MI2026 - FenXiang Shang

Fengxiang Shang
Master’s Student, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology
Yanbian University
China

Title:
Eupalinolide B targets DEK and PANoptosis through E3 ubiquitin ligases RNF149 and RNF170 to negatively regulate asthma

Abstract:
We investigated the mechanism by which eupalinolide B (EB) regulates DEK protein ubiquitination and degradation, and its impact on DEK-mediated receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK)-PAN optosis pathway in allergic asthma.

In vitro, EB could bind to DEK. RNF149 and RNF170 were identified as regulatory factors of DEK, poly ubiquitinating the K349 site in the DEK coding DNA sequence region 270–350 through K48 linkages and leading to its degradation. RNA sequencing showed that DEK overexpression upregulated the expression of genes such as RIPK1, FADD, and Caspase 8. Treatment with DEK siRNA or EB reduced the activation of the RIPK1-PANoptosis pathway in BEAS-2B-DEK cells. In vivo, EB significantly reduced the levels of DEK in house dust mite-induced mice and alleviated pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia, collagen fiber deposition, and eosinophil proportion in BALF. Knocking out the DEK gene reduced RIPK1-induced PANoptosis, and inhibited airway inflammation and cell apoptosis.

EB promotes the degradation of DEK by RNF149 and RNF170, inhibits the RIPK1-PANoptosis pathway, and may effectively suppress asthma. EB may become a potential drug for treating airway inflammation in asthma.

Biography:
Fengxiang Shang is a Master’s student at the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Yanbian University Medical College, specializing in the foundational molecular mechanisms of allergic asthma. Her research investigates the molecular regulation of airway inflammation, with a focus on post-translational modifications of key signaling proteins and the role of programmed cell death pathways in asthma pathogenesis. Ms. Shang has contributed to high-level research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province. She is honored to attend Mastering Immunity 2026, where she looks forward to engaging with experts in immunogenicity and biologics to advance her ongoing investigations into therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases.