David E. Kang, PhD

Fleming Endowed Chair in Alzheimer's Disease, Morsani College of Medicine

Director, Byrd Alzheimer's Center, Division of Basic Research

Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurosciences

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Neurosciences

Professor, Morsani College of Medicine, Molecular Medicine

Contact Info 4001 E. Fletcher Ave - MDC36
Tampa FL 33613

Academic Email: dkang@usf.edu

View My C.V.

View My Website | View My Lab Site

Education

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

• Allergy, Immunology & Infectious Disease
• Biomedical Engineering & Nanomedicine
• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Metabolic Regulation and Disorders
• Neurodegenerative Disease
• Neuroscience

Research Interests

• Research in the Kang lab (http://www.kang-lab.com/) focuses on the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurological disorders such as FTD, ALS, and PD. Specifically, we are interested in 1) mechanisms of Abeta production and neurotoxicity in AD; 2) signal transduction mechanisms between Abeta and tau in AD; 3) interplay between pathogenic proteins such as tau and the UPR activation in neurodegenerative processes; 4) tau triaging and aggregation mechanisms via scaffolding proteins, RanBP9, ubiquitin specific proteases, and beta-arrestins, as well as their interplay with the Hsp90/Hsc70 chaperone system in proteinopathies; 5) mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in AD, FTD/ALS, and PD; 6) role of selective autophagy and mitophagy in the accumulation of toxic components in neurodegenerative processes; and 7) the study of extracellular vesicles (i.e. exosomes) as neurodegenerative disease biomarkers and agents of neurodegeneration.

Recent Publications

• Ren D, He Z, Fedorova J, Zhang J, Wood E, Zhang X, Kang DE, Li J. Sestrin2 maintains OXPHOS integrity to modulate cardiac substrate metabolism during ischemia and reperfusion. Redox biology. 38: 101824, 2020.
• Palavicini JP, Chen J, Wang C, Wang J, Qin C, Baeuerle E, Wang X, Woo JA, Kang DE, Musi N, Dupree JL, Han X. Early disruption of nerve mitochondrial and myelin lipid homeostasis in obesity-induced diabetes. JCI insight. 5(21) , 2020.
• Fang C, Woo JA, Liu T, Zhao X, Cazzaro S, Yan Y, Matlack J, Kee T, LePochat P, Kang DE. SSH1 impedes SQSTM1/p62 flux and MAPT/Tau clearance independent of CFL (cofilin) activation. Autophagy. : 1-22, 2020.
• Liu T, Woo JA, Bukhari MZ, LePochat P, Chacko A, Selenica MB, Yan Y, Kotsiviras P, Buosi SC, Zhao X, Kang DE. CHCHD10-regulated OPA1-mitofilin complex mediates TDP-43-induced mitochondrial phenotypes associated with frontotemporal dementia. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 34(6) : 8493-8509, 2020.
• Woo JA, Liu T, Fang CC, Castaño MA, Kee T, Yrigoin K, Yan Y, Cazzaro S, Matlack J, Wang X, Zhao X, Kang DE, Liggett SB. β-Arrestin2 oligomers impair the clearance of pathological tau and increase tau aggregates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. , 2020.
• Liu T, Woo JA, Yan Y, LePochat P, Bukhari MZ, Kang DE. Dual role of cofilin in APP trafficking and amyloid-β clearance. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 33(12) : 14234-14247, 2019.
• Reddy PH, Swerdlow RH, Culberson J, Kang D, Mitchell TL, Smith Q, Suneja S, Ory MG, Kumar S, Vijayan M, Morsy A, Arandia G, Lawrence JJ, George E, Oliver D, Pradeepkiran JA, Yin X, Reddy AP, Manczak M, Cengiz P, Karamyan VT, Kandimalla R, Kuruva CS, Willms J, Ramasubramanian B, Sawant N, Burugu D, Boles AN, Lopez V, Carrasco R, Aguirre C, Thompson S, Blackmon J, Ament C, Wang R, Stephens ER, Hoang B, Bass K, Trippier PC, Hornback C, Kottapalli P, Kottapalli KR, Oddo S. Current Status of Healthy Aging and Dementia Research: A Symposium Summary. Journal of Alzheimer''s disease : JAD. 72(s1) : S11-S35, 2019.
• Kang DE, Woo JA. Cofilin, a Master Node Regulating Cytoskeletal Pathogenesis in Alzheimer''s Disease. Journal of Alzheimer''s disease : JAD. 72(s1) : S131-S144, 2019.
• Woo JA, Liu T, Fang CC, Cazzaro S, Kee T, LePochat P, Yrigoin K, Penn C, Zhao X, Wang X, Liggett SB, Kang DE. Activated cofilin exacerbates tau pathology by impairing tau-mediated microtubule dynamics. Communications biology. 2: 112, 2019.
• Woo JA, Liu T, Zhao X, Trotter C, Yrigoin K, Cazzaro S, Narvaez E, Khan H, Witas R, Bukhari A, Makati K, Wang X, Dickey C, Kang DE. Enhanced tau pathology via RanBP9 and Hsp90/Hsc70 chaperone complexes. Human molecular genetics. 26(20) : 3973-3988, 2017.
• Liu T, Wang F, LePochat P, Woo JA, Bukhari MZ, Hong KW, Trotter C, Kang DE. Cofilin-mediated Neuronal Apoptosis via p53 Translocation and PLD1 Regulation. Scientific reports. 7(1) : 11532, 2017.
• Woo JA, Liu T, Trotter C, Fang CC, De Narvaez E, LePochat P, Maslar D, Bukhari A, Zhao X, Deonarine A, Westerheide SD, Kang DE. Loss of function CHCHD10 mutations in cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation and synaptic integrity. Nature communications. 8: 15558, 2017.
• Witas R, Chaput D, Khan H, Stevens SM, Kang D. Isolation and Proteomic Analysis of Microvesicles and Exosomes from HT22 Cells and Primary Neurons. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 1598: 255-267, 2017.
• Woo JA, Boggess T, Uhlar C, Wang X, Khan H, Cappos G, Joly-Amado A, De Narvaez E, Majid S, Minamide LS, Bamburg JR, Morgan D, Weeber E, Kang DE. RanBP9 at the intersection between cofilin and Aβ pathologies: rescue of neurodegenerative changes by RanBP9 reduction. Cell death & disease. 6: 1676, 2015.
• Woo JA, Zhao X, Khan H, Penn C, Wang X, Joly-Amado A, Weeber E, Morgan D, Kang DE. Slingshot-Cofilin activation mediates mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction via Aβ ligation to β1-integrin conformers. Cell death and differentiation. , 2015.
• Wang R, Palavicini JP, Wang H, Maiti P, Bianchi E, Xu S, Lloyd BN, Dawson-Scully K, Kang DE, Lakshmana MK. RanBP9 overexpression accelerates loss of dendritic spines in a mouse model of Alzheimer''s disease. Neurobiology of disease. 69: 169-79, 2014.
• Roh SE, Woo JA, Lakshmana MK, Uhlar C, Ankala V, Boggess T, Liu T, Hong YH, Mook-Jung I, Kim SJ, Kang DE. Mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium deregulation by the RanBP9-cofilin pathway. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 27(12) : 4776-89, 2013.
• Almenar-Queralt A, Kim SN, Benner C, Herrera CM, Kang DE, Garcia-Bassets I, Goldstein LS. Presenilins regulate neurotrypsin gene expression and neurotrypsin-dependent agrin cleavage via cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) modulation. The Journal of biological chemistry. 288(49) : 35222-36, 2013.
• Jeon JP, Roh SE, Wie J, Kim J, Kim H, Lee KP, Yang D, Jeon JH, Cho NH, Kim IG, Kang DE, Kim HJ, So I. Activation of TRPC4β by Gαi subunit increases Ca2+ selectivity and controls neurite morphogenesis in cultured hippocampal neuron. Cell calcium. 54(4) : 307-19, 2013.
• Song H, Boo JH, Kim KH, Kim C, Kim YE, Ahn JH, Jeon GS, Ryu H, Kang DE, Mook-Jung I. Critical role of presenilin-dependent γ-secretase activity in DNA damage-induced promyelocytic leukemia protein expression and apoptosis. Cell death and differentiation. 20(4) : 639-48, 2013.
• Palavicini JP, Lloyd BN, Hayes CD, Bianchi E, Kang DE, Dawson-Scully K, Lakshmana MK. RanBP9 Plays a Critical Role in Neonatal Brain Development in Mice. PloS one. 8(6) : e66908, 2013.
• Palavicini JP, Wang H, Bianchi E, Xu S, Rao JS, Kang DE, Lakshmana MK. RanBP9 aggravates synaptic damage in the mouse brain and is inversely correlated to spinophilin levels in Alzheimer''s brain synaptosomes. Cell death & disease. 4: e667, 2013.
• Liu T, Roh SE, Woo JA, Ryu H, Kang DE. Cooperative role of RanBP9 and P73 in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Cell death & disease. 4: e476, 2013.
• Woo JA, Jung AR, Lakshmana MK, Bedrossian A, Lim Y, Bu JH, Park SA, Koo EH, Mook-Jung I, Kang DE. Pivotal role of the RanBP9-cofilin pathway in Aβ-induced apoptosis and neurodegeneration. Cell death and differentiation. 19(9) : 1413-23, 2012.
• Lakshmana MK, Hayes CD, Bennett SP, Bianchi E, Reddy KM, Koo EH, Kang DE. Role of RanBP9 on amyloidogenic processing of APP and synaptic protein levels in the mouse brain. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 26(5) : 2072-83, 2012.
• Shilling D, Mak DO, Kang DE, Foskett JK. Lack of evidence for presenilins as endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak channels. The Journal of biological chemistry. 287(14) : 10933-44, 2012.
• Woo JA, Roh SE, Lakshmana MK, Kang DE. Pivotal role of RanBP9 in integrin-dependent focal adhesion signaling and assembly. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 26(4) : 1672-81, 2012.
• Kang DE, Roh SE, Woo JA, Liu T, Bu JH, Jung AR, Lim Y. The Interface between Cytoskeletal Aberrations and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Alzheimer''s Disease and Related Disorders. Experimental neurobiology. 20(2) : 67-80, 2011.
• Lakshmana MK, Chung JY, Wickramarachchi S, Tak E, Bianchi E, Koo EH, Kang DE. A fragment of the scaffolding protein RanBP9 is increased in Alzheimer''s disease brains and strongly potentiates amyloid-beta peptide generation. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 24(1) : 119-27, 2010.
• Cheung KH, Mei L, Mak DO, Hayashi I, Iwatsubo T, Kang DE, Foskett JK. Gain-of-function enhancement of IP3 receptor modal gating by familial Alzheimer''s disease-linked presenilin mutants in human cells and mouse neurons. Science signaling. 3(114) : ra22, 2010.
• Lakshmana M, K, Roy S, S, Mi K, and Kang D, E. Amyloidogenic Processing of APP in lipid rafts. The Open Biology J. 3: 21-31, 2010.
• Lakshmana MK, Yoon IS, Chen E, Bianchi E, Koo EH, Kang DE. Novel role of RanBP9 in BACE1 processing of amyloid precursor protein and amyloid beta peptide generation. The Journal of biological chemistry. 284(18) : 11863-72, 2009.
• Boo JH, Song H, Kim JE, Kang DE, Mook-Jung I. Accumulation of phosphorylated beta-catenin enhances ROS-induced cell death in presenilin-deficient cells. PloS one. 4(1) : e4172, 2009.
• Lakshmana MK, Chen E, Yoon IS, Kang DE. C-terminal 37 residues of LRP promote the amyloidogenic processing of APP independent of FE65. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine. 12(6B) : 2665-74, 2008.
• Yoon IS, Chen E, Busse T, Repetto E, Lakshmana MK, Koo EH, Kang DE. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein promotes amyloid precursor protein trafficking to lipid rafts in the endocytic pathway. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 21(11) : 2742-52, 2007.
• Kang DE, Yoon IS, Repetto E, Busse T, Yermian N, Ie L, Koo EH. Presenilins mediate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT and ERK activation via select signaling receptors. Selectivity of PS2 in platelet-derived growth factor signaling. The Journal of biological chemistry. 280(36) : 31537-47, 2005.
• Chevallier NL, Soriano S, Kang DE, Masliah E, Hu G, Koo EH. Perturbed neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus associated with presenilin-1 A246E mutation. The American journal of pathology. 167(1) : 151-9, 2005.
• Yoon IS, Pietrzik CU, Kang DE, Koo EH. Sequences from the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) cytoplasmic domain enhance amyloid beta protein production via the beta-secretase pathway without altering amyloid precursor protein/LRP nuclear signaling. The Journal of biological chemistry. 280(20) : 20140-7, 2005.
• Kang DE, Soriano S, Xia X, Eberhart CG, De Strooper B, Zheng H, Koo EH. Presenilin couples the paired phosphorylation of beta-catenin independent of axin: implications for beta-catenin activation in tumorigenesis. Cell. 110(6) : 751-62, 2002.
• Weggen S, Eriksen JL, Das P, Sagi SA, Wang R, Pietrzik CU, Findlay KA, Smith TE, Murphy MP, Bulter T, Kang DE, Marquez-Sterling N, Golde TE, Koo EH. A subset of NSAIDs lower amyloidogenic Abeta42 independently of cyclooxygenase activity. Nature. 414(6860) : 212-6, 2001.
• Soriano S, Kang DE, Fu M, Pestell R, Chevallier N, Zheng H, Koo EH. Presenilin 1 negatively regulates beta-catenin/T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor-1 signaling independently of beta-amyloid precursor protein and notch processing. The Journal of cell biology. 152(4) : 785-94, 2001.
• Kang DE, Pietrzik CU, Baum L, Chevallier N, Merriam DE, Kounnas MZ, Wagner SL, Troncoso JC, Kawas CH, Katzman R, Koo EH. Modulation of amyloid beta-protein clearance and Alzheimer''s disease susceptibility by the LDL receptor-related protein pathway. The Journal of clinical investigation. 106(9) : 1159-66, 2000.
• Van Uden E, Kang DE, Koo EH, Masliah E. LDL receptor-related protein (LRP) in Alzheimer''s disease: towards a unified theory of pathogenesis. Microscopy research and technique. 50(4) : 268-72, 2000.
• Kang DE, Soriano S, Frosch MP, Collins T, Naruse S, Sisodia SS, Leibowitz G, Levine F, Koo EH. Presenilin 1 facilitates the constitutive turnover of beta-catenin: differential activity of Alzheimer''s disease-linked PS1 mutants in the beta-catenin-signaling pathway. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 19(11) : 4229-37, 1999.
• Tanaka S, Chen X, Xia Y, Kang DE, Matoh N, Sundsmo M, Thomas RG, Katzman R, Thal LJ, Trojanowski JQ, Saitoh T, Ueda K, Masliah E. Association of CYP2D microsatellite polymorphism with Lewy body variant of Alzheimer''s disease. Neurology. 50(6) : 1556-62, 1998.
• Zhang J, Kang DE, Xia W, Okochi M, Mori H, Selkoe DJ, Koo EH. Subcellular distribution and turnover of presenilins in transfected cells. The Journal of biological chemistry. 273(20) : 12436-42, 1998.
• Katzman R, Kang D, Thomas R. Interaction of apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 with other genetic and non-genetic risk factors in late onset Alzheimer disease: problems facing the investigator. Neurochemical research. 23(3) : 369-76, 1998.
• Komori N, Kittel A, Kang D, Shackelford D, Masliah E, Zivin JA, Saitoh T. Reversible ischemia increases levels of Alzheimer amyloid protein precursor without increasing levels of mRNA in the rabbit spinal cord. Brain research. Molecular brain research. 49(1-2) : 103-12, 1997.
• Kang DE, Saitoh T, Chen X, Xia Y, Masliah E, Hansen LA, Thomas RG, Thal LJ, Katzman R. Genetic association of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein gene (LRP), an apolipoprotein E receptor, with late-onset Alzheimer''s disease. Neurology. 49(1) : 56-61, 1997.
• Conrad C, Andreadis A, Trojanowski JQ, Dickson DW, Kang D, Chen X, Wiederholt W, Hansen L, Masliah E, Thal LJ, Katzman R, Xia Y, Saitoh T. Genetic evidence for the involvement of tau in progressive supranuclear palsy. Annals of neurology. 41(2) : 277-81, 1997.
• Saitoh T, Kang D, Mallory M, DeTeresa R, Masliah E. Glial cells in Alzheimer''s disease: preferential effect of APOE risk on scattered microglia. Gerontology. 43(1-2) : 109-18, 1997.
• Yoshimoto M, Iwai A, Kang D, Otero DA, Xia Y, Saitoh T. NACP, the precursor protein of the non-amyloid beta/A4 protein (A beta) component of Alzheimer disease amyloid, binds A beta and stimulates A beta aggregation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 92(20) : 9141-5, 1995.
• Dornan WA, Kang DE, McCampbell A, Kang EE. Bilateral injections of beta A(25-35) + IBO into the hippocampus disrupts acquisition of spatial learning in the rat. Neuroreport. 5(2) : 165-8, 1993.

Positions Held

• Associate Professor (Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego 2010 - 2012)
• Assistant Professor (Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego 2004 - 2010)