Wenbo Zhou, PhD

Research Associate, Ophthalmology


FacultyPhoto
Department
Ophthalmology

Publications

  • Zhou, W. and Freed, C.R. DJ-1 upregulates glutathione synthesis during oxidative stress and inhibits A53T alpha-synuclein toxicity. J. Biol. Chem. 280 (2005) 43150-43158.
  • Alvarez, E., Zhou, W., Witta, E. and Freed, C.R. Characterization of the Bex gene family in humans, mice, and rats. Gene, 357 (2005) 18-28.
  • W. Zhou, C.R. Freed. DJ-1 UPREGULATES GLUTATHIONE SYNTHESIS DURING OXIDATIVE STRESS AND INHIBITS alpha-SYNUCLEIN TOXICITY. Abstract No. 328.14. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2005.
  • S. Chiba, W. Zhou, C.R. Freed. NOGGIN PROMOTES DOPAMINE NEURON DIFFERENTIATION FROM MOUSE AND HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS. Abstract No. 248.3. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2005.
  • W. ZHOU, C. R. FREED. PINK1 function in dopamine neuron survival. 276.17. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
  • C. R. FREED, M. ZAWADA, S. JONES, B. K. DEMASTERS, M. LEEHEY, W. ZHOU, P. E. GREENE, S. FAHN, D. EIDELBERG, R. E. BREEZE. Human embryonic dopamine neurons survive transplantation into putamen of Parkinson patients for at least 14 years and regardless of patient age. 510.8. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
  • S. CHIBA, Y. LEE, W. ZHOU, C. R. FREED. Induction and transplantation of dopamine neurons from human embryonic stem cells treated with noggin. 521.12. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
  • Y. LEE, S. CHIBA, W. ZHOU, C. R. FREED. Purified and expanded neural stem cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells can differentiate into dopamine neurons. 615.1. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2006, Atlanta, GA.
  • Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed. GFP knocked into the dopamine transporter locus of embryonic stem cells leads to GFP-labeled dopamine neurons generated in tissue culture and in ventral mesencephalon of knock-in mice. Neuroscience Retreat, 2006, Keystone, Colorado.
  • Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed. Generation and Characterization of Dopamine Transporter - Green Fluorescent Protein (DAT-GFP) ES Cells and Knock/in Mice. 2006, Department of Medicine Research Day Conference, Aurora, Colorado.
  • Freed, C.R., Zawada, M.W, Leehey M., Zhou W. and Breeze R.E. Transplantation. Chapter 44. Vol. 84, Handbook in Clinical Neurology, Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. (2007) Elsevier.
  • Zhou, W., Milder, J. and Freed, C.R. Transgenic mice overexpressing tyrosine-to-cysteine mutant human alpha-synuclein: A progressive neurodegenerative model of diffuse Lewy body disease. J. Biol. Chem. published 30 January 2008, 10.1074/jbc.M710232200.
  • W. Zhou, V. C. Guy, C. R. Freed. Generation of GFP/RFP knock-in embryonic stem cells in dopamine neuron specific gene loci - applications for dopamine neuron purification and gene profiling. 803.12, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2007.
  • S. Chiba, Y. Lee, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Purification of DA neurons from human embryonic stem cells by distinctive colony morphology in culture on PA6 cells. 803.7, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2007.
  • C. R. Freed, W. Zhou. The neuroprotective gene DJ-1 is upregulated by the histone deacetylase inhibitors sodium butyrate and phenylbutyrate which may prevent the progression of Parkinson's disease. 797.6, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2007.
  • Y. Lee, S. Chiba, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Purified Pitx3-positive dopamine neurons derived from mouse embryonic stem cells survive cell sorting and improve motor behavior after transplantation into a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. 345.10, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2007.
  • Zhou, W., Milder, J. and Freed, C.R. Transgenic mice overexpressing tyrosine-to-cysteine mutant human alpha-synuclein: A progressive neurodegenerative model of diffuse Lewy body disease. J. Biol. Chem. 283 (2008) 9863-9870
  • Chiba, S., Lee, Y.M., Zhou, W. and Freed, C.R. Noggin enhances dopamine neuron production from human embryonic stem cells and improves behavioral outcome after transplantation into Parkinsonian rats. Stem Cells, 26 (2008) 2810-2820
  • W. Zhou, C.R. Freed. Generation of Dopamine Transporter/GFP knock-in embryonic stem cells and transgenic mouse - applications for dopamine neuron purification and gene profiling” FRI-175, International Society for Stem Cell Research 6th annual meeting, 2008.
  • W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Adenoviral vectors can deliver genes to reprogram human skin fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells. 25.10/B26, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2008.
  • W. A. Speckmann, F. Ahmadi, C. Martin, B. Lapp, W. Zhou. Analysis of oxidative stress in cell culture models of Parkinson’s disease. 140.12/O9, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2008.
  • C. R. Freed, K. Bercury, J. Migdall-Wilson, W. Zhou. Phenylbutyrate can prevent accumulation of mutant a-synuclein in a transgenic mouse model of parkinson’s disease. 640.24/R4, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2008.
  • Y. Lee, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Purification of dopaminergic neurons derived from mouse embryonic stem cells using magnetic beads. 623.2/B29, Society for Neuroscience Meeting, 2008.
  • Zhou, W. and Freed, C.R. Adenoviral gene delivery can reprogram human fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells, 27 (2009) 2667-2674.
  • Zhou, W. Lee, Y.M., Guy, V.C. and Freed, C.R. Embryonic Stem Cells with GFP Knocked into the Dopamine Transporter Yield Purified Dopamine Neurons in vitro and from Knock-in Mice. Stem Cells, 27 (2009) 2952-2961.
  • W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells by adenoviral vector without viral gene integration. 808.17/A30, Society for Neuroscience, 2009.
  • C. R. Freed, W. Zhou, J. Cummiskey, R. C. Murphy. Phenylbutyrate increases plasma and brain DJ-1 as it prevents behavioral deterioration in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. 143.5/F27, Society for Neuroscience, 2009.
  • Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed, Adenoviral Gene Delivery Can Reprogram Human Fibroblasts to Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Without Viral Integration. Internation Society for Stem Cell Reserach Annual Meeting, Barcelona Spain 2009.
  • Wenbo Zhou and Curt Freed, Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells by adenoviral vector without viral gene integration. Butcher Symposium on Genomics and Technology, Nov. 16, 2009.
  • Zhou, W., Bercury, K., Cummiskey, C., Luong, N., Lebin, J. and Freed, C.R. Phenylbutyrate upregulates DJ-1 and protects neurons in cell culture and in animal models of Parkinson's disease. J. Biol. Chem. (2011), PMID: 21372141
  • W. Zhou, C.R. Freed. Generation of integration-free human iPS cells with a single polycistronic adenoviral vector expressing four reprogramming factors. Wed/Thu W 3, International Society for Stem Cell Research 8th annual meeting, 2010
  • C. R. Freed, N. Luong, W. Zhou. Huntington disease neurons derived in vitro from human patient fibroblasts using adenoviral vectors. Wed/Thu W 5, International Society for Stem Cell Research 8th annual meeting, 2010.
  • Y. M. Lee, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Are dopamine neurons produced from stem cells identical to those in normal midbrain? Wed/Thu S 15, International Society for Stem Cell Research 8th annual meeting, 2010.
  • W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from Parkinson and Huntington disease patients. 250.28/K16, Society for Neuroscience, 2010.
  • W. Zhou, W. Zawada. Deficiency of Park7 results in reduced alcohol preference and consumption. 66.7/EE6, Society for Neuroscience, 2010.
  • C. R. Freed, W. Zhou, J. Cummiskey, R. C. Murphy, M. Leehey. Phenylbutyrate to prevent progression of Parkinson's disease. 51.29/L8, Society for Neuroscience, 2010.
  • Zhou, W., Bercury, K., Cummiskey, J., Luong, N., Lebin, J. and Freed, C.R. Phenylbutyrate upregulates DJ-1 and protects neurons in cell culture and in animal models of Parkinson’s disease. J. Biol. Chem. 286 (2011) 14941-14951
  • Freed, C.R., Zhou, W. and Breeze, R.E. Dopamine cell transplantation for Parkinson’s disease: the importance of controlled clinical trials. Neurotherapeutic, 8 (2011), 549-561
  • W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Neurons differentiated from Parkinson's and Huntington's iPS cells are more sensitive to oxidative stress. 883.01/X12, Society for Neuroscience, 2011.
  • J. Cummiskey, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Exercise-induced modification of DJ-1 gene expression in mice. 555.01/D72, Society for Neuroscience, 2011.
  • H. Wang, M. D. Taussig, L. A. Beck, G. Astarita, D. Piomelli, I. J. Goldberg, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed, R. H. Eckel. Altered brain lipid metabolism and n-3 fatty acid deficiency lead to cognitive impairments in neuron-specific lipoprotein lipase knockout mice. 538.03/146A, Society for Neuroscience, 2011.
  • Y.-M. Lee, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed. Dopamine neurons produced from mouse embryonic stem cells are genetically identical to ventral mesencephalic dopamine neurons in normal midbrain. 227.11/A20, Society for Neuroscience, 2011.
  • 15. Lee, K.S., Zhou, W*, Scott-McKean, J.J., Cai, G., Krah, D.L., Costa, A.C., Freed, C.R. and Levin, M.J*. Human sensory neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells support varicella-zoster virus infection. PLoS One (2012) 7(12):e53010. (*Co-senior author)
  • Neurons differentiated from Parkinson and Huntington iPS cells are more sensitive to oxidative stress. Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed. RMRNG Annual Meeting, Poster 42, 2012.
  • J.Cummiskey, C. R. Freed and W. Zhou. Exercise-induced modification of DJ-1 gene expression in mice. RMRNG Annual Meeting, Poster 9, 2012.
  • Y.K. Lee, W. Zhou and C. R. Freed. Dopamine neurons produced from embryonic stem cells are identical to A9 midbrain dopamine neurons. RMRNG Annual Meeting, Poster 17, 2012.
  • C. R. Freed, W. Zhou, Y.-M. Lee, M. Leehey, R. E. Breeze. Transplantation of human embryonic dopamine neurons into Parkinson patients predicts outcome of stem-cell derived neurons. 314.13, Society for Neuroscience, 2012.
  • T. Yu, M. D. Taussig, G. Astarita, D. Piomelli, W. Zhou, C. R. Freed, R. H. Eckel, H. Wang. Lipoprotein lipase is involved in providing the brain with n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids to prevent learning and memory decline and excessive anxiety. 814.19/FFF59, Society for Neuroscience, 2012.
  • [44] W. Zhou, J.Cummiskey and C. R. Freed. Running wheel exercise reduces a-synuclein aggregation and improves motor and cognitive function in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson disease. Neuroscience program retreat, Poster 25, 2012.
  • Lee, K.S., Zhou, W*, Scott-McKean, J.J., Cai, G., Krah, D.L., Costa, A.C., Freed, C.R. and Levin, M.J*. Human sensory neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells support varicella-zoster virus infection. PLoS One (2013) 7(12):e53010. (*Co-senior author)
  • W. Zhou, J.Cummiskey and C. R. Freed. Exercise on running wheels reduces a-synuclein aggregation and improves motor and cognitive function in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. 432.24/P12, Society for Neuroscience, 2013.
  • C. R. Freed, R. E. Breeze, W. M. Zawada, S. Fahn, D. Eidelberg, S. Jones and W. Zhou. Human embryonic dopamine neurons transplanted into putamen of Parkinson patients survive for at least 22 years without immunosuppression. 526.28/J15, Society for Neuroscience, 2013
  • J. E. Cummiskey, W. Zhou, J. Benson, B. Fitzwalter, M. A. Leehey, T. A. Mckinsey, R. C. Murphy, C. R. Freed. Phenylbutyrate stops the progression of Parkinson's disease by increasing expression of the DJ-1 gene, thereby enhancing clearance of misfolded proteins from dopamine neurons. 806.12/F38, Society for Neuroscience, 2013.
  • W. Zhou, Y.-M. Lee, K. B. Bjugstad, M. Ferreyros, C. R. Freed. Transplanting human dopamine neurons derived from ES cells and iPS cells into rat striatum. 694.10/D52, Society for Neuroscience, 2014
  • X. Rui, D. Siegel, R. Kitson, W. Zhou, C. J. Moody and D. Ross. A novel 19-substituted benzoquinone ansamycin ameliorates A53T a-synuclein-induced toxicity in a SH-SY5Y cell model of Parkinson’s disease through the upregulation of heat shock proteins and the induction of autophagy. Society for Toxicology annual meeting, 2013.
  • Wenbo Zhou, Lu Gao, Robert E. Breeze, Stanley Fahn, David Eidelberg and Curt R. Freed. Human embryonic dopamine neurons transplanted into putamen of Parkinson patients survive for at least 22 years without immunosuppression. Department of Medicine Research Day, October 24, 2014
  • Megan Petersohn, Marcela Fitzpatrick, Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed. Purifying a dopamine cell line to improve a cell culture model of Parkinson’s disease. Department of Medicine Research Day, October 24, 2014.
  • Wenbo Zhou, Jessica Cummiskey and Curt R. Freed. Exercise on running wheels reduces a-synuclein aggregation and improves motor and cognitive function in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group meeting, April 15, 2014.
  • Xiong R, Zhou W, Siegel D, Kitson RR, Freed CR, et al. (2015) A Novel Hsp90 Inhibitor Activates Compensatory Heat Shock Protein Responses and Autophagy and Alleviates Mutant A53T alpha-Synuclein Toxicity. Mol Pharmacol 88: 1045-1054.
  • Wenbo Zhou, Lu Gao, Breanna Symmes, Young Mook Lee, Kimberley B. Bjugstad, Michael Ferreyros, Curt R. Freed. Transplanting human iPS derived dopamine neurons into rat striatum, Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group meeting, April 2015.
  • Lauren Gao, Wenbo Zhou, Megan Petersohn, Marcela Fitzpatrick, Curt R. Freed. Cloning the N27 dopamine cell line to improve a cell culture model of Parkinson’s disease, Department of Medicine Research Day, October, 2015.
  • Curt R. Freed, Mary Wang, Kimberly Bjugstad, Robert C. Murphy, Maureen Leehey, and Wenbo Zhou. Stopping Parkinson’s disease with the drug phenylbutyrate. Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group meeting, April 2015.
  • Oren M. Gordon, Wenbo Zhou, Kirk C. Hansen, Angelo D’Alessandro, PhD2, Travis Nemkov and Curt R. Freed. Effects of hydrogen peroxide and phenylbutyrate on mitochondrial membrane potential in neurons, Department of Medicine Research Day, October, 2015.
  • Gao L, Zhou W, Symmes B, Freed CR. Re-Cloning the N27 Dopamine Cell Line to Improve a Cell Culture Model of Parkinson's Disease. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 11;11(8):e0160847. PubMed PMID: 27512998
  • Bahmed K, Messier EM, Zhou W, Tuder RM, Freed CR, Chu HW, Kelsen SG, Bowler RP, Mason RJ, Kosmider B. DJ-1 Modulates Nuclear Erythroid 2-Related Factor-2-Mediated Protection in Human Primary Alveolar Type II Cells in Smokers. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016 Sep;55(3):439-49. PubMed PMID: 27093578
  • Wenbo Zhou, Breanna Symmes, Lu Gao, Andres Bratt-Leal, Jeanne Loring and Curt R. Freed. Dopamine neurons derived from human ES cells and iPS cells produce similar outcomes after transplantation into a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group meeting, April 2016.
  • Wenbo Zhou, Breanna Symmes, Andres Bratt-Leal, Jeanne Loring and Curt R. Freed. Comparing human ES cells and patient iPS cells derived dopamine neuron transplantation in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, Department of Medicine Research Day, October 2016.
  • Curt R. Freed, Robert Breeze, Breanna Symmes, Stanly Fahn, David Eidelberg and Wenbo Zhou. Transplants of human fetal dopamine neurons into putamen of Parkinson patients survive for at least 27 years without immunosuppression. 287.02, Society for Neuroscience, 2016.
  • Linh Nguyen, Breanna Symmes, Wenbo Zhou, Adela Cota-Gomez, Curt R. Freed. Phenylbutyrate may stop the progression of Parkinson's disease by activating the DJ-1 gene through acetylation of the Sp1 transcription factor. Rocky Mountain Regional Neuroscience Group meeting, April 2016.
  • Zhou W, Barkow JC, Freed CR. Running wheel exercise reduces a-synuclein aggregation and improves motor and cognitive function in a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One. 2017;12(12):e0190160. PubMed PMID: 29272304
  • Curt R. Freed, Robert Breeze, Breanna Symmes, Stanly Fahn, David Eidelberg and Wenbo Zhou. Human fetal dopamine cell transplants survive for the lifetime of Parkinson patients independent of the time since transplant or the age of the transplant recipient. 189.03, Society for Neuroscience, 2017.
  • Wenbo Zhou and Curt R. Freed. Phenylbutyrate can halt progression of Parkinson’s disease even after disease onset in transgenic mice. Department of Medicine Research Day, 2018.
  • Lisa Blackmer-Raynolds, Gabrielle Lehmicke, Wenbo Zhou and Curt Freed. Exenatide for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. Gates Summer Internship Program Retreat, 2018.
  • Wenbo Zhou, Sean Hammond and Curt R. Freed. Generation of Tau-YFP cell lines for modeling Alzheimer’s disease. Department of Medicine Research Day, 2019.
  • Curt R. Freed, Stephanie M. Garcia, Gabrielle Lehmicke, Maureen A. Leehey and Wenbo Zhou. Phenylbutyrate may stop progression of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. 051.21, Society for Neuroscience, 2018.
  • Curt R. Freed, Sean Hammond and Wenbo Zhou. Neuronal N27A cell line expressing mutant Tau-YFP provides a model for Alzheimer’s disease. 472.17, Society for Neuroscience, 2019.
  • Stephanie M. Garcia, Wenbo Zhou, Denise Inguito and Curt R. Freed. Microbiota-targeted therapies delay age-dependent Parkinson's disease progression. 743.20, Society for Neuroscience, 2019.
  • Stephanie M. Garcia, Wenbo Zhou, Catherine Lozupone and Curt R. Freed. Short chain fatty acid drug sodium butyrate delays Parkinson’s disease progression in transgenic mice comparable to sodium phenylbutyrate treatment outcomes. 292.23, Society for Neuroscience, 2018.
  • Curt Freed, Stephanie M. Garcia, Gabrielle Lehmicke, Maureen Leehey, Wenbo Zhou, Phenylbutyrate may stop the progression of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Department of Medicine Research Day, 2019.