Ying Crystal Zang, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Neurology

Medical School

M.D. (1984) Shanghai Second Medical University, China

Graduate School

Ph.D. (1993) University of Limburg, Belgium

Research Interests

Autoimmune mechanism involved in multiple sclerosis. In particular, the structural features of the T cell receptors, identification of common CDR3 sequence motifs among myelin-reactive T cells derived from blood and cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis patients. Design of T cell receptor peptide-based immunotherapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Study of the role of viral infections in activation of autoimmune T cells through molecular mimicry and its implication in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Publications
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Chen G, Li N, Zang YC, Zhang D, He D, Feng G, Ni L, Xu R, Wang L, Shen B, Zhang JZ. Vaccination with selected synovial T cells in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2007;56:453-63.
Braun Hashemi CA, Zang YC, Arbona JA, Bauerle JA, Frazer ML, Lee H, Flury L, Moore ES, Kolar MC, Washington RY, Kolar OJ. Serum immunologic markers in multiple sclerosis patients on continuous combined therapy with beta-interferon 1a, prednisone and azathioprine. Mult Scler 2006;12:652-8.
Hong J, Zang YC, Nie H, Zhang JZ. CD4+ regulatory T cell responses induced by T cell vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006;103:5024-9.
Sun W, Hong J, Zang YC, Liu X, Zhang JZ. Altered expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors in T lymphocytes and aberrant Th1 immunity in multiple sclerosis. Int Immunol 2006;18:1691-700.
Sun W, Nie H, Li N, Zang YC, Zhang D, Feng G, Ni L, Xu R, Prasad S, Robinson RR, Ho W, Sercarz E, Zhang JZ. Skewed T-cell receptor BV14 and BV16 expression and shared CDR3 sequence and common sequence motifs in synovial T cells of rheumatoid arthritis. Genes Immun 2005;6:248-61.
Hong J, Zang YC, Hutton G, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Gene expression profiling of relevant biomarkers for treatment evaluation in multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol 2004;152:126-39.
Hong J, Zang YC, Li S, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Ex vivo detection of myelin basic protein-reactive T cells in multiple sclerosis and controls using specific TCR oligonucleotide probes. Eur J Immunol 2004;34:870-81.
Sun W, Popat U, Hutton G, Zang YC, Krance R, Carrum G, Land GA, Heslop H, Brenner M, Zhang JZ. Characteristics of T-cell receptor repertoire and myelin-reactive T cells reconstituted from autologous haematopoietic stem-cell grafts in multiple sclerosis. Brain 2004;127:996-1008.
Zang YC, Li S, Rivera VM, Hong J, Robinson RR, Breitbach WT, Killian J, Zhang JZ. Increased CD8+ cytotoxic T cell responses to myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis. J Immunol 2004;172:5120-7.
Zang YC, Skinner SM, Robinson RR, Li S, Rivera VM, Hutton GJ, Zhang JZ. Regulation of differentiation and functional properties of monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells by interferon beta in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2004;10:499-506.
Salama HH, Hong J, Zang YC, El-Mongui A, Zhang J. Blocking effects of serum reactive antibodies induced by glatiramer acetate treatment in multiple sclerosis. Brain 2003;126:2638-47.
Salama HH, Kolar OJ, Zang YC, Zhang J. Effects of combination therapy of beta-interferon 1a and prednisone on serum immunologic markers in patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2003;9:28-31.
Tejada-Simon MV, Zang YC, Hong J, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Cross-reactivity with myelin basic protein and human herpesvirus-6 in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2003;53:189-97.
Zang Y, Hong J, Robinson R, Li S, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Immune regulatory properties and interactions of copolymer-I and beta-interferon 1a in multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol 2003;137:144-53.
Zang YC, Hong J, Rivera VM, Killian J, Zhang JZ. Human anti-idiotypic T cells induced by TCR peptides corresponding to a common CDR3 sequence motif in myelin basic protein-reactive T cells. Int Immunol 2003;15:1073-80.
Hong J, Tejada-Simon MV, Rivera VM, Zang YC, Zhang JZ. Anti-viral properties of interferon beta treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2002;8:237-42.
Tejada-Simon MV, Zang YC, Hong J, Rivera VM, Killian JM, Zhang JZ. Detection of viral DNA and immune responses to the human herpesvirus 6 101-kilodalton virion protein in patients with multiple sclerosis and in controls. J Virol 2002;76:6147-54.
Zang YC, Halder JB, Hong J, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Regulatory effects of estriol on T cell migration and cytokine profile: inhibition of transcription factor NF-kappa B. J Neuroimmunol 2002;124:106-14.
Zhang J, Hutton G, Zang Y. A comparison of the mechanisms of action of interferon beta and glatiramer acetate in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Clin Ther 2002;24:1998-2021.
Zhang JZ, Rivera VM, Tejada-Simon MV, Yang D, Hong J, Li S, Haykal H, Killian J, Zang YC. T cell vaccination in multiple sclerosis: results of a preliminary study. J Neurol 2002;249:212-8.
Sarkar AK, Burlingame SM, Zang YQ, Dulai V, Hicks MJ, Strother DR, Nuchtern JG. Major histocompatibility complex-restricted lysis of neuroblastoma cells by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes. J Immunother (1997) 2001;24:305-11.
Zang YC, Halder JB, Samanta AK, Hong J, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Regulation of chemokine receptor CCR5 and production of RANTES and MIP-1alpha by interferon-beta. J Neuroimmunol 2001;112:174-80.
Hong J, Zang YC, Tejada-Simon MV, Li S, Rivera VM, Killian J, Zhang JZ. Reactivity and regulatory properties of human anti-idiotypic antibodies induced by T cell vaccination. J Immunol 2000;165:6858-64.
Tejada-Simon MV, Zang YC, Yang D, Hong J, Li S, Singh RA, Van den Berg-Loonen E, Killian JM, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Aberrant T cell responses to myelin antigens during clinical exacerbation in patients with multiple sclerosis. Int Immunol 2000;12:1641-50.
Zang YC, Hong J, Rivera VM, Killian J, Zhang JZ. Preferential recognition of TCR hypervariable regions by human anti-idiotypic T cells induced by T cell vaccination. J Immunol 2000;164:4011-7.
Zang YC, Hong J, Tejada-Simon MV, Li S, Rivera VM, Killian JM, Zhang JZ. Th2 immune regulation induced by T cell vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis. Eur J Immunol 2000;30:908-13.
Zang YC, Samanta AK, Halder JB, Hong J, Tejada-Simon MV, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Aberrant T cell migration toward RANTES and MIP-1 alpha in patients with multiple sclerosis. Overexpression of chemokine receptor CCR5. Brain 2000;123 ( Pt 9):1874-82.
Zang YC, Yang D, Hong J, Tejada-Simon MV, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Immunoregulation and blocking antibodies induced by interferon beta treatment in MS. Neurology 2000;55:397-404.
Hong J, Zang YC, Tejada-Simon MV, Kozovska M, Li S, Singh RA, Yang D, Rivera VM, Killian JK, Zhang JZ. A common TCR V-D-J sequence in V beta 13.1 T cells recognizing an immunodominant peptide of myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis. J Immunol 1999;163:3530-8.
Kil K, Zang YC, Yang D, Markowski J, Fuoco GS, Vendetti GC, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. T cell responses to myelin basic protein in patients with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol 1999;98:201-7.
Kozovska ME, Hong J, Zang YC, Li S, Rivera VM, Killian JM, Zhang JZ. Interferon beta induces T-helper 2 immune deviation in MS. Neurology 1999;53:1692-7.
Panzara MA, Gussoni E, Begovich AB, Murray RS, Zang YQ, Appel SH, Steinman L, Zhang J. T cell receptor BV gene rearrangements in the spinal cords and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 1999;6:392-405.
Singh RA, Zang YC, Shrivastava A, Hong J, Wang GT, Li S, Tejada-Simon MV, Kozovska M, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Th1 and Th2 deviation of myelin-autoreactive T cells by altered peptide ligands is associated with reciprocal regulation of Lck, Fyn, and ZAP-70. J Immunol 1999;163:6393-402.
Zang YC, Kozovska MM, Hong J, Li S, Mann S, Killian JM, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Impaired apoptotic deletion of myelin basic protein-reactive T cells in patients with multiple sclerosis. Eur J Immunol 1999;29:1692-700.
Kozovska M, Zang YC, Aebischer I, Lnu S, Rivera VM, Crowe PD, Boehme SA, Zhang JZ. T cell recognition motifs of an immunodominant peptide of myelin basic protein in patients with multiple sclerosis: structural requirements and clinical implications. Eur J Immunol 1998;28:1894-901.
Zang YC, Kozovska M, Aebischer I, Li S, Boehme S, Crowe P, Rivera VM, Zhang JZ. Restricted TCR Valpha gene rearrangements in T cells recognizing an immunodominant peptide of myelin basic protein in DR2 patients with multiple sclerosis. Int Immunol 1998;10:991-8.

Book Chapters
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Skinner SM, Zang YCQ, Hong J, Zhang JZ. T cell vaccination for multiple sclerosis. In: Broglio PV, editor. Neuroimmunology research focus. Hauppauge (NY): Nova Science Publishers, Inc.; 2007. p. 139-157.
Skinner SM, Zang YCQ, Hong J, Zhang JZ. T cell vaccination in autoimmune disease. In: Zhang JZ, editor. Immune regulation and immunotherapy in autoimmune disease. New York: Springer Science; 2007. p. 339-368.

Contact Information

Ying Crystal Zang, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neurology
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza, MS NB302
Houston, Texas 77030

Tel: 713-798-5747
Fax: 713-798-5712
Email: