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TANG Feng-Ru
MBBS, PhD
Head & Principal Investigator
Epilepsy Research Lab
National Neuroscience Institute
11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng
Singapore 308433
Adjunct Associate Professor
National University of Singapore
Singapore
Adjunct Professor
Xi’an Jiao Tong University
P.R.China
Tel: (65) 6357-7128
(65) 6357-7618
Fax: (65) 6256-9178
Email : Feng_Ru_Tang@nni.com.sg |
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RESEARCH AREAS
Metabotropic glutamate receptors and epileptogenesis
Pan-brain neural circuits in the mouse pilocarpine model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE)
Learning and memory in MTLE
BIOGRAPHY
MBBS: Xi’an Jiaotong University (former Xi'an Medical University, People's Republic of China), 1987
PhD: National University of Singapore, Singapore, 1996
Postdoctoral Fellow: National University of Singapore, 1997-1999
RESEARCH PROJECTS
- Metabotropic glutamate receptors and epileptogenesis
Glutamate receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission and play an important role in neuronal plasticity and neurotoxicity in the central nervous system. These receptors may be broadly classified as ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). mGluRs consist of eight subtypes which are subdivided into three groups. Each group of mGluRs is responsible for the activation of specific second-messenger cascades, so to produce neurotoxicity or neuroprotection. We have studied the expression of different subtypes of mGluRs and the related signal transduction systems in various stages of epileptogenesis, and now we are trying to develop drugs to stop epileptogenesis by targeting on metabotropic glutamate receptors.
- Pan-brain neural circuits in MTLE
At least three neuronal macrocircuits, the limbic, thalamo-striatal-cortical and central autonomic systems, are suggested to be involved in the initiation and propagation of limbic motor seizures, and each show neuronal death following status epilepticus. We hypothesize that the resulting macrocircuit reorganization involving the remaining neurons in these regions may play a central role in epileptogenesis. Establishment of the newly formed pan-brain neural pathways and their chemical anatomy in animal model of epilepsy may form the basis for designing a novel surgical treatment of intractable MTLE.
- Learning and memory in MTLE
It is well-known that patients suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often experience cognitive problems, most frequently impaired memory function. However, there is a limited literature regarding the progressive effects of temporal lobe epilepsy on cognition, particularly, the neuronal death on the impaired learning and memory function. We have tried to establish the relationship between the severity of seizure-induced brain damage and the impairment of learning and memory in mice after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus and subsequent temporal lobe epilepsy, and study the effects of agonists and antagonists of group I, group II and III metabotropic glutamate receptors in the prevention of learning and memory impairment in TLE in an attempt to find out a potential therapeutic use.
SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Jiang FL, Tang YC, Chia SC, Jay T, Tang FR. Anti-convulsive effect of a selective metabotropic glutamate receptor 8 agonist (S)-3,4-dicarboxyphenylglycines (S-3,4-DCPG) in the mouse piloarpine model of status epilepticus. Epilepsia (revised version submitted) (2006).
Xu JH, Long L, Tang YC, Hu HT, Tang FR. Cav1.2, Cav1.3 and Cav2.1 in the mouse hippocampus during and after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus. Hippocampus (revised version submitted) (2006).
Liu JX, Cao X, Tang YC, Liu Y, Tang FR. CCR7, CCR8, CCR9 and CCR10 in the mouse hippocampal CA1 area and the dentate gyrus during and after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus. J. Neurochemistry (accepted) (2006)
Ma DL, Chia SC, Tang YC, Chang LJ, Probest A, Burgunder JM, Tang FR. Spastin in the human and mouse central nervous system with special reference to its expression in the hippocampus of mouse pilocarpine model of status epilepticus and temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurochemistry International (2006, in press).
Ma DL, Tang YC, Chen PM, Chia SC, Jiang FL, Burgunder JM, Lee WL, Tang FR. Reorganization of CA3 area of the mouse hippocampus after pilocarpine induced temporal lobe epilepsy with special reference to the CA3-septum pathway. J Neurosci Res 83(2) (2006): 318-331.
Tang FR, Chia SC, Jiang FL, Ma DL, Chen PM, Tang YC. Calcium binding protein immunopositive neurons in the gliotic hippocampus of the mouse model of epilepsy with special reference to their afferents from the medial septum and nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca. Neuroscience 140(4) (2006): 467-79.
Tang FR, Chia SC, Zhang S, Chen PM, Gao H, Liu CP, Khanna S, Lee WL. Glutamate receptor 1 immunopositive neurons in the gliotic CA1 area of the mouse hippocampus after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus. Eur J Neurosci 21 (9) (2005): 2361-74.
Tang F.R. Agonists and antagonists of metabotropic glutamate receptors: anticonvulsants and antiepileptogenic agents? Current Neuropharmacology 3 (4) (2005): 299-307.
Tang FR, Chia SC, Chen PM, Gao H, Lee WL, Yeo TS, Burgunder JM, Probst A, Sim MK, Ling EA. Metabotropic glutamate receptor2/3 int he hippocampus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, of rats and mice after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. Epilepsy Res 59 (2004): 167 – 180.
Tang FR, Lee WL, Gao H, Chen Y, Loh YT, Chia SC. Expression of different isoforms of protein kinase C in the rat hippocampus after pilocarpine induced status epilepticus with special reference to CA1 area and the dentate gyrus. Hippocampus 14 (2004):87 -98.
Tang FR, Lee WL, Yang J, Sim MK, Ling EA. Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 in the hippocampus of rat pilocarpine model of status Epilepticus. Epilepsy Res 46(2) (2001): 179-189.
TEAM MEMBERS
A/P Tang Feng Ru, Head & Principal Investigator
Dr Ma Dong Liang, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr He De Fu, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Shahjahan Shahid, Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr Xiao Xin Li, Postdoctoral Fellow
Mr Tang Yong Cheng, Research Assistant
Miss Chia Shwn Chin, Research Assistant
Mr Zhang Si, Postgraduate student
Mr Liu Jian Xin, Trainee
COLLABORATORS
Local
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Associate Professor Lee Wei Ling
Director
National Neuroscience Institute
Singapore
Dr Xavier Golay
Physicist (MRI)
Department of Neuroradiology
National Neuroscience Institute
Singapore
Dr Dheen ST
Assistant Professor
Department of Anatomy
National University of Singapore
Singapore
Overseas
Hungary
- Professor Tamas F. Freund
Director, Institute of Experimental Medicine
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Hungary
France
- Dr Therese M Jay
Research Director
Physiopathology of Psychiatric Diseases
Hôpital Sainte Anne
University of Paris
France
Dr Durkin TP
Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives
CNRS UMR 5106
Universite de Bordeaux 1, Avenues des Facultes
33405 Talence
France
Dr Bontempi B
Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives
CNRS UMR 5106
Universite de Bordeaux 1, Avenues des Facultes
33405 Talence
France
Switzerland
Professor Burgunder JM
Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Neurology
University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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