De-Pei Li, MD, MSc

Photo of De-Pei Li, MD, MSc

Medicine

Associate Director of the Center for Precision Medicine
Professor of Medicine

Profile

My research interest falls in neural control of circulation in physiological and disease conditions such as hypertension. The central nervous system is critically involved in the development of hypertension. I have performed and published extensively in the neural control of cardiovascular function. These findings significantly advance our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of hypertension. The ongoing projects in the lab are to explore the neural mechanisms responsible for stress-induced hypertension.

Academic Information

Associate Director of the Center for Precision Medicine
Professor of Medicine

Research Interests

  • Cardiovascular physiology and neurophysiology
  • Synaptic mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders 
  • Stress-induced neuro-endocrine and cardiovascular disorders

Areas of Expertise

  • Synaptic plasticity during neurological disorders
  • Ion channel function 
  • Neuro-endocrinology

Education & Training

Medical School

HeBei Medical University

Post-Graduate School

HeBei Medical University

Awards & Honors

  • 9/2011 Fellow of American Heart Association (F.A.H.A) affiliated with the Council for High Blood Pressure research
  • 4/2005 The Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation Research Recognition Award. The 35th Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) and Experimental Biology, 2005
  • 4/2004 Michael J. Brody young investigator travel award for Experimental Biology 2004.

Publications

  • Zhang H, Sheng ZF, Wang J, Zheng P, Kang X, Chang HM, Yeh ETH, Li DP.
    Signaling pathways involved in NMDA-induced suppression of M-channels in corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in central amygdala.
    J Neurochem. 2022 Jun;161(6):478-491. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15647. Epub 2022 May 30.
  • Wu G, Zhang N, Matarasso A, Heck I, Li H, Lu W, Phaup JG, Schneider MJ, Wu Y, Weng Z, Sun H, Gao Z, Zhang X, Sandberg SG, Parvin D, Seaholm E, Islam SK, Wang X, Phillips PEM, Castro DC, Ding S, Li DP, Bruchas MR, Zhang Y.
    Implantable Aptamer-Graphene Microtransistors for Real-Time Monitoring of Neurochemical Release in Vivo.
    Nano Lett. 2022 May 11;22(9):3668-3677. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c00289.
  • Wu H, Hu T, Zhang L, Xia X, Liu X, Zhu Q, Wang M, Sun Z, Hao H, Cui Y, Parrish AR, Li DP, Hill MA, Xu C, Liu Z.
    Abdominal Aortic Endothelial Dysfunction Occurs in Female Mice With Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Chronic Colitis Independently of Reactive Oxygen Species Formation.
    Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Apr 7;9:871335. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.871335.
  • Xia X, Zhang L, Wu H, Chen F, Liu X, Xu H, Cui Y, Zhu Q, Wang M, Hao H, Li DP, Fay WP, Martinez-Lemus LA, Hill MA, Xu C, Liu Z.
    CagA+ Helicobacter pylori, Not CagA- Helicobacter pylori, Infection Impairs Endothelial Function Through Exosomes-Mediated ROS Formation.
    Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Mar 31;9:881372. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.881372. PMID: 35433874
  • Chen S, Siedhoff HR, Zhang H, Liu P, Balderrama A, Li R, Johnson C, Greenlief CM, Koopmans B, Hoffman T, DePalma RG, Li DP, Cui J, Gu Z.
    Low-intensity blast induces acute glutamatergic hyperexcitability in mouse hippocampus leading to long-term learning deficits and altered expression of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and serine protease inhibitors.
    Neurobiol Dis. 2022 Jan 22:105634. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105634.
  • Zhou JJ, Shao JY, Chen SR, Li DP, and Pan HL.
    α2δ-1-Dependent NMDA Receptor Activity in the Hypothalamus Is an Effector of Genetic-Environment Interactions that Drive Persistent Hypertension.
    J Neurosci. 2021 Jun 28:JN-RM-0346-21. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0346-21.
  • Li L, Chen SR, Zhou M, Wang L, Li DP, Chen H, Lee G, Jayaraman V, and Pan HL.
    α2δ-1 switches the phenotype of synaptic AMPA receptors by physically disrupting heteromeric subunit assembly.
    Cell Rep. 2021 Jul 20;36(3):109396. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109396.
  • Sheng ZF, Zhang H, Zheng P, Chen S, Gu Z, Zhou JJ, Phaup JG, Chang HM, Yeh ETH, Pan HL, and Li DP.
    Impaired Kv7 channel activity in the central amygdala contributes to elevated sympathetic outflow in hypertension.
    Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Jan 29; cvab031. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvab031.
  • Kim ER, Xu Y, Cassidy RM, Lu Y, Yang Y, Tian J, Li DP, Van Drunen R, Ribas-Latre A, Cai ZL, Xue M, Arenkiel BR, Eckel-Mahan K, Xu Y, Tong Q.
    Paraventricular hypothalamus mediates diurnal rhythm of metabolism.
    Nat Commun. 2020 Jul 30;11(1):3794. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17578-7.
  • Zhou JJ, Pachuau J, Li DP, Chen SR, Pan HL.
    Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors regulate hypothalamic presympathetic neurons through opposing presynaptic and postsynaptic actions in hypertension.
    Neuropharmacology. 2020 Sep 1;174:108159. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108159. Epub 2020 May 23.
  • Wu CS, Bongmba OYN, Lee JH, Tuchaai E, Zhou Y, Li DP, Xue B, Chen Z, Sun Y.
    Ghrelin receptor in agouti-related peptide neurones regulates metabolic adaptation to calorie restriction.
    J Neuroendocrinol. 2019 Jul;31(7):e12763. doi: 10.1111/jne.12763. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID: 31251830
  • Zhou JJ, Ma HJ, Shao J, Wei Y, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Li DP.
    Downregulation of Orexin Receptor in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Decreases Blood Pressure in Obese Zucker Rats.
    J Am Heart Assoc. 2019 Jul 2;8(13):e011434. doi: 10.1161/JAHA. 118.011434. Epub 2019 Jun 19
  • Zhou JJ, Ma HJ, Shao JY, Pan HL, Li DP.
    Impaired Hypothalamic Regulation of Sympathetic Outflow in Primary Hypertension.
    Neurosci Bull. 2019 Feb;35(1):124-132. doi: 10.1007/s12264-018-0316-5. Epub 2018 Dec 1. Review. PMID: 30506315
  • Zhou JJ, Li DP, Chen SR, Luo Y, Pan HL.
    The α2δ-1-NMDA receptor coupling is essential for corticostriatal long-term potentiation and is involved in learning and memory.
    J Biol Chem. 2018 Oct 24. pii: jbc.RA118.003977. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.003977.
  • Ma H, Chen SR, Chen H, Zhou JJ, Li DP, Pan HL.
    α2δ-1 couples to NMDA receptors in the hypothalamus to sustain sympathetic vasomotor activity in hypertension.
    J Physiol. 2018 Sep;596(17):4269-4283. doi: 10.1113/JP276394. Epub 2018.
  • Ma H, Chen SR, Chen H, Li L, Li DP, Zhou JJ, Pan HL.
    α2δ-1 Is Essential for Sympathetic Output and NMDA Receptor Activity Potentiated by Angiotensin II in the Hypothalamus.
    J Neurosci. 2018 Jun 19. pii: 0447-18. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0447-18.2018.
  • Li DP, Li YL, Li J, Wang S.
    Neural Mechanisms of Autonomic Dysfunction in Neurological Diseases.
    Neural Plast. 2017;2017:2050191. doi: 10.1155/2017/2050191.
  •  Zhou JJ, Gao Y, Zhang X, Kosten TA, Li DP.
    Enhanced Hypothalamic NMDA Receptor Activity Contributes to Hyperactivity of HPA Axis in Chronic Stress in Male Rats.
    Endocrinology. 2018 Jan 30. doi: 10.1210/en.2017-03176
  • Ma H, Chen SR, Chen H, Zhou JJ, Li DP, Pan HL.
    α2δ-1 couples to NMDA receptors in the hypothalamus to sustain sympathetic vasomotor activity in hypertension.
    J Physiol. 2018 Sep;596(17):4269-4283. doi: 10.1113/JP276394. Epub 2018.
  • Ma H, Chen SR, Chen H, Li L, Li DP, Zhou JJ, Pan HL.
    α2δ-1 Is Essential for Sympathetic Output and NMDA Receptor Activity Potentiated by Angiotensin II in the Hypothalamus.
    J Neurosci. 2018 Jun 19. pii: 0447-18. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0447-18.2018.