Welcome to the Huang lab at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where we study chromatin-dependent regulation of gene expression in physiology and diseases
The Huang lab is interested in exploring the mechanisms of chromatin-dependent regulation of gene expression that lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancers. Utilizing an integrated approach that spans from molecular, cellular, proteomic, and genomic analyses, to mouse genetic models, we have focused on the key aspects of post-translational modifications in the regulation of chromatin and transcription: (1) epigenomic regulation by ADP-ribosylation and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) enzymes that catalyze the modification; (2) regulation of transcription factors by the nuclear PARP1 and ADP-ribosylation; and (3) inter-relationship network between histone post-translational modifications. We aim to link these mechanisms to biological outcomes, and identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancers.
(1) The new areas of PARP biology in cardiovascular health during pregnancy
Cardiovascular disease is the leading non-obstetric cause of maternal death. In healthy individuals, the heart undergoes physiological hypertrophy during pregnancy in response to the increased maternal and fetal demand, which is an important adaptive and reversible process without long-term detrimental effects on cardiac function. However, alterations to normal cardiovascular physiology in pregnancy can lead to pathological cardiac hypertrophy and subsequent heart failure. Our study is to achieve a better understanding of the molecular, biochemical, and genomic mechanisms underlying the control of signal-regulated transcription by PARP1 and ADP-ribosylation of key substrate proteins, as well as the downstream pathophysiological consequences in physiological cardiac hypertrophy versus heart failure associated with pregnancy.
(2) Transcriptional control of metabolism and metabolic stress-induced cardiovascular dysfunction
The crosstalk between the heart and other metabolically active tissues (e.g. adipose tissue and liver) promotes the development of cardiovascular diseases. Growing evidence, including our previous work, have connected PARP1 and ADP-ribosylation to a variety of cardiovascular diseases as well as metabolic disorders that contribute importantly to the development of cardiovascular diseases, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, type II diabetes, and fatty liver diseases. Our study is to investigate the molecular mechanisms and cellular functions of transcription regulation by PARP1 and ADP-ribosylation that play key roles in linking metabolism to cardiovascular function.
(3) Regulation of chromatin and transcription by inter-relationship network between histone post-translational modifications in cancer biology
Recent studies have identified mutations in histone genes that lead to expressed mutant versions of the core histones called “oncohistones”. Our work has characterized histone mutations occurring at ADP-ribosylation sites as a new class of oncogenic drivers in breast and ovarian cancers. Our study aims to reveal novel links between post-translational modifications (e.g. ADP-ribosylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation) on oncohistones in the regulation of cancer biology.
Meet the PI
Dan Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
Dan Huang is an Associate Professor in the Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
In 2009, Dr. Huang completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in Medicine at Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China. She then has been working as a cardiologist and clinician scientist in Wuhan Union Hospital, HUST. She was promoted as an Associate Professor since 2012, as well as during the time she spent as a Visiting Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern from 2017-2021. In December 2024, Dr. Huang joined the faculty of UT Southwestern.
Dr. Huang studies molecular mechanisms, cellular functions, and biology of histone modifications and chromatin regulation in physiology and diseases. Her research focuses on studying 1) molecular and cellular functions of ADP-ribosylation, as well as the PARP enzymes that catalyze the modification, (2) inter-relationship network between histone post-translational modifications in chromatin regulation and 3) links between these mechanisms and biological outcomes, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and cancers.
Lab Members
Yangyang Dai, M.D., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
I am interested in understanding the molecular and genomic changes during female reproduction and pregnancy, and the role of immune systems in physiological and pathological conditions. I am currently working with Prof. Huang on some exciting heart projects. One main goal of our research is to elucidate the maternal heart changes during pregnancy, and to understand the role of PARP1 in this process.
Selected publications
- Dai Y, Ye Z, Lin X, Zhang S. Immunopathological insights into endometriosis: from research advances to future treatments. Semin Immunopathol. 2025 Jul 18;47(1):31.
- Dai Y, Xin L, Hu S, Xu S, Huang D, Jin X, Chen J, Chan RWS, Ng EHY, Yeung WSB, Ma L, Zhang S. A construct of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-laden collagen scaffold for fertility restoration by inhibiting fibrosis in a rat model of endometrial injury. Regen Biomater. 2023 Sep 7;10:rbad080.
Contact Us
Dan Huang Lab
- Dr. Dan Huang
- 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390
Publications
Functional Analysis of Histone ADP-Ribosylation In Vitro and in Cells.
Huang D, Edwards AD, Gong X, Kraus WL, 2023 Methods Mol Biol 2609 157-192The expanding universe of PARP1-mediated molecular and therapeutic mechanisms.
Huang D, Kraus WL, 2022 Mar Mol CellOncohistone Mutations Occur at Functional Sites of Regulatory ADP-ribosylation.
Huang D, Camacho CV, Martire S, Nagari A, Setlem R, Gong X, Edwards AD, Chiu SP, Banaszynski LA, Kraus WL, 2022 Apr Cancer Res
Palavalli Parsons LH, Challa S, Gibson BA, Nandu T, Stokes MS, Huang D, Lea JS, Kraus WL,
2021 Jan
Elife
10
Functional Interplay between Histone H2B ADP-Ribosylation and Phosphorylation Controls Adipogenesis.
Huang D, Camacho CV, Setlem R, Ryu KW, Parameswaran B, Gupta RK, Kraus WL, 2020 09 Mol Cell 6 79 934-949.e14Specific Binding of snoRNAs to PARP-1 Promotes NAD+-Dependent Catalytic Activation.
Huang D, Kim DS, Kraus WL, 2020 04 Biochemistry 16 59 1559-1564
Zhang F, Wang C, Jiang Y, Huang K, Liu F, Du M, Luo X, Huang D, Huang K,
2020
Int J Biol Sci
15
16
2868-2882
The novel adipokine CTRP5 is a negative regulator of white adipose tissue browning.
Rao C, Huang D, Mao X, Chen R, Huang D, Huang K 2019 Mar Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 3 510 388-394CTRP13 inhibits atherosclerosis via autophagy-lysosome-dependent degradation of CD36.
Wang C, Xu W, Liang M, Huang D, Huang K 2018 Sep FASEB J. fj201801267RRPoly(ADP-ribosyl)ated PXR is a critical regulator of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity.
Wang C, Xu W, Zhang Y, Huang D, Huang K 2018 Jul Cell Death Dis 8 9 819Generating Protein-Linked and Protein-Free Mono-, Oligo-, and Poly(ADP-Ribose) In Vitro.
Lin KY, Huang D, Kraus WL, 2018 Methods Mol Biol 1813 91-108Generation and Characterization of Recombinant Antibody-like ADP-Ribose Binding Proteins.
Gibson BA, Conrad LB, Huang D, Kraus WL 2017 Nov BiochemistryA20 prevents obesity-induced development of cardiac dysfunction.
Xu W, Wang C, Liang M, Chen L, Fu Q, Zhang F, Wang Y, Huang D, Huang K 2017 Nov J. Mol. Med.The LPS-inducible lncRNA Mirt2 is a negative regulator of inflammation.
Du M, Yuan L, Tan X, Huang D, Wang X, Zheng Z, Mao X, Li X, Yang L, Huang K, Zhang F, Wang Y, Luo X, Huang D, Huang K 2017 Dec Nat Commun 1 8 2049
Du M, Wang X, Tan X, Li X, Huang D, Huang K, Yang L, Zhang F, Wang Y, Huang D, Huang K
2016 Dec
J Am Heart Assoc
12
5
Huang K, Du M, Tan X, Yang L, Li X, Jiang Y, Wang C, Zhang F, Zhu F, Cheng M, Yang Q, Yu L, Wang L, Huang D, Huang K
2016 Dec
J. Hepatol.
Inhibition of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 Protects Chronic Alcoholic Liver Injury.
Zhang Y, Wang C, Tian Y, Zhang F, Xu W, Li X, Shu Z, Wang Y, Huang K, Huang D 2016 Dec Am. J. Pathol. 12 186 3117-3130
Du M, Huang K, Huang D, Yang L, Gao L, Wang X, Huang D, Li X, Wang C, Zhang F, Wang Y, Cheng M, Tong Q, Qin G, Huang K, Wang L
2015 Feb
Cardiovasc. Res.
2
105
182-91
Inhibition of PARP prevents angiotensin II-induced aortic fibrosis in rats.
Wang Y, Wang L, Zhang F, Zhang C, Deng S, Wang R, Zhang Y, Huang D, Huang K, 2013 Sep Int J Cardiol 5 167 2285-93
Wang C, Zhang F, Wang L, Zhang Y, Li X, Huang K, Du M, Liu F, Huang S, Guan Y, Huang D, Huang K,
2013 Nov
Mol Cell Biol
22
33
4492-503
Nardosinone protects H9c2 cardiac cells from angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy.
Du M, Huang K, Gao L, Yang L, Wang WS, Wang B, Huang K, Huang D 2013 Dec J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. Med. Sci. 6 33 822-6
Zhang F, Wang Y, Wang L, Luo X, Huang K, Wang C, Du M, Liu F, Luo T, Huang D, Huang K
2013 Apr
J. Biol. Chem.
16
288
11348-57
Yang L, Huang K, Li X, Du M, Kang X, Luo X, Gao L, Wang C, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Tong Q, Huang K, Zhang F, Huang D
2013
PLoS ONE
12
8
e82872
Angiotensin II promotes poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of c-Jun/c-Fos in cardiac fibroblasts.
Huang D, Wang Y, Yang C, Liao Y, Huang K, 2009 Jan J Mol Cell Cardiol 1 46 25-32
Huang D, Yang CZ, Yao L, Wang Y, Liao YH, Huang K,
2008 Nov
Arch Med Res
8
39
775-84