NAME: Cai, Sa

POSITION TITLE: Associate professor of Regenerative Medicine

EDUCATION/TRAINING

A.   Personal Statement

I was involved in several national scientific research programs, including the National Basic Science and Development Program (973 Program) and the National Science Foundation of China. The work includes involved procedures of isolation, culture and identification of stem cells, especially BM-MSCs; induction of stem cells to differentiate into different cell types, both in vivo and in vitro, and exploration of the possibility of enhancing the regeneration of injured skin by autotransplantation.

B.   Positions and Honors

Positions and Employment

06/2009–present        Associate professor of Regenerative Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

Other Experience and Honors

1.    State Science & Technology Award (awarded by China’s State Council) 2008.

2.    Cultivation Program for Outstanding Young Innovative Talents in Tertiary Institutions (Natural Sciences Group, Beijing) 2008.

3.    Young Investigator Colloquium Speaker in the 12th Scientific Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry 2014.

C.   Contributions to Science (*: corresponding/co-corresponding author)

A full list of my publications (in a total of 12) is enclosed at the end of this document.

1.    PATENT

National invention patent (China):

Patent Number: 2008101694758

Title of the Invention: Induction of epidermal cells to dedifferentiate with non-external geneIntervention Main Classification Number: C12N 5/08

2.    The application of epidermal and mesenchymal stem cells in skin repair and regeneration.

Given that epidermal stem cells are damaged or lost after severe skin injury and failed to regenerate new skin tissue with normal structure and function, we are trying different ways in vivo and in vitro to induce differentiated epidermal cells to reverse to stem cell-like cells with the ability to self-renew and differentiate into specialized phenotypes in response to appropriate signals. Secondly, to better understand the mechanism involved in the reversion process, different signalling pathways are determined and trigger genes are analyzed by utilizing gene chip technology. Thirdly, given the damage of skin appendages and loss of excretive function of sweat glands after massive full-thickness wounds, we are attempting to inducing stem cells to transdifferentiate into sweat gland cells and exploring the possibility of applying these induced cells to participate in wound repair and regeneration in vivo, ultimately realizing the goal of perfect regeneration with restoration of both structure and function.

3.    Neural stem cells and its potential application for replacement therapy.

Neural stem cells are the most immature progenitor cells in the nervous system and are defined by their ability to self-renew as well as give rise to cells of glial and neural lineages. Because of their high plasticity, neural stem cells are expected to provide a source of tissue for self-to-self cell replacement strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Currently available treatments of the diseased or damaged central nervous system are restricted to a limited pharmacological relief of symptoms or those given to avoid further damage. Therefore researches should be focused on the treatments that can restore function in the CNS. Furthermore, a full understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating generation and maintenance of neural stem cells, their choice between different differentiation programs and their migration properties is essential if these cells are to be used for therapeutic applications. Our research work focus on the recruitment and plasticity of these progenitor cells and the mechanisms involved in it, ultimately explore the possibility of exploiting the potential of stem cells to manufacture transplantable NSCs able to provide a safe and effective therapy for previously untreatable neurological disorders.

D.   Research Support

1. National Nature Science Foundation of China (Key program) (30730090; RMB￥1.7M; Co-I)

2. National Nature Science Foundation of China (30870991; RMB￥0.3M; Co-I)

3. National Nature Science Foundation of China (30800442; RMB￥0.3M; Co-I)

4. National Nature Science Foundation of China (81000011; RMB￥0.22M; PI)

5. National Nature Science Foundation of China (81272080; RMB￥0.7M; PI)

6. Shenzhen Technological R&D Foundation grant (JC201005280429A; RMB￥0.1M; PI)

7. Shenzhen Technological R&D Foundation grant (JCYJ20120613101917373; RMB￥0.1M; PI).

E.    Peer-reviewed publications (*: corresponding author)

1.      Cai S, Fu XB, Sheng ZY (2007) Dedifferentiation: a new approach in stem cell research. Bioscience 57: 655-662

2.      Cai S, Fu XB, Sheng ZY (2007) Dedifferentiation: a new source of stem cells. National Medical Journal of China 87: 573-575.

3.      Cai S, Pan Y, Fu XB, Lei YH, Sun TZ, Wang J, Sheng ZY (2009) Dedifferentiation of human epidermal keratinocytes induced by UV in vitro. J Health Sci. 55: 709-719.

4.      Fu XB, Han B, Cai S, Lei YH, Sun TZ, Sheng ZY (2009) Migration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its possible role in wound healing. Wound Repair Regeneration 17: 185-191.

5.      Sheng ZY, Fu XB, Cai S, Lei YH, Sun TZ, Bai XD, Chen ML (2009) Regeneration of functional sweat gland-like structures by transplanted differentiated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Wound Repair Regeneration 17: 427-435.

6.      Zhang CP, Fu XB, Chen P, Bao X, Li F, Sun XY, Lei YH, Cai S, Sun TZ, Sheng ZY (2010) Dedifferentiation derived cells exhibit phenotypic and functional characteristics of epidermal stem cells. J Cell Mol Med 14: 1135-1145.

7.      Cai S, Pan Y, Han B, Sun TZ, Sheng ZY, Fu XB (2011) Transplantation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transfected with ectodysplasin for regeneration of sweat glands. Chin Med J 124: 2260-2268.

8.      Cai S, Pan Y, Sun XY, Zhang CP, Fu XB (2012) Dedifferentiation: a new approach for skin regeneration. Science (Suppl) 336(Suppl): 58-59.

9.      Pan Y, Fu XB. Cai S*(2012) Current state of the development of Mesenchymal stem cells into clinically applicable Schwann cell transplants. Mol Cell Biochem. 368: 127-135

10.   Pan Y, Cai S*(2014) p53: the barrier or guardian for cell dedifferentiation? Bioscience 64: 883-892

11.   Zhao AD, Lin Y, Wu MY, Cai S* (2018) Reprogramming factor-based transdifferentiation of human fibroblasts into keratinocyte stem-like cells. Stem Cells Transl Med (in revision)

12.   Pan Y, Zhao AD, Cui XN, Lin Y, Zhong ZQ, Cai S* (2018) Ganoderma spore lipid protects mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoiesis from the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent. Phytother Res (in revision).