Wenxia Song

Associate Professor

Research Interests: Cellular and Molecular Immunology

The broad interest of my laboratory is to understand how the cellular activities of B-lymphocytes are regulated. The major function of B cell is secreting antibodies. B cells sense antigens in their environment through the B cell antigen receptor (BCR). The binding of antigen to the BCR initiates signal transduction cascades and rapid internalization of antigen. The internalized antigen is subsequently processed and presented in the context of the major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class II for recognition by T helper cell. The activated T cells promote B cells to proliferate and differentiate into antibody secreting cells. The activation of the BCR and the T cell-recognition of antigens presented by B cells are two crucial events for T cell-dependent humoral immune responses. The current focus of my laboratory is to study how the BCR carries out both signaling and antigen transport functions and coordinate these two functions to promote B cell activation and differentiation. This involves identifying the structure elements carried by the BCR and cellular proteins or protein complexes that regulate the signaling and transport functions of the BCR.

An additional interest of my laboratory is the interaction between host cells and bacterial pathogens (Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Salmonella). Currently we are examining the adherence, invasion, intracellular survival and transcytosis of bacteria in cultured human epithelial cells. Our long-term goal is to understand how bacteria colonize in host body to cause infection.

Current lab members:
Shruti Sharma

Former Graduate Students
Beth Parent
Nandini Arunkumar
Olusegun Onabajo
Jie Zheng

Undergraduate Students
Tam Quach
Dawn Hill

Recent Publications:

1. Sharma, S., Orlowski G. and W. Song. Btk regulates BCR-mediated antigen processing and presentation by controlling the actin cytoskeleton dynamics in B cells. Submitted to Journal of Immunology.

2. Arunkumar N., and W. Song. Differential effect of CpG ODN on primary B cells and lymphoma B cells. In revision and to be submitted to Journal of Leukocyte Biology.

3. Song W., S. Condron, B. T. Mocca, S. J. Veit, D. Hill, A. Abbas, and A. E. Jerse. Local and Humoral Immune Responses against Primary and Repeat Neisseria gonorrhoeae Genital Tract Infections of 17-β Estradiol-treated Mice. Submitted to Vaccine.

4. Zheng, J., J. Meng, S. Zhao, R. Singh, and W. Song. 2008. Campylobacter-induced interleukin 8 in human intestinal epithelia cells required Campylobacter-secreted CDT and TLR-meidated activation of NF-kB.  Infection and Immunity In press.

5. Bish S. E., W. Song, and D. C. Stein. 2008. Quantification of bacterial invasion into host cells using a b-lactamase reporter strain: Neisseria gonorrhoeae invasion into cervical epithelial cells requires bacterial viability. Microbial & Infection In press.

6. Richard, K., S. K. Pierce, and W. Song. 2008. TLR9 ligand, but not TLR4 ligand preferentially activates memory B cells. J. Immunol. 181(3).

7. Ye L., X. Liu, S. N. Rout, Y. Yan, S. K. Samal, W. Song and X. Zhu. 2008. The MHC class II-assoicated invariant chain ternacts with Fcg receptor FcRn and modulates its trafficking to endosomal/lysosmal comparatment. J. of Immunol. In press.

8. Onabajo, O., M. Seeley, A. Kale, B. Qualmann, M. Kessels, S-H. Tan, and W. Song. 2008. Mammalian actin-binding protein 1 regulates BCR-mediated antigen processing and presentation in response to BCR activation.  J. Immunol. 180(10):6685-95.

9. Marbach-Ad, G., Briken, V., Frauwirth, K., Gao, L.,  Hutcheson, S.W., Joseph, S.W., Mosser, D., Parent, B, Shields, P., Song, W., Stein, D.C., Swanson, K., Thompson, K.V., Yuan, R., Smith, A.C. 2007. A Faculty Team Works to Create Content Linkages among Various Courses to Increase Meaningful Learning of Targeted Concepts of Microbiology. CBE Life Sci Educ 2007: 155–162.

10. Zheng, J., J. Meng, S. Zhao, R. Singh, and W. Song. 2006. Adherence and invasion of Campylobacter jejuni/coli isolated from retail meats to human intestinal epithelial cells. Journal of Food Protection. 69(4):768-74.

11. Thyagarajan, R., N. Arunkumar, and W. Song. 2003. Polyvalent antigens stabilize BCR surface signaling microdomains. J. Immunol. 170:6099-6106.

12. 27.  Sheela, R. R., U. Babu, J. Mu, E. Subbiah, D. A. Bautista, R. B. Raybourne, R. A. Heckert, and W. Song. 2003. Immune responses against Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis infection in virally immunosuppressed chickens. Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology 10(4):670-9.

13. Siemasko, K., B. J. Skaggs, S. Kabak, E. Williamson, B. K. Brown, W. Song, and M. R. Clark. 2002. Receptor facilitated antigen presentation requires the recruitment of BLNK to Iga. J. Immunol. 168(5):2127-38.

14. Parent, B. A., X. Wang, and W. Song. 2002. Destabilization of the B cell antigen receptor blocks signaling and antigen targeting. Eur. J. Immunol. 32:1839-1846.

15. Li, C., K. Siemasko, M. R. Clark, and W. Song. 2002. Efficiency of antigen processing is dependent on the kinetics and specificity of antigen targeting. Int. Immunl. 14:1179-1191.

16. Stoddar, A., M. L. Dykstra, B. K. Brown, W. Song, S. K. Pierce, and F. M. Brodsky. 2002. Src kinase dependent clathrin phosphorylation couples BCR internalization to lipid raft signaling. Immunity 17 (4):451-462.

17. Brown, B. K., and W. Song. 2001. The actin cytoskeleton is required for the trafficking of the B cell antigen receptor to the late endosomes. Traffic. 2 (6):414-27

18. Song, W. 2001. Signaling, actin dynamics and endocytosis. Acta Biophysica Sinica. 17 (1):10-18.

19. Cheng, P. C., B. K. Brown, W. Song, and S. K. Pierce. 2001. Translocation of the B cell antigen receptor into lipid rafts reveals a novel step in signaling. J. Immunol. 166 (6):3693-701.

20. Liu, S. H., M. C. Towler, E. Chen, C. Y. Chen, W. Song, G. Apodaca, and F. M. Brodsky. 2001. A novel clathrin homolog that co-distributes with cytoskeletal components functions in the trans-Golgi network. EMBO J. 20 (1-2):272-84.

21. Song, W., L. Ma, R. Chen, and D. C. Stein. 2000. Role of lipooligosaccharide in Opa-independent invasion of Neisseria gonorrhoeae into human epithelial cells. J. Exp. Med. 191 (6):949-60.

22. Brown, B. K., C. Li, P. C. Cheng, and W. Song. 1999. Trafficking of the Iga/Igb heterodimer with membrane Ig and bound antigen to the major histocompatibility complex class II peptide-loading compartment. J. Biol. Chem. 274 (16):11439-46.

23. Cheng, P. C., C. R. Steele, L. Gu, W. Song, and S. K. Pierce. 1999. MHC class II antigen processing in B cells: accelerated intracellular targeting of antigens. J. Immunol. 162 (12):7171-80.

24. Siemasko, K., B. J. Eisfelder, C. Stebbins, S. Kabak, A. J. Sant, W. Song, and M. R. Clark. 1999. Iga and Igb are required for efficient trafficking to late endosomes and to enhance antigen presentation. J. Immunol. 162 (11):6518-25.

CBMG 688D Cell Biology-I Classroom Page