On December 29, 2023, we were delighted to host Dr. Zhang Yan from the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Peking University at Shenzhen University. Dr. Zhang Yan was invited by Professor Liu Jie to give the 94th lecture of the Shenzhen University 40th Anniversary Celebration - Shenzhen Medical Forum, titled "Cardiomyocyte Death and Cardioprotection - A Tale of CaMKII and its Partners ."

Dr. Zhang Yan first introduced the role of CaMKII in myocardial cell necroptosis caused by ischemia-reperfusion, and then detailed the mechanism of RIP3-mediated CaMKII activation. He then detailed the subtypes and classifications of CaMKII, and alongside, presented his findings showing that the CaMKII δ B subtype can upregulate inducible HSP70 expression by phosphorylating HSF1, thereby protecting the heart from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Prof. Zhang Yan’s research group also demonstrated that CaMKII-δ9 is the CaMKII subtype with the highest expression in cardiac tissue. The results of this study corrected the misunderstanding of CaMKII subtypes expressed in the heart, which have been prominent in this field for the past 30 years. Further research conducted by his group revealed that CaMKII- δ9 disrupts UBE2T-dependent DNA repair function by inducing the phosphorylation and degradation of the ubiquitin binding enzyme E2T (UBE2T), leading to DNA damage and genomic instability, thereby promoting myocardial cell death, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. These findings suggest that CaMKII-δ9 is a potent therapeutic target for cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Finally, Zhang Yan’s research team identified that the small molecule Hesperidin serves as an inhibitor of CaMKII and inhibits myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, thus providing a new candidate drug for the treatment of related diseases.

Brief introduction to the speaker

Prof. Zhang Yan is currently the PI of the National Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling. He is a recipient of a National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars award. His research mainly focuses on cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, namely cardiomyocyte injury and protection mechanisms. As a project leader, he has obtained five National Natural Science Foundation projects and one sub-project of the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology. He has published 47 papers, including 24 as the first author/corresponding author, in journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, Nature Cell Biology, and Circulation. He is also an inventor of five authorized national invention patents. He is currently a member of the Vascular Medicine Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Pathophysiology, the Deputy Director of the Youth Working Group, a member of the Youth Committee of the Receptor Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Pathophysiology, a member of the Cardiovascular Branch of the Beijing Medical Association, the Deputy Group Leader of the Cardiovascular Basic Research Group, the Deputy Director of the Blood Pressure Prevention and Control and Research Professional Committee of the China Human Health Technology Promotion Association, and a standing committee member of the Geriatric Medicine Special Committee of the Cross-Strait Medicine and Health Exchange Association.