Sun-Sang J Sung

  • Phone: 434-982-3557
  • Fax: 434-924-9578

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor of Research, Medicine

Research Interests

Macrophages, dendritic cells, and other myeloid cells interactions with glomerular parenchymal cells.

Research Description

Lupus nephritis is an autoimmune disease manifesting as compromised kidney function. Glomerular destruction is a major disease hallmark. Using an autoimmune mouse model of lupus nephritis, we found that extensive macrophage infiltration occurs in animals with severe proteinuria. Macrophage expression of PD-L1 induces proteinuria. Furthermore, macrophages produce TNF which initiates cytokine and chemokine production by podocytes and mesangial cells. This cytokine milieu is detrimental to the integrity of the glomerulus. Studies are performed to study the functional roles of podocytes and mesangial cells in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis and to identify cytokine and surface receptors as therapeutic targets.

Personal Statement

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that afflicts mostly woman, including those at child-bearing age. Compromised kidney function is common in these patients. The research in my laboratory focuses on the studies of cellular interactions in the glomerulus which is the key filtration apparatus in the kidney.

Selected Publications

Fu R, Guo C, Wang S, Huang Y, Jin O, Hu H, Chen J, Xu B, Zhou M, Zhao J, Sung SJ, Wang H, Gaskin F, Yang N, Fu SM, Podocyte Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasomes Contributes to the Development of Proteinuria in Lupus Nephritis., 2017; Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.). 69(8) 1636-1646. PMID: 28544564

Sung SJ, Ge Y, Dai C, Wang H, Fu SM, Sharma R, Hahn YS, Yu J, Le TH, Okusa MD, Bolton WK, Lawler JR, Dependence of Glomerulonephritis Induction on Novel Intraglomerular Alternatively Activated Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages and Mac-1 and PD-L1 in Lupus-Prone NZM2328 Mice., 2017; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 198(7) 2589-2601. PMID: 28219886 | PMCID: PMC5360484

Sung SJ, Li L, Huang L, Lawler J, Ye H, Rosin DL, Vincent IS, Le TH, Yu J, Görldt N, Schrader J, Okusa MD, Proximal Tubule CD73 Is Critical in Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Protection., 2016; Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. 28(3) 888-902. PMID: 27628903 | PMCID: PMC5328157

Fu SM, Wang H, Dai C, Sung SJ, Gaskin F, Pathogenesis of proliferative lupus nephritis from a historical and personal perspective., 2016; Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.). () . PMID: 27591148 | PMCID: PMC5332347

Shipe R, Burdick MD, Strieter BA, Liu L, Shim YM, Sung SS, Teague WG, Mehrad B, Strieter RM, Rose CE, Number, activation, and differentiation of circulating fibrocytes correlate with asthma severity., 2015; The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 137(3) 750-7.e3. PMID: 26371837 | PMCID: PMC4836439

Dai C, Wang H, Sung SS, Sharma R, Kannapell C, Han W, Wang Q, Davidson A, Gaskin F, Fu SM, Interferon alpha on NZM2328.Lc1R27: enhancing autoimmunity and immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis without end stage renal failure., 2014; Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.). 154(1) 66-71. PMID: 24981059 | PMCID: PMC4167638

Ge Y, Jiang C, Sung SS, Bagavant H, Dai C, Wang H, Kannapell CC, Cathro HP, Gaskin F, Fu SM, Cgnz1 allele confers kidney resistance to damage preventing progression of immune complex-mediated acute lupus glomerulonephritis., 2013; The Journal of experimental medicine. 210(11) 2387-401. PMID: 24101379 | PMCID: PMC3804943

Rose CE, Lannigan JA, Kim P, Lee JJ, Fu SM, Sung SS, Murine lung eosinophil activation and chemokine production in allergic airway inflammation., 2010; Cellular & molecular immunology. 7(5) 361-74. PMID: 20622891 | PMCID: PMC3045045

Edelson BT, KC W, Juang R, Kohyama M, Benoit LA, Klekotka PA, Moon C, Albring JC, Ise W, Michael DG, Bhattacharya D, Stappenbeck TS, Holtzman MJ, Sung SS, Murphy TL, Hildner K, Murphy KM, Peripheral CD103+ dendritic cells form a unified subset developmentally related to CD8alpha+ conventional dendritic cells., 2010; The Journal of experimental medicine. 207(4) 823-36. PMID: 20351058 | PMCID: PMC2856032

Sung SS, Bolton WK, T cells and dendritic cells in glomerular disease: the new glomerulotubular feedback loop., 2009; Kidney international. 77(5) 393-9. PMID: 20032960 | PMCID: PMC3039448

Sung SS, Monocyte-derived dendritic cells as antigen-presenting cells in T-cell proliferation and cytokine production., 2008; Methods in molecular medicine. 138() 97-106. PMID: 18615247

Beaty SR, Rose CE, Sung SS, Diverse and potent chemokine production by lung CD11bhigh dendritic cells in homeostasis and in allergic lung inflammation., 2007; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 178(3) 1882-95. PMID: 17237439

Sung SS, Fu SM, Rose CE, Gaskin F, Ju ST, Beaty SR, A major lung CD103 (alphaE)-beta7 integrin-positive epithelial dendritic cell population expressing Langerin and tight junction proteins., 2006; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 176(4) 2161-72. PMID: 16455972

Grinnan D, Sung SS, Dougherty JA, Knowles AR, Allen MB, Rose CE, Nakano H, Gunn MD, Fu SM, Rose CE, Enhanced allergen-induced airway inflammation in paucity of lymph node T cell (plt) mutant mice., 2006; The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 118(6) 1234-41. PMID: 17157652

Rose CE, Sung SS, Fu SM, Significant involvement of CCL2 (MCP-1) in inflammatory disorders of the lung., 2003; Microcirculation (New York, N.Y. : 1994). 10(3) 273-88. PMID: 12851645

Kim Y, Kuziel WA, Feldman S, Fu SM, Rose CE, Enhanced airway Th2 response after allergen challenge in mice deficient in CC chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2)., 2001; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 166(8) 5183-92. PMID: 11290802

Waters ST, Fu SM, Gaskin F, Deshmukh US, Sung SS, Kannapell CC, Tung KS, McEwen SB, McDuffie M, NZM2328: a new mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus with unique genetic susceptibility loci., 2001; Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.). 100(3) 372-83. PMID: 11513551

Sung SJ, Taketomi EA, Smith AM, Platts-Mills TA, Fu SM, Efficient presentation of house dust mite allergen Der p 2 by monocyte-derived dendritic cells and the role of beta 2 integrins., 1999; Scandinavian journal of immunology. 49(1) 96-105. PMID: 10023864

Sung SS, Guo CY, Weed JM, Monoclonal antibodies against human dendritic cell-like peripheral blood monocytes activated by granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor plus interleukin 4., 1998; Cellular immunology. 182(2) 113-24. PMID: 9514703

Smith AM, Chapman MD, Taketomi EA, Platts-Mills TA, Sung SS, Recombinant allergens for immunotherapy: a Der p 2 variant with reduced IgE reactivity retains T-cell epitopes., 1998; The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 101(3) 423-5. PMID: 9525463

Sung SJ, Lin PS, Schmidt-Ullrich R, Hall CE, Walters JA, McCrady C, Grant S, Effects of the protein kinase C stimulant bryostatin 1 on the proliferation and colony formation of irradiated human T-lymphocytes., 1994; International journal of radiation biology. 66(6) 775-83. PMID: 7814976

Sung SJ, Walters JA, Stimulation of interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta production in human monocytes by protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitors., 1993; The Journal of biological chemistry. 268(8) 5802-9. PMID: 8383677

Xia HZ, Kannapell CC, Fu SM, Sung SS, Differential regulation of human B-lymphocyte tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and lymphotoxin (TNF-beta) production by protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitor., 1993; Blood. 82(9) 2806-12. PMID: 8219230

Sung SJ, Walters JA, Fu SM, Stimulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha production in human monocytes by inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A., 1992; The Journal of experimental medicine. 176(3) 897-901. PMID: 1324971 | PMCID: PMC2119347

Sung SS, Walters JA, Increased cyclic AMP levels enhance IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta mRNA expression and protein production in human myelomonocytic cell lines and monocytes., 1991; The Journal of clinical investigation. 88(6) 1915-23. PMID: 1661292 | PMCID: PMC295766

Sung SJ, Walters JA, Hudson J, Gimble JM, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA accumulation in human myelomonocytic cell lines. Role of transcriptional regulation by DNA sequence motifs and mRNA stabilization., 1991; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 147(6) 2047-54. PMID: 1909740

Sung SS, Walters JA, Identification and characterization of a hamster monoclonal antibody anti-2.28 directed against a 70-kilodalton activation antigen on human monocytes., 1989; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 142(6) 1903-8. PMID: 2466080

Sung SS, Jung LK, Walters JA, Jeffes EW, Granger GA, Fu SM, Production of lymphotoxin by isolated human tonsillar B lymphocytes and B lymphocyte cell lines., 1989; The Journal of clinical investigation. 84(1) 236-43. PMID: 2786889 | PMCID: PMC303975

Sung SS, Jung LK, Walters JA, Chen W, Wang CY, Fu SM, Production of tumor necrosis factor/cachectin by human B cell lines and tonsillar B cells., 1988; The Journal of experimental medicine. 168(5) 1539-51. PMID: 3263462 | PMCID: PMC2189128

Sung SS, Bjorndahl JM, Wang CY, Kao HT, Fu SM, Production of tumor necrosis factor/cachectin by human T cell lines and peripheral blood T lymphocytes stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate and anti-CD3 antibody., 1988; The Journal of experimental medicine. 167(3) 937-53. PMID: 2965212 | PMCID: PMC2188890

Sung SS, Silverstein SC, Role of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in the inhibition of phagocytosis by mouse peritoneal macrophage., 1985; Biochimica et biophysica acta. 845(2) 204-15. PMID: 3838908

Sung SS, Young JD, Origlio AM, Heiple JM, Kaback HR, Silverstein SC, Extracellular ATP perturbs transmembrane ion fluxes, elevates cytosolic [Ca2+], and inhibits phagocytosis in mouse macrophages., 1985; The Journal of biological chemistry. 260(25) 13442-9. PMID: 2932438

Sung SS, Phagocytosis by mouse peritoneal macrophages plated on monoclonal antibody-coated immune complex-substrates: effects of complexes of different IgG subclasses on Fc receptor functions., 1985; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 135(3) 1981-6. PMID: 4020136

Sung SS, Nelson RS, Silverstein SC, Yeast mannans inhibit binding and phagocytosis of zymosan by mouse peritoneal macrophages., 1983; The Journal of cell biology. 96(1) 160-6. PMID: 6298248 | PMCID: PMC2112273

Sung SS, Sweeley CC, Purification and partial characterization of porcine liver alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase., 1980; The Journal of biological chemistry. 255(14) 6589-94. PMID: 7391035

Sung SS, Sweeley CC, The structure of canine intestinal trihexosylceramide., 1979; Biochimica et biophysica acta. 575(2) 295-98. PMID: 508787

Sung SS, Esselman WJ, Sweeley CC, Structure of a pentahexosylceramide (Forssman hapten) from canine intestine and kidney., 1973; The Journal of biological chemistry. 248(18) 6528-33. PMID: 4199759