Voluntary Faculty
Voluntary faculty are typically clinicians or others who are employed outside of the School but make significant contributions to department programs at the medical center or at affiliate institutions.
Voluntary rank detailsHe (Howard) Zhang
Assistant Clinical ProfessorAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Role of Chimeric Antigen Receptor–Expressing Cell Therapy in Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases: A Review
Peng J, Zhang Y, Wang J, Zhang H, Schett G. Role of Chimeric Antigen Receptor–Expressing Cell Therapy in Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases: A Review. American Journal Of Kidney Diseases 2025 PMID: 40484342, DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2025.04.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune-mediated kidney diseasesB-cell depletionB cellsKidney diseaseCell therapyPlasma cellsTreatment of immune-mediated kidney diseasesB-cell-depleting monoclonal antibodyB-Cell Targeted TherapiesComplete B-cell depletionAutoantibody-producing plasma cellsDeplete plasma cellsMonoclonal antibodiesAntigen-presenting cellsAdaptive immune responsesImmune-mediatedSelf-antigensT cellsImmune cellsImmune responseTherapyInfiltrated tissuesDiseaseAntibodiesCellsExecutive summary for the China Kidney Disease Network (CK-NET) 2017–2018 Annual Data Report
Yang C, Gao B, Wang F, Chu H, Wang J, Sun X, Zhang P, Xu H, Mao H, Xing C, Chen M, Zuo L, Wang Y, Yu F, Zhang H, Wang H, Chen J, Zhang L, Zhao M, Group C. Executive summary for the China Kidney Disease Network (CK-NET) 2017–2018 Annual Data Report. Kidney International 2025, 107: 980-984. PMID: 40404261, DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.12.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchExpanding the spectrum of genetic causes of DNA-specific exonucleaseTREX1 variants in thrombotic microangiopathy
Song Z, Liu Z, Li M, Li Y, Li J, Lv J, Zhang H, Zhou X. Expanding the spectrum of genetic causes of DNA-specific exonucleaseTREX1 variants in thrombotic microangiopathy. Kidney International 2025 PMID: 40383229, DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2025.04.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchANCA-associated vasculitisThrombotic microangiopathyIgA nephropathyTREX1 variantsMicroangiopathic lesionsSpectrum of genetic causesAnti-complement therapyRegulate immune responsesPlasma exchangeMicrovascular thrombiGenome integrityC3 glomerulopathyTailored therapyEndothelial damagePathogenic variantsMicrovascular diseaseImmune regulationImmune responseGenetic causeMicroangiopathyCoagulation pathwayTherapeutic avenuesNephropathyCytosolic DNAPatientsNew thoughts on the intestinal microbiome-B cell-IgA axis and therapies in IgA nephropathy
Dang S, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Zhang H. New thoughts on the intestinal microbiome-B cell-IgA axis and therapies in IgA nephropathy. Autoimmunity Reviews 2025, 24: 103835. PMID: 40360014, DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2025.103835.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEnd-stage renal diseaseIgA nephropathyLack of effective early diagnosisPrognosis of patientsPathogenesis of IgANPathogenic IgAIntestinal flora dysbiosisImmune milieuMucosal infectionsEffective early diagnosisRetrospective reviewChronic glomerulonephritisRenal diseaseIgA depositionChronic progressionEarly diagnosisPathological featuresTherapeutic approachesPathogenic mechanismsIgANTherapeutic initiativesIgAIgA productionMesangial regionNephropathyGlomerular mesangial cells derived complement factor H regulates complement activation, influences cell proliferation, and maintains actin cytoskeleton
Li Y, Ni X, Li X, Kang Y, Yuan X, Xu G, Wang T, Li D, Shi S, Lv J, Zhao M, Zhang H, Zhu L. Glomerular mesangial cells derived complement factor H regulates complement activation, influences cell proliferation, and maintains actin cytoskeleton. International Immunopharmacology 2025, 154: 114544. PMID: 40157080, DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2025.114544.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActin cytoskeletonGlomerular mesangial cellsInfluence cell proliferationCell proliferationSingle-cell sequencing dataComplement factor HNon-canonical functionsExpression of Cdc42Mesangial cellsSequence dataCell motilityAffecting cell proliferationCytoskeletonRegulate complement activationRegulatory roleCanonical functionActinComplement activationIndependent of complement activationFactor HIgA1-containing immune complexesComplement proteinsCellsComplement-induced damageExpressionLoss of GalNAc-T14 links O-glycosylation defects to alterations in B cell homing in IgA nephropathy
Prakash S, Steers N, Li Y, Sanchez-Rodriguez E, Verbitsky M, Robbins I, Simpson J, Pathak S, Raska M, Reily C, Ng A, Liang J, DeMaria N, Katiraei A, O'Stevens K, Fischman C, Shapiro S, Kodali S, McCutchan J, Park H, Eliby D, Delsante M, Allegri L, Fiaccadori E, Bodria M, Marasa M, Raveche E, Julian B, Uhlemann A, Kiryluk K, Zhang H, D'Agati V, Sanna-Cherchi S, Novak J, Gharavi A. Loss of GalNAc-T14 links O-glycosylation defects to alterations in B cell homing in IgA nephropathy. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2025, 135: e181164. PMID: 40153534, PMCID: PMC12077892, DOI: 10.1172/jci181164.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsO-glycosylationAberrant O-glycosylationIgA nephropathyMucosal immunityN-acetylgalactosaminyltransferaseElevated serum IgA levelsAdoptive-transfer experimentsB-cell homingSerum IgA levelsProtein O-glycosylationIgA-producing cellsGlomerular IgA depositionImmune-complex formationPathogenesis of IgANIgA1 hinge regionIgA1-producing cellsPeripheral bloodImpaired homingKidney injuryB cellsB lymphocytesIgA levelsLoF variantsIgA depositionGalNAc-T14Long-term evaluation of the timing of corticosteroid therapy in an IgA nephropathy cohort
Hou W, Yang H, Chen P, Tang C, Zhou X, Liu L, Zhu L, Shi S, Lv J, Zhang H. Long-term evaluation of the timing of corticosteroid therapy in an IgA nephropathy cohort. Clinical Kidney Journal 2025, 18: sfaf076. PMID: 40322679, PMCID: PMC12044332, DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfaf076.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEarly therapy groupCorticosteroid therapyHazard ratioPropensity score matchingTherapy groupSteroid initiationSteroid treatmentEGFR slopeIgAN patientsTiming of corticosteroid therapyPatients treated with corticosteroidsLong-term kidney functionEGFR decline >Composite renal outcomeSystemic corticosteroid therapyEarly corticosteroid therapyScore matchingKaplan-Meier curvesTime-averaged proteinuriaImmunoglobulin A nephropathyLong-term outcomesIgA nephropathy cohortProgressive IgANDelayed therapyRenal outcomesBiomarkers in Autosomal Dominant Tubulointerstitial Kidney Disease
Li M, Jiang L, Liu Z, You R, Li Y, Xiang C, Yang L, Zhang H, Zhou X. Biomarkers in Autosomal Dominant Tubulointerstitial Kidney Disease. Integrative Medicine In Nephrology And Andrology 2025, 12 DOI: 10.1097/imna-d-24-00050.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAutosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney diseaseChronic kidney diseaseTubulointerstitial kidney diseaseKidney diseaseProgressive chronic kidney diseaseDelay kidney failureVariable clinical featuresUric acid levelsControl blood pressureRenal interstitial fibrosisImprove patient outcomesPotential therapeutic targetClinical featuresClinical manifestationsTreatment optionsInterstitial fibrosisInsidious onsetClinical indicationsDisease progressionTubular proteinuriaEarly diagnosisBlood pressurePathological featuresAdvanced stageKidney failureThe worldview of Akkermansia muciniphila, a bibliometric analysis
Zhang Z, Wang J, Dang S, Liu X, Zhang Y, Zhang H. The worldview of Akkermansia muciniphila, a bibliometric analysis. Frontiers In Microbiology 2025, 16: 1500893. PMID: 40104597, PMCID: PMC11913835, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1500893.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRed blood cell casts on kidney biopsy and progression of IgA nephropathy
Yao Y, Tang C, Shi S, Chen P, Zhou X, Lv J, Liu L, Zhang H. Red blood cell casts on kidney biopsy and progression of IgA nephropathy. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2025, gfaf023. PMID: 39909472, DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfaf023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchComposite kidney endpointRed blood cell castsMedian Follow-UpImmunosuppressive therapyKidney endpointsCell castsFollow-upIgA nephropathyKidney diseaseProgression of IgA nephropathyDisease progression of patientsCox regression analysisEnd stage kidney diseaseKidney disease progressionAcute active lesionsStage kidney diseaseProgression of patientsRenal prognosisCrescentic lesionsDeath due to kidney diseaseKidney biopsyKidney outcomesUnivariate analysisActive lesionsMultivariate analysis