Danxin Wang, Ph.D.

Research Scientist/Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacology
5168 Graves Hall
333 W. 10th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: (614) 292-7336
Fax: (614) 292-7232

Research Interests

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of opioid tolerance and physical dependence; Signal transduction of G protein coupled receptors; Pharmacogenetics.

My recent focus has been on pharmacogenetic of genes related to drug metabolism and transport, and genes involved in drug addiction and cardiovascular diseases.  The purpose is to identify genetic variations that predispose individuals to diseases or determine drug response or toxicity.  Our approach is to identify cis-acting functional polymorphisms that affect gene regulation, mRNA turnover, mRNA stability or pre-RNA processing by measuring allelic expression imbalance of candidate genes.

Representative Publications

Wang D, Chen H, Momary KM, Cavallari LH, Johnson JA, Sadee W. (2008) Regulatory polymorphism in vitamin K epoxide reductase subunit 1 (VKORC1) affects gene expression and warfarin dose requirement.  Blood 112:1013-1021.

Dai Z, Papp AC, Wang D, Hampel H, Sadee W. (2008) Genotyping panel for assessing cancer risk and response to chemotherapy.  BMC Medical Genomics 1:24.

Johnson AD, Zhang Y, Papp AC, Pinsonneault JK, Lim JE, Saffen D, Dai Z, Wang D, Sadee W. (2008) Polymorphisms affecting gene transcription and mRNA processing on pharmacogenetic candidate genes: Detection through allelic expression imbalance in human target tissues.  Pharmacogenet and Genomics 18:781-791 (in press).

Zhang Y, Bertolino A, Fazio L, Blast G, Rampino A, Romano R, Lee MLT, Xiao T, Papp A, Wang D, Sadee W. (2007) Polymorphisms in human dopamine D2 receptor gene affect gene expression, splicing, and neuronal activity during working memory.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:20552-20557.

Beitelshees AL, Gong Y, Wang D, Schork NJ, Cooper-DeHoff RM, Langaee TY, Shriver MD, Sadee W, Knot HJ, Pepine CJ, Johnson JA. (2007) KCNMB1 genotype influences response to verapamil SR and adverse outcomes in the International Verapamil SR/Trandolapril Study (INVEST).  Pharmacogenet and Genomics 17:719-729.

Wang D, Sun X, Sadee W. (2007) Different effects of opioid antagonists on m- d- and k- opioid receptor with and without agonist pretreatment.  JPET 321:544-552.

Wang D, Papp AC, Binkley PF, Johnson JA, Sadee W. (2006) Highly variable mRNA expression and splcing of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel alpha subunit 1C (CACNA1C) in human heart tissues.  Pharmacogenet Genomics 16:735-745.

Wang D, Sadee W. (2006) Searching for polymorphisms that affect gene expression and mRNA processing: Example ABCB1 (MDR1). AAPS (mini review) 8:E515-E520.

Johnson AD, Wang D, Sadee W. (2005) Opioid receptor homo- and hetero- dimerization in living cells by quantitative bioluminescence resonance energy transfer.  Mol Pharmacol 67:2173-2184.

Wang D, Sun X, Bohn L, Sadee W. (2005) Opioid receptor homo- and hetero- dimerization in living cells by quantitative bioluminescence resonance energy transfer.  Mol Pharmacol 67:2173-2184.

Zhang Y, Wang D, Johnson AD, Papp AC, Sadee W. (2005) Allelic expression imbalance of mu opioid receptor (OPRM1) caused by variant A118G.  J Biol Chem 280:32618-32624.

Wang D, Johnson AD, Papp AC, Kroetz DL, Sadee W. (2005) Multidrug resistance polypeptide 1 (MDR1, ABCB1) variant 3435 C>T affects mRNA stability.  Pharmacogenet Genomics 15:693-704.

Wang D, Raehal KM, Lin ET, Lowery JL, Kieffer BL, Bilsky EJ, Sadee W. (2004) Basal signaling activity of mu opioid receptor in mouse brain: Role in narcotic dependence. J Pharm Exp Ther 308:512-520.

Sadee W, Wang D, Bilsky EJ. (2004) Basal opioid receptor activity, neutral antgonists and therapeutic opportunities. (Mini-Review) Life Science 76:1427-1437.

Lin K, Wang D, Sadee W. (2002) Serum response factor activation by muscarinic receptors via RhoA.  Noval pathway specific to M1 subtype involving calmodulin, calcineurin and Pyk2.  J Biol Chem 277:40789-40798.

Wang D, Quillan MJ, Sadée W. (2001) Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human mu opioid receptor gene alter calmodulin and/or g protein coupling.  J Biol Chem 276:34624-34630.

Wang D, Raehal KM, Bilsky EJ, Sadée W. (2001) Inverse agonists and neutral antagonists of mu opioid receptor—evidence of elevated basal signal activity of MOR after morphine treatment as a mechanism for opioid dependence and withdrawal.   J Neurochem 77:1590-1600.