Minghao Jin, PhD LSUHSC School of Medicine – Neuroscience Center of Excellence

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	Minghao Jin, PhD Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, and Neuroscience Neuroscience Center of Excellence LSU Health Sciences Center 2020 Gravier St. New Orleans, LA 70112 Tel: 504-568-2141 FAX: 504-568-5801 mjin@lsuhsc.edu http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/faculty/docs/My Web page 4-1-09 Minghao Jin.pdf
Degrees	1997-2000: Postdoc, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan 1993-1997: Postdoc, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan 1989-1993: PhD, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agriculture Science, Beijing, China 1989-1992: Graduate School of Medicine Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Bio	2008-present: Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, and Neuroscience, Neuroscience Center, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 2007-2008: Associate Research Professor in Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute (JSEI), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, CA 2004-2007: Assistant Research Professor in Ophthalmology, JSEI, UCLA School of Medicine, CA 2001-2004: Visiting Assistant Research Ophthalmologist, JSEI, UCLA School of Medicine, CA 2000-2001: Education and Science Instructor, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan Awards/Recognitions/Lectures 2005: Goho Life Science International Foundation Award 2004: CAAS-Sponsored Second-Class Outstanding Scientist 1997-2000: Japan Science and Technology Agency Scholarship 1992-1994: Education Ministry of Japan-Sponsored Overseas Fellowship
Research Interests	Keywords: biochemistry and molecular biology of the visual cycle molecular mechanism of photoreceptor degeneration Research Interests and Goals Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal degeneration and regulation of the visual cycle to develop novel therapeutic strategies for inherited blinding diseases Current Research: Absorption of photon by the visual pigment induces photo-isomerization of its 11-cis-retinaldehyde (11-cis-Ral) to all-trans-Ral, activating phototransduction that converts light energy to electrical energy and neural signal in photoreceptors. Since 11-cis-Ral is the universal chromophore responsible for sensing light, sustained vision requires continuous regeneration of 11-cis-Ral via a series of enzymatic reaction called the visual cycle. In vertebrate eyes, this visual cycle is the main biochemical pathway that regenerates 11-cis-Ral chromophore. Dysfunction in any proteins involved in the visual cycle causes severe retinal diseases such as early onset childhood blindness known as Leber’s congenital amaurosis and photoreceptor dystrophy. Studying the molecular mechanisms by which the activities of the visual cycle enzymes are regulated is important not only for basic vision science but also clinical ophthalmology. We are currently focusing on the identification and characterization of proteins that regulate the visual cycle. By using expression cloning and yeast two hybrid screening, we have isolated several candidates that regulate visual cycle enzymes. We use molecular biology, proteomics, cell culture and gene knockout approaches to study the function of these candidates in the visual pigment regeneration and photoreceptor degeneration. We are also exploring the molecular mechanism by which interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) regulates retinal cell survival and cone-mediated daylight vision. The visual cycle for regeneration of visual pigments
Selected Publications	Key Recent Papers: 1. Jin, M., Li, S., Nusinowitz, S., Lloyd, M., Hu, J., Radu, R., Bok, D. and Travis, G.H:(2009) The role of interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein on the translocation of visual retinoids and function of cone photoreceptors. J Neurosci 29:1486-1495 2. Jin, M., Yuan, Q., Li, S., and Travis, G.H: (2007) Role of LRAT on the retinoid isomerase activity and association of Rpe65 with membrane. J Biol Chem 282:20915-24. 3. Jin, M., Ishida, M., Katoh-Fukui, Y., Higashinakagawa, T., and Arimatsu, Y: (2006) Reduced pain sensitivity in mice lacking latexin, an inhibitor for metallocarboxypeptidases. Brain Res 1075:117-22. 4. Kaschula, CH., Jin, M., Desmond-Smith, NS, Li, S., and Travis, G.H: (2006) Acyl CoA: retinol acyl transferase activity is present in bovine retinal pigment epithelium. Exp Eye Res 82:111-21. 5. Jin, M., Li, S., Moghrabi, WN, Sun, H., and Travis, G.H: (2005) RPE65 is the retinoid isomerase in bovine retinal pigment epithelium. Cell 122:449-59. 6. Jin, M., Tanaka, S., Sekino, Y., Ren, Y., Yamazaki, H., Kawai-Hirai, R., Kojima, N., and Shirao, T: (2002) A novel, brain-specific mouse drebrin: cDNA cloning, chromosomal mapping, genomic structure, expression, and functional characterization. Genomics 79:686-92. 7. Jin, M., Sawamoto, K., Ito, M., and Okano, H: (2000) The interaction between the Drosophila secreted protein Argos and the EGF-receptor inhibits dimerization of the receptor and binding of secreted Spitz to the receptor. Mol Cell Biol 20:2098-107. 8. Uratani, Y., Takiguchi, K., Sato, M., Jin, M., and Arimatsu, Y: (2000)Latexin, a carboxypeptidase A inhibitor, is expressed in rat peritoneal mast cells and is associated with granular structures distinct from secretory granules and lysosomes. Biochem J 346:817-26. 9. Miyasaka, N., Hatanaka, Y., Jin, M., and Arimatsu, Y: (1999) Genomic organization and regulatory elements of the rat latexin gene, which is expressed in a cell type-specific manner in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Mol Brain Res. 69:62-72. 10. Chen, J., Ido, E., Jin, M., Kuwata, T., Igarashi, T., Mizuno, A., Koyanagi, Y., and Hayami, M: (1998) Replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, simian immunodeficiency virus strain mac and chimeric HIV/SIVmac viruses having env genes derived from macrophage-tropic viruses: an indication of different mechanisms of macrophage-tropism in human and monkey cells J Gen Virol 79:741-45. 11. Jin, M., Uratani, Y. and Arimatsu, Y: (1997) Mapping to mouse Chromosome 3 of the gene encoding Latexin (Lxn) expressed in neocortical neurons in a region-specific manner. Genomics 39:419-22. 12. Jin, M., Ido, E., Kuwata, T., Igarashi, T., Cichutek, K., Kurth, R., Miura, T., Enose, Y., Chen, J., and Hayami, M. (1996) Replication and cytopathogenicity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)/simian immunodeficiency virus agm3 chimeric viruses in human and monkey cells: the 5' half of the HIV-1 genome is responsible for virus cytopathogenicity. J Gen Virol 77:2427-2431.