Ke Li

My major interest has been focused on investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the complement system modulates immune cells function and contributes to the pathogenesis of immune diseases [e.g. renal injury, vascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer].

PhD and Research Fellow at King’s College London (2000-2010):

My PhD and post-doc (2000-2010, in KCL) study has been focused on investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which complement contributes to the pathogenesis of renal diseases [i.e. infection, ischemia/reperfusion injury and transplant rejection]. I have led or actively participated in several research projects, the major contributions of those studies to the field include: 1) first reported that complement is an important regulator for the function of antigen presenting cells and renal tubular epithelial cells to stimulate antigen specific T cell responses, which contributes to renal transplant rejection; 2) revealed novel mechanisms by which uropathogenic E coli utilize the complement receptors to invade renal tubular epithelial cells; 3) described the role of complement anaphylatoxin receptors in the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion injury and revealed the involved cellular and molecular mechanisms. In this period, our research has led 18 (SCI) publications (total impact factor: 120, total SCI journal citation: 501), including in Blood (2006, 2008a and b), JASN (2004, 2010, 2012), JI (2006a,b, 2009). For 8 of those publications (total impact factor: 43), I am the leading author.

PI at Xi’an Jiaotong University (2011-date)

In 2011, I was appointed as a GuangHua Distinguished Professor of Xi’an Jiaotong University and recruited back to China. My current and future work builds on the hypothesis that complement anaphylatoxin receptors (C3aR, C5aR, C5L2) exert distinct functions in regulating inflammatory responses which differentially regulating tissue repair and adaptive immune responses. I plan to test this hypothesis in different animal disease models (i.e. renal injury & fibrosis, arthrosclerosis and cancer progression). Currently, I lead a research team with 3 Post-Docs, 6 PhD students and 5 technicians. The newly-formed research team has already obtained several research grants from national funding scheme (i.e. NSFC, Ministry of Education) (see below), worth a total of RMB 6,500,000 ($ 1.1M).

Contact information:

Ken Li MB,PhD.

Professor/Director

Core Research Laboratory

The Second Affiliated Hospital,

Xi’an Jiaotong University

Tel; 86-29-87678329

ke.li@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Selected publications：

1. Wang N, Wu W, Qiang C, Ma N, Wu K, Liu D, Wang JX, Yang X, Xue L, Diao TY, Liu JY, Li A, Zhang B, Li ZF, Farrar CA, Banda NK, Bayarri-Olmos R, Garred P, Zhou W, Li K*. Protective Role of Collectin 11 in a Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2021 Aug;73(8):1430-1440. (IF=10.9)

2. Wei LL, Ma N, Wang JX, Wu KY, Bai L, Liu EQ, Li ZF, Zhou W, Chen D, Li K* Protective role of C3aR against atherosclerosis in atherosclerosis-prone mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020 Sep;40(9):2070-2083. (IF=8.3)

3. Zhang T, Wu KY, Ma N, Wei LL, Garstka M, Zhou W, Li K*. The C5a/C5aR2 axis promotes renal inflammation and tissue damage. JCI insight 2020, 5:e134081. (IF=8.3)

4. Wu KY, Zhang T, Zhao GX, Ma N, Zhao SJ, Wang N, Wang JX, Li ZF, Zhou W, Li K*.The C3a/C3aR axis mediates anti- inflammatory activity and protects against uropathogenic E coli-induced kidney injury in mice. Kidney Int. 2019 Sep; 96(3):612-627. (IF= 10.6)

5. Wu W, Liu CF, Farrar C.A., Ma L, Dong X, Sacks S, Li K*, Zhou W*. Collectin-11 is required for the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2018 Jan;29(1):168-181 (IF= 10.1)

6. Li K*, Wu KY, Wu W, Wang N, Zhang T, Choudhry N, Song Y, Farrar CA, Ma L, Wei LL, Duan ZY, Dong X, Liu EQ, Li ZF, Sacks SH, Zhou W. C5aR1 promotes acute pyelonephritis induced by uropathogenic E. coli. JCI Insight. 2017 Dec 21;2(24) (IF=8.3)

7. Choudhry N, Li K*, Zhang T, Wu KY, Song Y, Farrar CA, Wang N, Liu CF, Peng Q, Wu W, Sacks SH, Zhou W. Pathogenic role for C5aR1 in chronic inflammation and renal fibrosis in a murine model of chronic pyelonephritis. Kidney Int. 2016 Sep;90(3):540-54. (IF= 10.6 )

8. Li K, Anderson KJ, Peng Q, Noble A, Lu B, Kelly AP, Wang N, Sacks SH, Zhou W. Cyclic AMP plays a critical role in C3a-receptor mediated regulation of dendritic cells in antigen uptake and T cell stimulation. Blood. 2008, 112(13):5084-94. (IF= 22.1)

9. Li K, Zhou W. Anaphylatoxins in organ transplantation. Semin Immunol. 2013, 25:20-8.(IF=11.1)

10. Li K, Patel H, Farrar CA, Hargreaves RE, Sacks SH and Zhou W. Complement activation regulates the capacity of proximal tubular epithelial cell to stimulate alloreactive T cell response. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2004, 15: 2414-2422. (IF=10.4)