Contact Details:

s.ye@qmul.ac.uk

Shu Ye graduated in Medicine in China and obtained a PhD from University College London. From 1996 to 1998, he worked at the University of Oxford as a British Heart Foundation research fellow. He was appointed as a lecturer in 1998 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2001 in University of Southampton, where he led a research group studying genetic variations in relation to coronary heart disease susceptibility. He joined the William Harvey Research Institute as Reader in Human Genetics in 2006 and became Professor of Molecular Medicine and Genetics in 2008.

Current research interests

• Genetic factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and related traits: We are studying the relationships of genetic variants with CHD risk and other cardiovascular traits. Recent work includes analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 9p21 and SNPs in the genes of ATP-binding cassette subfamily A (ABCA1) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
  
  
• Functional characterisation of genetic variants: We have been undertaking functional studies on genetic variants using a variety of techniques. We have identified several regulatory SNPs that affect the expression of ABCA1 or MMPs. We have also assessed the effect of ABCA1 gene coding SNPs on ABCA1 activity in mediating intracellular cholesterol efflux, and the impact of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) coding SNPs on TLR4 activity.
  
  
• Matrix metalloproteinases in atherosclerosis: There is substantial evidence implicating MMPs in the development of atherosclerotic lesions and atheromatous plaque rupture. We are studying MMP expression profiles in atherosclerotic plaques, regulation of MMP genes in vascular endothelial cells and macrophages, the roles of MMPs in atherogenesis using in vivo models, and MMP gene variants in relation to atherosclerosis and CHD susceptibility.
  
  
• Inflammatory signalling: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We are undertaking studies into cell signalling in response to atherogenic molecules. Recent work includes analyses of TLR4-mediated signalling pathways activated by modified LDL-cholesterol and other molecules.

Key publications

• Kiechl S, Laxton RC, Xiao Q, Hernesniemi JA, Raitakari OT, Kähönen M, Mayosi BM, Jula A, Moilanen L, Willeit J, Watkins H, Samani NJ, Lehtimäki TJ, Keavney B, Xu Q, Ye S. Coronary artery disease related genetic variant on chromosome 10q11 is associated with carotid intima-media thickness and atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol  30:2678-2683; 2010

  Souslova V, Townsend PA, Mann JA, van der Loos CM, Motterle A, D'Acquisto F, Mann DA, Ye S. Allele-specific regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene by transcription factor NFκB. PLoS ONE. 5:39902; 2010
  
  
• Laxton RC, Hu Y, Duchene J, Zhang F, Zhang Z, Leung KY, Xiao Q, Scotland RS, Hodgkinson CP, Smith K, Willeit J, López-Otín C, Simpson IA, Kiechl S, Ahluwalia A, Xu Q, Ye S. A role of matrix metalloproteinase-8 in atherosclerosis. Circ Res 105:921-9; 2009 (accompanied by an editorial).
  
  
• Ye S, Willeit J, Kronenberg F, Xu Q, Kiechl S. Association of genetic variation on chromosome 9p21 with susceptibility and progression of atherosclerosis – a population-based, prospective study.  J Am Coll Cardiol, 52:378-84; 2008 (accompanied by an editorial).
  
  
• Hodgkinson CP, Laxton RC, Patel K, Ye S. Advanced Glycation End-Product of Low Density Lipoprotein Activates the Toll-Like 4 Receptor Pathway Implications for Diabetic Atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 28:2275-81; 2008.
  
  
• Kyriakou T, Pontefract DE, Viturro E, Hodgkinson CP, Laxton RC, Bogari N, Cooper G, Davies M, Giblett J, Day IN, Simpson IA, Albrecht C, Ye S. Functional polymorphism in ABCA1 influences age of symptom onset in coronary artery disease patients. Hum Mol Genet 16:1412-22; 2007.
  
  
• Decock J, Long JR, Laxton RC, Shu XO, Hodgkinson C, Hendrickx W, Pearce EG, Gao YT, Pereira AC, Paridaens R, Zheng W, Ye S. Association of matrix metalloproteinase-8 gene variation with breast cancer prognosis. Cancer Res 67:10214-21; 2007.
  
  
• Pearce E, Tregouet D, Samnegård A, Morgan AR, Cox C, Hamsten A, Eriksson P, Ye S. Haplotype effect of the matrix metalloproteinase-1 gene on risk of myocardial infarction.
  Circ Res 97:1070-1076; 2005 (accompanied by an editorial).
  
  
• Kyriakou T, Hodgkinson C, Pontefract D, Iyengar S, Howell WM, Wong YK, Eriksson P, Ye S. Genotypic effect of the -565C>T polymorphism in the ABCA1 gene promoter on ABCA1 expression and severity of atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 25:418-23; 2005.
  
  
  

Search for more publications from Shu Ye

<< Return to staff list