Hsu YW, Leu HB, Huang PH, Chen JW, Liu FT, Chen YH, Chau LY* Galectin-1 upregulation contributes to abdominal aortic aneurysm progression by enhancing vascular inflammation ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY 41(1), 331-345 (2021) [JCR] [WOS]
  2. Hsu YW, Hsu FF, Chiang MT, Tsai DL, Li FA, Angata T, Crocker PR, Chau LY*. Siglec-E retards atherosclerosis by inhibiting CD36-mediated foam cell formation. J Biomed Sci. 28(1), 5 (2021) [JCR] [WOS]
  3. Fu-Fei Hsu, Yi-Tai Chou, Ming-Tsai Chiang, Fu-An Li, Chi-Tai Yeh, Wei-Hwa Lee and (Lee-Young Chau*) Signal peptide peptidase promotes tumor progression via facilitating FKBP8 degradation ONCOGENE 38(10),1688-1701 (2019-03) [JCR] [WOS]
  4. Min-Shao Tsai, Ming-Tsai Chiang, Dong-Lin Tsai, Chih-Wen Yang, Hsien-San Hou, Yi-Ru Li, Po-Chiao Chang, Heng-Huei Lin, Huan-Yuan Chen, Ing-Shouh Hwang, Pei-Kuen Wei, Chiao-Po Hsu, Kuo-I Lin, Fu-Tong Liu, (Lee-Young Chau*) Galectin-1 Restricts Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility Via Modulating Adhesion Force and Focal Adhesion Dynamics SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 8(1), 11497 (2018-07-31) [JCR] [WOS]
  5. Yi-Tai Chou, Fu-Fei Hsu, Dun-Yao Hu, Ying-Chih Chen, Yuan-Hao Hsu, John T.-A. Hsu and (Lee-Young Chau*) Identification of danthron as an isoform-specific inhibitor of HEME OXYGENASE-1/cytochrome P450 reductase interaction with anti-tumor activity JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE 25(1), 6 (2018-01-23) [JCR] [WOS]
  6. Hsu FF, Chiang MT, Li FA, Yeh CT, Lee WH, [Chau LY] Acetylation is essential for nuclear heme oxygenase-1-enhanced tumor growth and invasiveness ONCOGENE 36(49), 6805-6814 (2017-08) [JCR] [WOS]
  7. Cheng B, Toh EKW, Chen KH, ChangYC, Hu CMJ, Wu HC,( Chau LY), Chen PL, Hsieh PCH* Biomimicking Platelet-Monocyte Interactions as a Novel Targeting Strategy for Heart Healing. Advanced Healthcare Materials 5(20), 2686-2697 (2016-10) [JCR] [WOS]
  8. Lin HH, Chiang MT, Chang PC, Chau LY Myeloid heme oxygenase-1 promotes metastatic tumor colonization in mice Cancer science 106(3), 299-306 (2015-03) [JCR] [WOS]
  9. Chau LY Heme oxygenase-1: emerging target of cancer therapy. Journal of Biomedical Science 22(1), 22 (2015) [JCR] [WOS]
  10. Chang PC, Tsai HW, Chiang MT, Huang PL, Shyue SK, Chau LY TRC8 downregulation contributes to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by exacerbating hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Molecular Basis of Disease 1852(11), 2339-2351 (2015) [JCR] [WOS]