Biography

LongJun (Long-Jun) Wu, Ph.D., is interested in studying the role of microglia, the highly dynamic immune cells in the central nervous system, in clinically relevant pathologies such as epilepsy, neuropathic pain, ischemic stroke and autoimmune neurology.

Dr. Wu’s laboratory is focused on microglia-neuron communication in normal and diseased brain tissue. Particularly, he and his team study the molecular mechanism underlying microglial sensing and regulation of neuronal activities.

The use of advanced genetic tools along with a combination of two-photon imaging, electrophysiology, electroencephalography, molecular biology techniques and awake-behavioral studies in rodent models help Dr. Wu and his colleagues identify microglia-specific targets to alleviate neuropathic pain, improve seizure and stroke outcomes, and treat autoimmune diseases like neuromyelitis optica.

Professional highlights

  • Member, NIH study section, Cellular and Molecular Biology of Glia, 2020-2024
  • Member, Neuroscience Section, The F1000Prime Faculty, 2013-present
  • Editorial board member: Molecular Pain (2012-present); Neural Plasticity (2014-present); Channels (2015-present); Frontiers in Neuroscience (2017-present); Glia (2019-present)
  • Section editor, Molecular Brain, 2013-present
  • Associate editor, Neuroscience Bulletin, 2018-2020
  • Instructor, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 2011-2012
  • Assistant professor of cell biology and neuroscience, Rutgers University, 2012-2016

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship
Harvard Medical School
Postdoctoral Fellowship
University of Toronto
Visiting Student
University of Toronto
Ph.D. - Neurobiology and Biophysics
University of Science and Technology of China
BS - Biology
Anhui University

Areas of Interest

Research Interests

  • Epilepsy. Dr. Wu is interested in understanding the role of microglia in the epileptic brain. Specifically, the physical and molecular interactions between microglia and neurons during epileptiform. In collaboration with Gregory A. Worrell, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Wu’s current research focuses on understanding how microglial contact with neurons regulates neuronal activity following status epilepticus.
  • Neuropathic pain. Dr. Wu’s research focuses on targeting microglia for the treatment of neuropathic pain. He and his colleagues recently demonstrated the involvement of microglia in the development of neuropathic pain. Dr. Wu’s team is interested in further dissecting the molecular pathways underlying microglia-mediated development of neuropathic pain.
  • Ischemic stroke. Dr. Wu is also working to characterize the function of microglia following ischemic injury. He established that microglia-specific voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 is implicated in neuronal death following ischemic stroke and hence could be targeted to reduce ischemic stroke-induced brain damage. Dr. Wu’s team is working on identifying potential microglial targets and pathways involved in ischemic brain injury.
  • Autoimmune neurology. In collaboration with Vanda A. Lennon, M.D., Ph.D., Claudia F. Lucchinetti, M.D., and Sean J. Pittock, M.D., Dr. Wu’s laboratory established a rodent model of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). His recent study found an intriguing microglia-astrocyte interaction in this NMO model. The results demonstrate the critical role of microglia in driving NMO pathogenesis.

Publications

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  1. Liu X, Lei Z, Gilhooly D, He J, Li Y, Ritzel RM, Li H, Wu LJ, Liu S, Wu J. Traumatic brain injury-induced inflammatory changes in the olfactory bulb disrupt neuronal networks leading to olfactory dysfunction. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Aug 7; 114:22-45 Epub 2023 Aug 07
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  2. Ayasoufi K, Wolf DM, Namen SL, Jin F, Tritz ZP, Pfaller CK, Zheng J, Goddery EN, Fain CE, Gulbicki LR, Borchers AL, Reesman RA, Yokanovich LT, Maynes MA, Bamkole MA, Khadka RH, Hansen MJ, Wu LJ, Johnson AJ. Brain resident memory T cells rapidly expand and initiate neuroinflammatory responses following CNS viral infection. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Aug; 112:51-76 Epub 2023 May 24
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  3. Zhao S, Zheng J, Wang L, Umpierre AD, Parusel S, Xie M, Dheer A, Ayasoufi K, Johnson AJ, Richardson JR, Wu LJ. Chemogenetic manipulation of CX3CR1(+) cells transiently induces hypolocomotion independent of microglia. Mol Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 26 Epub 2023 June 26
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  4. Qi F, Zuo Z, Hu K, Wang R, Wu T, Liu H, Tang J, Wang Q, Xie Y, Tan L, Yang Y, Zhang X, Zheng J, Xu J, Yao Z, Wang S, Wu LJ, Guo K. VEGF-A in serum protects against memory impairment in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by blocking neutrophil infiltration. Mol Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 6 Epub 2023 June 06
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  5. Qin C, Yang S, Chen M, Dong MH, Zhou LQ, Chu YH, Shen ZX, Bosco DB, Wu LJ, Tian DS, Wang W. Modulation of microglial metabolism facilitates regeneration in demyelination. iScience. 2023 May 19; 26 (5):106588 Epub 2023 Apr 11
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  6. Meneses AD, Koga S, Li Z, O’Leary J, Li F, Chen K, Murakami A, Qiao W, Kurti A, Heckman MG, White L, Xie M, Chen Y, Finch NA, Lim MJ, Delenclos M, DeTure MA, Linares C, Martin NB, Ikezu TC, van Blitterswijk MM, Wu LJ, McLean PJ, Rademakers R, Ross OA, Dickson DW, Bu G, Zhao N. APOE2 Exacerbates TDP-43 Related Toxicity in the Absence of Alzheimer Pathology. Ann Neurol. 2023 Apr; 93 (4):830-843 Epub 2023 Jan 10
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  7. Parusel S, Yi MH, Hunt CL, Wu LJ. Chemogenetic and Optogenetic Manipulations of Microglia in Chronic Pain. Neurosci Bull. 2023 Mar; 39 (3):368-378 Epub 2022 Aug 17
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  8. Shi Z, Yu P, Lin WJ, Chen S, Hu X, Chen S, Cheng J, Liu Q, Yang Y, Li S, Zhang Z, Xie J, Jiang J, He B, Li Y, Li H, Xu Y, Zeng J, Huang J, Mei J, Cai J, Chen J, Wu LJ, Ko H, Tang Y. Microglia drive transient insult-induced brain injury by chemotactic recruitment of CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Neuron. 2023 Mar 1; 111 (5):696-710.e9 Epub 2023 Jan 04
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  9. Neal ML, Beier EE, Hossain MM, Boyle A, Zheng J, Kim C, Mhatre-Winters I, Wu LJ, Richardson JR. Voltage-Gated Proton Channel Hv1 Regulates Neuroinflammation and Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease Models. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Feb 25; 12 (3)
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  10. Cheng J, Jiang J, He B, Lin WJ, Li Y, Duan J, Li H, Huang X, Cai J, Xie J, Zhang Z, Yang Y, Xu Y, Hu X, Wu M, Zhuo X, Liu Q, Shi Z, Yu P, Rong X, Ye X, Saw PE, Wu LJ, Simone CB 2nd, Chua MLK, Mai HQ, Tang Y. A phase 2 study of thalidomide for the treatment of radiation-induced blood-brain barrier injury. Sci Transl Med. 2023 Feb 22; 15 (684):eabm6543
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  11. Luo W, Xu H, Xu L, Jiang W, Chen C, Chang Y, Liu C, Tian Z, Qiu X, Xie C, Li X, Chen H, Lai S, Wu L, Cui Y, Tang C, Qiu W. Remyelination in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is promoted by edaravone through mTORC1 signaling activation. Glia. 2023 Feb; 71 (2):284-304 Epub 2022 Sept 12
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  12. Zhou LQ, Dong MH, Hu ZW, Tang Y, Chu YH, Chen M, Yang S, Chen Z, Wu LJ, Wang W, Qin C, Tian DS. Staged suppression of microglial autophagy facilitates regeneration in CNS demyelination by enhancing the production of linoleic acid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jan 3; 120 (1):e2209990120 Epub 2022 Dec 28
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  13. Zhao N, Qiao W, Li F, Ren Y, Zheng J, Martens YA, Wang X, Li L, Liu CC, Chen K, Zhu Y, Ikezu TC, Li Z, Meneses AD, Jin Y, Knight JA, Chen Y, Bastea L, Linares C, Sonustun B, Job L, Smith ML, Xie M, Liu YU, Umpierre AD, Haruwaka K, Quicksall ZS, Storz P, Asmann YW, Wu LJ, Bu G. Elevating microglia TREM2 reduces amyloid seeding and suppresses disease-associated microglia. J Exp Med. 2022 Dec 5; 219 (12) Epub 2022 Sept 15
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  14. Paolicelli RC, Sierra A, Stevens B, Tremblay ME, Aguzzi A, Ajami B, Amit I, Audinat E, Bechmann I, Bennett M, Bennett F, Bessis A, Biber K, Bilbo S, Blurton-Jones M, Boddeke E, Brites D, Brone B, Brown GC, Butovsky O, Carson MJ, Castellano B, Colonna M, Cowley SA, Cunningham C, Davalos D, De Jager PL, de Strooper B, Denes A, Eggen BJL, Eyo U, Galea E, Garel S, Ginhoux F, Glass CK, Gokce O, Gomez-Nicola D, Gonzalez B, Gordon S, Graeber MB, Greenhalgh AD, Gressens P, Greter M, Gutmann DH, Haass C, Heneka MT, Heppner FL, Hong S, Hume DA, Jung S, Kettenmann H, Kipnis J, Koyama R, Lemke G, Lynch M, Majewska A, Malcangio M, Malm T, Mancuso R, Masuda T, Matteoli M, McColl BW, Miron VE, Molofsky AV, Monje M, Mracsko E, Nadjar A, Neher JJ, Neniskyte U, Neumann H, Noda M, Peng B, Peri F, Perry VH, Popovich PG, Pridans C, Priller J, Prinz M, Ragozzino D, Ransohoff RM, Salter MW, Schaefer A, Schafer DP, Schwartz M, Simons M, Smith CJ, Streit WJ, Tay TL, Tsai LH, Verkhratsky A, von Bernhardi R, Wake H, Wittamer V, Wolf SA, Wu LJ, Wyss-Coray T. Microglia states and nomenclature: A field at its crossroads. Neuron. 2022 Nov 2; 110 (21):3458-3483
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  15. Gu N, Yi MH, Murugan M, Xie M, Parusel S, Peng J, Eyo UB, Hunt CL, Dong H, Wu LJ. Spinal microglia contribute to sustained inflammatory pain via amplifying neuronal activity. Mol Brain. 2022 Oct 26; 15 (1):86
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  16. Kerezoudis P, Howe CL, Wu LJ, Lundstrom BN, Van Gompel JJ. Insula and the Immune System: More than mere Co-existence? Neurosci Bull. 2022 Oct; 38 (10):1271-1273 Epub 2022 June 28
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  17. Ma C, Fu Q, Diggs LP, McVey JC, McCallen J, Wabitsch S, Ruf B, Brown Z, Heinrich B, Zhang Q, Rosato U, Wang S, Cui L, Berzofsky JA, Kleiner DE, Bosco DB, Wu LJ, Lai CW, Rotman Y, Xie C, Korangy F, Greten TF. Platelets control liver tumor growth through P2Y12-dependent CD40L release in NAFLD. Cancer Cell. 2022 Sep 12; 40 (9):986-998.e5 Epub 2022 Sept 01
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  18. Jiang BC, Ding TY, Guo CY, Bai XH, Cao DL, Wu XB, Sha WL, Jiang M, Wu LJ, Gao YJ. NFAT1 Orchestrates Spinal Microglial Transcription and Promotes Microglial Proliferation via c-MYC Contributing to Nerve Injury-Induced Neuropathic Pain. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022 Sep; 9 (27):e2201300 Epub 2022 July 27
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  19. Li EC, Zheng Y, Cai MT, Lai QL, Fang GL, Du BQ, Shen CH, Zhang YX, Wu LJ, Ding MP. Seizures and epilepsy in multiple sclerosis, aquaporin 4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease. Epilepsia. 2022 Sep; 63 (9):2173-2191 Epub 2022 July 10
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  20. Umpierre AD, Haruwaka K, Wu LJ. Getting a Sense of ATP in Real Time. Neurosci Bull. 2022 Jul; 38 (7):834-836 Epub 2022 Mar 30
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  21. Zheng J, Murugan M, Wang L, Wu LJ. Microglial voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 in spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res. 2022 Jun; 17 (6):1183-1189
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  22. Tan Z, Lin ZJ, Wu LJ, Zhou LJ. The Macrophage IL-23/IL-17A Pathway: A New Neuro-Immune Mechanism in Female Mechanical Pain. Neurosci Bull. 2022 Apr; 38 (4):453-455 Epub 2021 Dec 15
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  23. Tian DS, Qin C, Zhou LQ, Yang S, Chen M, Xiao J, Shang K, Bosco DB, Wu LJ, Wang W. FSAP aggravated endothelial dysfunction and neurological deficits in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2022 Jan 7; 7 (1):6 Epub 2022 Jan 07
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  24. Xie M, Zhao S, Bosco DB, Nguyen A, Wu LJ. Microglial TREM2 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dev Neurobiol. 2022 Jan; 82 (1):125-137 Epub 2021 Dec 18
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  25. Xie M, Liu YU, Zhao S, Zhang L, Bosco DB, Pang YP, Zhong J, Sheth U, Martens YA, Zhao N, Liu CC, Zhuang Y, Wang L, Dickson DW, Mattson MP, Bu G, Wu LJ. TREM2 interacts with TDP-43 and mediates microglial neuroprotection against TDP-43-related neurodegeneration. Nat Neurosci. 2022 Jan; 25 (1):26-38 Epub 2021 Dec 16
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  26. Yu HH, Ma XT, Ma X, Chen M, Chu YH, Wu LJ, Wang W, Qin C, Tian DS. Remote Limb Ischemic Postconditioning Protects Against Ischemic Stroke by Promoting Regulatory T Cells Thriving. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Nov 16; 10 (22):e023077 Epub 2021 Nov 02
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  27. Ma X, Qin C, Chen M, Yu HH, Chu YH, Chen TJ, Bosco DB, Wu LJ, Bu BT, Wang W, Tian DS. Regulatory T cells protect against brain damage by alleviating inflammatory response in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. J Neuroinflammation. 2021 Sep 15; 18 (1):201 Epub 2021 Sept 15
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  28. Umpierre AD, Wu LJ. How microglia sense and regulate neuronal activity. Glia. 2021 Jul; 69 (7):1637-1653 Epub 2020 Dec 28
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  29. Peng J, Yi MH, Jeong H, McEwan PP, Zheng J, Wu G, Ganatra S, Ren Y, Richardson JR, Oh SB, Wu LJ. The voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 promotes microglia-astrocyte communication and neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury. Mol Brain. 2021 Jun 28; 14 (1):99 Epub 2021 June 28
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  30. Eyo UB, Haruwaka K, Mo M, Campos-Salazar AB, Wang L, Speros XS 4th, Sabu S, Xu P, Wu LJ. Microglia provide structural resolution to injured dendrites after severe seizures. Cell Rep. 2021 May 4; 35 (5):109080
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  31. Wei Y, Chen T, Bosco DB, Xie M, Zheng J, Dheer A, Ying Y, Wu Q, Lennon VA, Wu LJ. The complement C3-C3aR pathway mediates microglia-astrocyte interaction following status epilepticus. Glia. 2021 May; 69(5):1155-1169. Epub 2020 Dec 14.
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  32. Yang S, Qin C, Hu ZW, Zhou LQ, Yu HH, Chen M, Bosco DB, Wang W, Wu LJ, Tian DS. Microglia reprogram metabolic profiles for phenotype and function changes in central nervous system. Neurobiol Dis. 2021 May; 152:105290 Epub 2021 Feb 05
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  33. Hu ZW, Zhou LQ, Yang S, Chen M, Yu HH, Tao R, Wu LJ, Wang W, Zhang Q, Qin C, Tian DS. FTY720 Modulates Microglia Toward Anti-inflammatory Phenotype by Suppressing Autophagy via STAT1 Pathway. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2021 Mar; 41 (2):353-364 Epub 2020 Apr 27
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  34. Yi MH, Liu YU, Umpierre AD, Chen T, Ying Y, Zheng J, Dheer A, Bosco DB, Dong H, Wu LJ. Optogenetic activation of spinal microglia triggers chronic pain in mice. PLoS Biol. 2021 Mar; 19 (3):e3001154 Epub 2021 Mar 19
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  35. Ritzel RM, He J, Li Y, Cao T, Khan N, Shim B, Sabirzhanov B, Aubrecht T, Stoica BA, Faden AI, Wu LJ, Wu J. Proton extrusion during oxidative burst in microglia exacerbates pathological acidosis following traumatic brain injury. Glia. 2021 Mar; 69 (3):746-764 Epub 2020 Oct 22
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  36. Yi MH, Liu YU, Liu K, Chen T, Bosco DB, Zheng J, Xie M, Zhou L, Qu W, Wu LJ. Chemogenetic manipulation of microglia inhibits neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain in mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2021 Feb; 92:78-89 Epub 2020 Nov 20
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  37. Mai CL, Tan Z, Xu YN, Zhang JJ, Huang ZH, Wang D, Zhang H, Gui WS, Zhang J, Lin ZJ, Meng YT, Wei X, Jie YT, Grace PM, Wu LJ, Zhou LJ, Liu XG. CXCL12-mediated monocyte transmigration into brain perivascular space leads to neuroinflammation and memory deficit in neuropathic pain. Theranostics. 2021; 11 (3):1059-1078 Epub 2021 Jan 01
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  38. Li Y, Ritzel RM, He J, Cao T, Sabirzhanov B, Li H, Liu S, Wu LJ, Wu J. The voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 plays a detrimental role in contusion spinal cord injury via extracellular acidosis-mediated neuroinflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2021 Jan; 91:267-283 Epub 2020 Oct 08
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  39. Chen T, Bosco DB, Ying Y, Tian DS, Wu LJ. The Emerging Role of Microglia in Neuromyelitis Optica. Front Immunol. 2021; 12:616301 Epub 2021 Feb 19
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