Xingbin Ai, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Medicine
Biography
Expertise and interests include:
REGULATION OF STEM CELL FUNCTION AND AGING BY HEPARAN SULFATE AND SULFS:
Environmental signals play crucial roles in self-renewal of stem cells, tissue regeneration and aging. Ai lab investigates heparan sulfate-dependent mechanisms that regulate extracellular signaling during stem cell maintenance and regeneration of the skeletal muscle. Our study is focused on two heparan sulfate-modifying enzymes called Sulfs.
NEUROGENESIS AND NEUROPLASTICITY IN PULMONARY DISEASES:
The respiratory tract is known to be innervated by two groups of neurons. The intrinsic neurons have cell bodies located within the tissue, while the extrinsic neurons have their cell bodies located in the central and peripheral nervous system and their axons innervating airway smooth muscle and neuroendocrine cells. Ai lab investigates neurotrophic signals that regulate neurogenesis in developing lung and neuroplasticity in pulmonary diseases. Our goal is to understand physiological roles of neural innervation in respiratory function, diseases and regeneration.
AIRWAY SMOOTH MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT AND REMODELING IN ASTHMA:
Airway smooth muscle hyperplasia and hyper-reactivity are key features of asthma. Ai lab, in collaboration with Dr. Alan Fine’s lab, investigates mechanisms underlying the formation and remodeling of airway smooth muscle. We are particularly interested in the sonic hedgehog pathway in control of airway smooth muscle development.
Other Positions
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
Websites
Education
- Case Western Reserve University, PhD
- Fudan University, BS
Publications
- Published on 1/15/2025
Zhao C, Taliento AE, Belkin EM, Fearns R, Lerou PH, Ai X, Bai Y. Infant RSV infection desensitizes ß2-adrenergic receptor via CXCL11-CXCR7 signaling in airway smooth muscle. bioRxiv. 2025 Jan 15. PMID: 39868223.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/11/2024
Aubert O, Miyake Y, Amonkar GM, Dinwoodie OM, Varisco BM, Marotta M, Zhao C, Wagner R, Chen YW, Moscatello A, Tiozzo C, Varelas X, Lerou PH, Peiro JL, Keijzer R, Ai X. Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Corelates with Normalized YAP Expression and Alveolar Epithelial Differentiation in CDH. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2024 Dec 11. PMID: 39661950.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/1/2024
Zhao C, Bai Y, Wang W, Amonkar GM, Mou H, Olejnik J, Hume AJ, Mühlberger E, Lukacs NW, Fearns R, Lerou PH, Ai X. Activation of STAT3-mediated ciliated cell survival protects against severe infection by respiratory syncytial virus. J Clin Invest. 2024 Nov 01; 134(21). PMID: 39484716.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/1/2024
Bankoti K, Wang W, Amonkar GM, Xiong L, Shui JE, Zhao C, Van E, Mwase C, Park JA, Mou H, Fang Y, Que J, Bai Y, Lerou PH, Ai X. Airway Basal Stem Cells in COVID-19 Exhibit a Proinflammatory Signature and Impaired Mucocililary Differentiation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2024 Jan; 70(1):26-38. PMID: 37699145.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/1/2023
Dylong F, Riedel J, Amonkar GM, Peukert N, Lieckfeldt P, Sturm K, Höxter B, Tse WH, Miyake Y, Moormann M, Bode LM, Mayer S, Keijzer R, Lacher M, Ai X, Gosemann JH, Wagner R. Overactivated Epithelial NF-?B Disrupts Lung Development in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2023 Nov; 69(5):545-555. PMID: 37552822.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/21/2023
Zhao C, Wang W, Bai Y, Amonkar G, Mou H, Olejnik J, Hume AJ, Mühlberger E, Fang Y, Que J, Fearns R, Ai X, Lerou PH. Age-related STAT3 signaling regulates severity of respiratory syncytial viral infection in human bronchial epithelial cells. bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 21. PMID: 37781574.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/6/2023
Bai Y, Li G, Yung L, Yu PB, Ai X. Intrapulmonary arterial contraction assay reveals region-specific deregulation of vasoreactivity to lung injuries. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2023 Aug 01; 325(2):L114-L124. PMID: 37278410.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/1/2023
Zhang Y, Black KE, Phung TN, Thundivalappil SR, Lin T, Wang W, Xu J, Zhang C, Hariri LP, Lapey A, Li H, Lerou PH, Ai X, Que J, Park JA, Hurley BP, Mou H. Human Airway Basal Cells Undergo Reversible Squamous Differentiation and Reshape Innate Immunity. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2023 Jun; 68(6):664-678. PMID: 36753317.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/24/2023
Wang W, Garcia C, Shao F, Cohen JA, Bai Y, Fine A, Ai X. Lung dopaminergic nerves facilitate the establishment of TH2 resident memory cells in early life. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Aug; 152(2):386-399. PMID: 36841266.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/3/2023
Krishnamoorthy N, Walker KH, Brüggemann TR, Tavares LP, Smith EW, Nijmeh J, Bai Y, Ai X, Cagnina RE, Duvall MG, Lehoczky JA, Levy BD. The Maresin 1-LGR6 axis decreases respiratory syncytial virus-induced lung inflammation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Jan 10; 120(2):e2206480120. PMID: 36595677.
Read at: PubMed
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