Tianhong Pan, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Neurology

Medical School

M.D., Shanghai Second Medical University, China

Graduate School

Ph.D., Shanghai Second Medical University, China

Research Interests

The cellular and molecular basis of neuronal injury in neurodegenerative diseases and the neuroprotective effects of compounds for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, especially in Parkinson's disease.

Journal Publications
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Pan T, Rawal P, Wu Y, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Rapamycin protects against rotenone-induced apoptosis through autophagy induction. Neuroscience. 2009;164:541-51.

Le W, Pan T, Huang M, Xu P, Xie W, Zhu W, Zhang X, Deng H, Jankovic J. Decreased NURR1 gene expression in patients with Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Sci. 2008;273:29-33.

Pan T, Kondo S, Le W, Jankovic J. The role of autophagy-lysosome pathway in neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's disease. Brain. 2008;131:1969-78.

Pan T, Kondo S, Zhu W, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Neuroprotection of rapamycin in lactacystin-induced neurodegeneration via autophagy enhancement. Neurobiol Dis. 2008;32:16-25.

Pan T, Zhu W, Zhao H, Deng H, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Nurr1 deficiency predisposes to lactacystin-induced dopaminergic neuron injury in vitro and in vivo. Brain Res. 2008;1222:222-9.

Wang W, Le WD, Pan T, Stringer JL, Jaiswal AK. Association of NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 gene promoter polymorphism with higher gene expression and increased susceptibility to Parkinson's disease. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008;63:127-34.

Zhu W, Xie W, Pan T, Jankovic J, Li J, Youdim MB, Le W. Comparison of neuroprotective and neurorestorative capabilities of rasagiline and selegiline against lactacystin-induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration. J Neurochem. 2008;105:1970-8.

Deng H, Le W, Huang M, Xie W, Pan T, Jankovic J. Genetic analysis of LRRK2 P755L variant in Caucasian patients with Parkinson's disease. Neurosci Lett. 2007;419:104-7.

Zhao H, Zhu W, Pan T, Xie W, Zhang A, Ondo WG, Le W. Spinal cord dopamine receptor expression and function in mice with 6-OHDA lesion of the A11 nucleus and dietary iron deprivation. J Neurosci Res. 2007;85:1065-76.

Zhu W, Xie W, Pan T, Xu P, Fridkin M, Zheng H, Jankovic J, Youdim MB, Le W. Prevention and restoration of lactacystin-induced nigrostriatal dopamine neuron degeneration by novel brain-permeable iron chelators. Faseb J. 2007;21:3835-44.

Qu S, Ondo WG, Zhang X, Xie WJ, Pan TH, Le WD. Projections of diencephalic dopamine neurons into the spinal cord in mice. Exp Brain Res. 2006;168:152-6.

Cai W, Khaoustov VI, Xie Q, Pan T, Le W, Yoffe B. Interferon-alpha-induced modulation of glucocorticoid and serotonin receptors as a mechanism of depression. J Hepatol. 2005;42:880-7.

Deng H, Le WD, Xie WJ, Pan TH, Zhang X, Jankovic J. Genetic analysis of parkin co-regulated gene (PACRG) in patients with early-onset parkinsonism. Neurosci Lett. 2005;382:297-9.

Deng H, Le WD, Zhang X, Pan TH, Jankovic J. G309D and W437OPA PINK1 mutations in Caucasian Parkinson's disease patients. Acta Neurol Scand. 2005;111:351-2.

Jiang C, Wan X, He Y, Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. Age-dependent dopaminergic dysfunction in Nurr1 knockout mice. Exp Neurol. 2005;191:154-62.

Pan T, Li X, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Valproic acid-mediated Hsp70 induction and anti-apoptotic neuroprotection in SH-SY5Y cells. FEBS Lett. 2005;579:6716-20.

Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Biological effects of pramipexole on dopaminergic neuron-associated genes: relevance to neuroprotection. Neurosci Lett. 2005;377:106-9.

Zhang X, Xie W, Qu S, Pan T, Wang X, Le W. Neuroprotection by iron chelator against proteasome inhibitor-induced nigral degeneration. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005;333:544-9.

Henkel JS, Engelhardt JI, Siklos L, Simpson EP, Kim SH, Pan T, Goodman JC, Siddique T, Beers DR, Appel SH. Presence of dendritic cells, MCP-1, and activated microglia/macrophages in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis spinal cord tissue. Ann Neurol. 2004;55:221-35.

Pan T, Le W, Jankovic J. Slowing Parkinson's disease progression: recent dopamine agonist trials. Neurology. 2004;62:343; author reply 343-4.

Rachakonda V, Pan TH, Le WD. Biomarkers of neurodegenerative disorders: how good are they? Cell Res. 2004;14:347-58.

Pan T, Fei J, Zhou X, Jankovic J, Le W. Effects of green tea polyphenols on dopamine uptake and on MPP+ -induced dopamine neuron injury. Life Sci. 2003;72:1073-83.

Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. Potential therapeutic properties of green tea polyphenols in Parkinson's disease. Drugs Aging. 2003;20:711-21.

Poster and Platform Presentations
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Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. 17-AAG protects against rotenone-induced apoptosis in SHSY5Y cells via HSP70 induction. Mov Disord. 2009;24 Suppl 1:S361.

Pan T, Xie W, Le W, Jankovic J. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, protects against rotenone-induced apoptosis through autophagy induction. Mov Disord. 2009;24 Suppl 1:S225-6.

Pan T, Xie W, Rawal P, Jankovic J, Le W. Rapamycin protects against rotenone-induced apoptosis through autophagy induction in SH-SY5Y cells. Neurology. 2009;72(11 Suppl 3):A438-9.

Le WD, Pan T, Xie W, Huang M, Xu P, Zhu W, Zhang X, Deng H, Jankovic J. Expanded study of NURR1 gene expression in patients with Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord. 2008;23 Suppl 1:S36.

Pan T, Li X, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le WD. Role of deferoxamine and autophagy induction in rotenone-induced apoptosis. Neurology. 2008;70(11 Suppl 1):A325-7.

Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le WD. Rapamycin rescues lactacystin-induced dopaminergic neuron injury in vivo. Mov Disord. 2008;23 Suppl 1:S23.

Xie W, Zhu W, Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. Progressive DA neuron degeneration induced by targeting administration of proteasome inhibitor in SN. Ann Neurol. 2008;64 Suppl 12:S46-7.

Pan T, Li X, Zhu W, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Autophagy induction and its neuroprotection on neurotoxin-induced cell injury relevant to Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 2007;68(12 Suppl 1):A111.

Zhu W, Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Zheng H, Youdim M, Le W. Brain permeable iron chelators M-30 and AK-28 rescue degenerated nigral dopamine neurons in animal model of PD. Mov Disord. 2007:22 Suppl 16:S201.

Zhu W, Pan T, Xie W, Xu P, Jankovic J, Youdim MBH, Le W. Comparison of neuroprotective and neurorescue capabilities of rasagiline and selegiline, against lactacystin induced nigrostriatal degeneration. Neurodegener Dis. 2007;4 Suppl 1:90.

Zhu W, Pan T, Xie W, Xu P, Zheng H, Fridkin M, Jankovic J, Youdim MBH, Le W. Novel brain permeable iron chelators prevent lactacystin induced ubiquitn-proteasome inhibition and degeneration of nigrostrialtal dopamine neurons. Neurology. 2007;68(12 Suppl 1):A113.

Zhu W, Pan T, Zhang X, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Proteasome inhibition in substantial nigra induces sustained dopamine cells degeneration. Neurology. 2007;68(12 Suppl 1):A111.

Pan T, Kondo S, Zhu W, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Enhancement of autophagy and neuroprotection by rapamycin in lactacystin-induced injury of dopaminergic neurons. Mov Disord. 2006;21 Suppl 15:S505.

Pan T, Xie W, Deng H, Zhao H, Jankovic J. Nurrl deficiency predisposes to apoptosis induced by lactacystin in SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. Neurology. 2006;66(5 Suppl 2):A142.

Zhao H, Zhu W, Pan T, Xie W, Ondo W, Le W. Spinal cord dopamine receptor expression and function in mice with 6-OHDA lesion of the A11 nucleus and dietary iron deprivation. Mov Disord. 2006;21 Suppl 15:S341.

Deng H, Jankovic J, Pan T, Xie W, Le W. Small interfering RNA (SiRNA) targeting the PINK1 induces apoptosisin human SH-SY5Y cells. Mov Disord. 2005:20 Suppl 10:S127.

Deng H, Jankovic J, Xie W, Pan T, Le W. Reduced NURR1 gene expression affects expression of dopaminergic phenotypic markers and Parkinson's disease-related genes. Mov Disord. 2005:20 Suppl 10:S143.

Deng H, Le W, Zhang X, Pan T, Jankovic J. Genetic analysis of G309D and W4370PA mutations of PINK1 in Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 2005;64(6 Suppl 1):A90.

Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. HSP70 inducer VPA inhibits rotenone-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. Neurology. 2005;64(6 Suppl 1):A199.

Jiang C, Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. Effects of ropinirole on progression of parkinsonism in Nurr1-deficient mice and its underlying mechanisms. Neurology. 2004:62(7 Suppl S5):A7.

Pan T, Jankovic J, Le W. The pharmacological and biological effects of pramipexole on dopamine transporter. Neurology. 2004:62(7 Suppl S5):A109.

Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. The pharmacological and biological effects of pramipexole on dopamine neuron associated genes: DAT, VMAT-2, and Nurr1. Mov Disord. 2004:19 Suppl 9:S215.

Pan T, Xie W, Jankovic J, Le W. Decreased Nurr1 mRNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes in Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 2004:62(7 Suppl S5):A108.

Pan TH, Xu PY, Xie WJ, Hunter C, Jankovic J, Le WD. Upregulation of Nurr1 gene expression by dopamine receptor agonist pramipexole in human neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y cells. Mov Disord. 2002:17 Suppl 5:S84.

Contact Information

Tianhong Pan, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neurology
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza, MS NB302
Houston, Texas 77030

Tel: 713-798-5142
Fax: 713-798-3771
Email: