Wenke Feng, Ph.D.

Biography:

Dr. Feng received his PhD in Biotechnology from the Institute of Applied Microbiology at the Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria. He worked in the University of Louisville School of Medicine as a post-doctoral research associate, and then faculty member in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology as an Assistant Professor, and then Associate Professor and Professor. He is now a Professor in the Department of Structural and Cellular Biology of Tulane University School of Medicine.

Research:

The Feng laboratory has a longstanding interest in studying the mechanisms of microbiome homeostasis, the gut-liver axis, and the application of probiotics in entero-hepatic diseases. Their focus includes alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cholestatic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer.

Currently, the Feng laboratory's research concentrates on several areas. Firstly, they aim to understand the regulation of the intestinal microbiome by dietary and environmental factors and its impact on entero-hepatic diseases. Specifically, they are investigating the regulation of the intestinal immune response, anti-microbial activity, gut barrier function, and bile acid homeostasis, by microRNA and several transcription factors, including hypoxia-inducible factor, farnesoid X receptor, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Secondly, the Feng laboratory is studying bacterium-host cell interactions by examining the role of bacterium- and host cell-derived extracellular vesicles. In this regard, the laboratory is developing probiotic-based products and strategies for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases and exploring the potential of bacterium-derived extracellular vesicles as drug delivery approaches. The laboratory is also studying the mechanisms of fecal microbiome transplant (FMT) in the treatment of liver diseases.

Feng laboratory is interested in the treatment of ALD and liver fibrosis targeting cannabinoid system. Currently the laboratory is examining the intestinal mechanisms of cannabidiol and peripheral cannabinoid receptor antagonist in the liver diseases.

The laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art technology, including single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, and other molecular biological approaches, both in vitro in cell and organoid culture, and in vivo in animals.

They also collaborate closely with clinical groups to translate research findings from bench to bed for potential clinical applications of probiotic-based therapy.

The research in the Feng laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Highlighted Recent publications:

1. He L, Vatsalya V, Ma X, Klinge CM, Cave MC, Feng W, McClain CJ, Zhang X. Metabolic Analysis of Nucleosides/Bases in the Urine and Serum of Patients with Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Metabolites. 2022 Nov 28;12(12):1187. doi: 10.3390/metabo12121187. PMID: 36557225; PMCID: PMC9783452.
2. Lei C, Sun R, Xu G, Tan Y, Feng W, McClain CJ, Deng Z. Enteric VIP-producing neurons maintain gut microbiota homeostasis through regulating epithelium fucosylation. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 Oct 12;30(10):1417-1434.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.09.001. Epub 2022 Sep 22. PMID: 36150396; PMCID: PMC9588764.
3. Sun R, Gu X, Lei C, Chen L, Chu S, Xu G, Doll MA, Tan Y, Feng W, Siskind L, McClain CJ, Deng Z. Neutral ceramidase-dependent regulation of macrophage metabolism directs intestinal immune homeostasis and controls enteric infection. Cell Rep. 2022 Mar 29;38(13):110560. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110560. PMID: 35354041; PMCID: PMC9007044.
4. Jiang M, Li F, Liu Y, Gu Z, Zhang L, Lee J, He L, Vatsalya V, Zhang HG, Deng Z, Zhang X, Chen SY, Guo GL, Barve S, McClain CJ, Feng W. Probiotic-derived nanoparticles inhibit ALD through intestinal miR194 suppression and subsequent FXR activation. Hepatology. 2022 Jun 11:10.1002/hep.32608. doi: 10.1002/hep.32608. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35689610; PMCID: PMC9741667.
5. Li F, Chen J, Liu Y, Gu Z, Jiang M, Zhang L, Chen SY, Deng Z, McClain CJ, Feng W. Deficiency of Cathelicidin Attenuates High-Fat Diet Plus Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury through FGF21/Adiponectin Regulation. Cells. 2021 Nov 27;10(12):3333. doi: 10.3390/cells10123333. PMID: 34943840; PMCID: PMC8699208.
6. Vatsalya V, Li F, Frimodig J, Shah N, Sutrawe A, Feng W. Efficacy of Thiamine and Medical Management in Treating Hyperuricemia in AUD Patients with ALD: Role of Hyperuricemia in Liver Injury, Gut-Barrier Dysfunction, and Inflammation. Clin Exp Pharmacol. 2021;11(Suppl 7):001. Epub 2021 Jul 28. PMID: 34522469; PMCID: PMC8436171.
7. Gu Z, Li F, Liu Y, Jiang M, Zhang L, He L, Wilkey DW, Merchant M, Zhang X, Deng ZB, Chen SY, Barve S, McClain CJ, Feng W. Exosome-Like Nanoparticles From Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Protect Against Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Through Intestinal Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Mice. Hepatol Commun. 2021 Feb 5;5(5):846-864. doi: 10.1002/hep4.1679. PMID: 34027273; PMCID: PMC8122379.
8. Gu X, Sun R, Chen L, Chu S, Doll MA, Li X, Feng W, Siskind L, McClain CJ, Deng Z. Neutral Ceramidase Mediates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis by Regulating Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Gut IgA⁺ B Cells. Hepatology. 2021 Mar;73(3):901-919. doi: 10.1002/hep.31628. Epub 2021 Feb 18. PMID: 33185911; PMCID: PMC8943690.
9. Zhao C, Liu L, Liu Q, Li F, Zhang L, Zhu F, Shao T, Barve S, Chen Y, Li X, McClain CJ, Feng W. Fibroblast growth factor 21 is required for the therapeutic effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG against fructose-induced fatty liver in mice. Mol Metab. 2019 Nov;29:145-157. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.08.020. Epub 2019 Sep 3. Erratum in: Mol Metab. 2020 May;35:100999. PMID: 31668386; PMCID: PMC6812038.
10. Liu Q, Liu Y, Li F, Gu Z, Liu M, Shao T, Zhang L, Zhou G, Pan C, He L, Cai J, Zhang X, Barve S, McClain CJ, Chen Y, Feng W. Probiotic culture supernatant improves metabolic function through FGF21-adiponectin pathway in mice. J Nutr Biochem. 2020 Jan;75:108256. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2019.108256. Epub 2019 Oct 24. PMID: 31760308; PMCID: PMC8059636.
11. Liu Y, Chen K, Li F, Gu Z, Liu Q, He L, Shao T, Song Q, Zhu F, Zhang L, Jiang M, Zhou Y, Barve S, Zhang X, McClain CJ, Feng W. Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Prevents Liver Fibrosis Through Inhibiting Hepatic Bile Acid Synthesis and Enhancing Bile Acid Excretion in Mice. Hepatology. 2020 Jun;71(6):2050-2066. doi: 10.1002/hep.30975. Epub 2020 Mar 16. PMID: 31571251; PMCID: PMC7317518.
12. Shao T, Zhao C, Li F, Gu Z, Liu L, Zhang L, Wang Y, He L, Liu Y, Liu Q, Chen Y, Donde H, Wang R, Jala VR, Barve S, Chen SY, Zhang X, Chen Y, McClain CJ, Feng W. Intestinal HIF-1α deletion exacerbates alcoholic liver disease by inducing intestinal dysbiosis and barrier dysfunction. J Hepatol. 2018 Oct;69(4):886-895. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.05.021. Epub 2018 May 25. PMID: 29803899; PMCID: PMC6615474.