Medical College of Wisconsin
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Ze Zheng PhD

Ze Zheng PhD profile photo picture

Assistant Professor

Institution: Medical College of Wisconsin
Department: Medicine
Division: Endocrinology
Program: Research

Member of the Cardiovascular Center
Member of the Center for Microbiome Research


I am willing to collaborate on research projects.
I am willing to mentor a junior faculty member.

View Curriculum Vitae

Research Experience

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Fatty Liver
  • Fibrinolysis
  • Lipoproteins
  • Liver Cirrhosis
  • Metabolic Syndrome
  • Obesity
  • Thrombosis

    • Publications (48)

  • Plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator is associated with lipoprotein(a) and clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. (Zhang Z, Dai W, Zhu W, Rodriguez M, Lund H, Xia Y, Chen Y, Rau M, Schneider EA, Graham MB, Jobe S, Wang D, Cui W, Wen R, Whiteheart SW, Wood JP, Silverstein R, Berger JS, Kreuziger LB, Barrett TJ, Zheng Z) Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2023 Aug;7(6):102164 PMID: 37680312 PMCID: PMC10480648 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85169507694 09/08/2023       3 Citations
  • Intracellular tPA-PAI-1 interaction determines VLDL assembly in hepatocytes. (Dai W, Zhang H, Lund H, Zhang Z, Castleberry M, Rodriguez M, Kuriakose G, Gupta S, Lewandowska M, Powers HR, Valmiki S, Zhu J, Shapiro AD, Hussain MM, López JA, Sorci-Thomas MG, Silverstein RL, Ginsberg HN, Sahoo D, Tabas I, Zheng Z) Science 2023 Sep;381(6661):eadh5207 PMID: 37651538 PMCID: PMC10697821 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85169348601 08/31/2023       6 Citations
  • Tale of two systems: the intertwining duality of fibrinolysis and lipoprotein metabolism. (Dai W, Castleberry M, Zheng Z) J Thromb Haemost 2023 Oct;21(10):2679-2696 PMID: 37579878 PMCID: PMC10599797 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85171457835 08/15/2023       1 Citation
  • Illustrated State-of-the-Art Capsules of the ISTH 2023 Congress. (Kahn SR, Arnold DM, Casari C, Desch KC, Devreese KMJ, Favaloro EJ, Gaertner F, Gouw SC, Gresele P, Griffioen AW, Heger L, Kini RM, Kohli S, Leader A, Lisman T, Lordkipanidzé M, Mullins E, Okoye HC, Rosovsky RP, Salles-Crawley II, Selby R, Sholzberg M, Stegner D, Violi F, Weyand AC, Williams S, Zheng Z) Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2023 May;7(4):100193 PMID: 37538494 PMCID: PMC10394567 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85165242050 08/04/2023       2 Citations
  • Editorial: Women in cardiovascular therapeutics. (Yin L, Zhou T, Zheng Z, Long X, Qiu H, Lu HS) Front Cardiovasc Med 2023;10:1183427 PMID: 37234374 PMCID: PMC10207329 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85159937092 05/26/2023    
  • Collagen-Specific HSP47+ Myofibroblasts and CD163+ Macrophages Identify Profibrotic Phenotypes in Deceased Hearts With SARS-CoV-2 Infections. (Puzyrenko A, Jacobs ER, Padilla N, Devine A, Aljadah M, Gantner BN, Pan AY, Lai S, Dai Q, Rubenstein JC, North PE, Simpson PM, Willoughby RE, O'Meara CC, Flinn MA, Lough JW, Ibrahim EH, Zheng Z, Sun Y, Felix J, Hunt BC, Ross G, Rui H, Benjamin IJ) J Am Heart Assoc 2023 Feb 21;12(4):e027990 PMID: 36789856 PMCID: PMC10111490 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85148479620 02/16/2023       3 Citations
  • Assays to quantify fibrinolysis: strengths and limitations. Communication from the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Scientific and Standardization Committee on fibrinolysis. (Zheng Z, Mukhametova L, Boffa MB, Moore EE, Wolberg AS, Urano T, Kim PY) J Thromb Haemost 2023 Apr;21(4):1043-1054 PMID: 36759279 PMCID: PMC10109242 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85150846431 02/10/2023       5 Citations
  • Blood tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) of liver origin contributes to neurovascular coupling involving brain endothelial N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors. (Furon J, Yetim M, Pouettre E, Martinez de Lizarrondo S, Maubert E, Hommet Y, Lebouvier L, Zheng Z, Ali C, Vivien D) Fluids Barriers CNS 2023 Feb 03;20(1):11 PMID: 36737775 PMCID: PMC9896721 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85147445875 02/05/2023       4 Citations
  • The correlations among racial/ethnic groups, hypertriglyceridemia, thrombosis, and mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. (Rodriguez M, Dai W, Lund H, Osinski K, Zhang Z, Silverstein R, Zheng Z) Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2022 Sep;35(3):101386 PMID: 36494155 PMCID: PMC9527214 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85140078248 12/10/2022       2 Citations
  • COVID-19: A hematological perspective. (Nayak L, Zheng Z) Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2022 Sep;35(3):101412 PMID: 36494151 PMCID: PMC9633637 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85141789848 12/10/2022    
  • CD47-SIRPα axis blockade in NASH promotes necroptotic hepatocyte clearance by liver macrophages and decreases hepatic fibrosis. (Shi H, Wang X, Li F, Gerlach BD, Yurdagul A Jr, Moore MP, Zeldin S, Zhang H, Cai B, Zheng Z, Valenti L, Tabas I) Sci Transl Med 2022 Nov 23;14(672):eabp8309 PMID: 36417485 PMCID: PMC10199725 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85142940071 11/24/2022       19 Citations
  • Na/K-ATPase suppresses LPS-induced pro-inflammatory signaling through Lyn. (Zhang J, Chang J, Beg MA, Huang W, Zhao Y, Dai W, Wu X, Cui W, Pillai SS, Lakhani HV, Sodhi K, Shapiro JI, Sahoo D, Zheng Z, Silverstein RL, Chen Y) iScience 2022 Sep 16;25(9):104963 PMID: 36072548 PMCID: PMC9442361 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85137074779 09/09/2022       7 Citations
  • Developing and improving the ethical framework for the ISTH. (Zheng Z, Riva N, Scarlatescu E, de Moerloose P, Ariëns R, Amigo MC, ISTH Ethics Committee) J Thromb Haemost 2022 Aug;20(8):1753-1754 PMID: 35859283 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85134392192 07/22/2022    
  • Hepatocyte DACH1 Is Increased in Obesity via Nuclear Exclusion of HDAC4 and Promotes Hepatic Insulin Resistance. (Ozcan L, Ghorpade DS, Zheng Z, Cristina de Souza J, Chen K, Bessler M, Bagloo M, Schrope B, Pestell R, Tabas I) Cell Rep 2022 Jun 21;39(12):111015 PMID: 35732117 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85132594088 06/23/2022       2 Citations
  • Impact of COVID-19 on Hematology-Oncology Trainees: A Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment. (Durani U, Major A, Velazquez AI, May J, Nelson M, Zheng Z, Hall AG, Alam ST, Reynolds R, Thompson JC, Kumbamu A, Das DG, Murphy MC, Henry E, Lee AI, Marshall AL, Wun T, Weeks LD) JCO Oncol Pract 2022 Apr;18(4):e586-e599 PMID: 34990292 PMCID: PMC9014488 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85128487414 01/07/2022       6 Citations
  • Hypertriglyceridemia during hospitalization independently associates with mortality in patients with COVID-19. (Dai W, Lund H, Chen Y, Zhang J, Osinski K, Jones SZ, Kreuziger LB, López JA, Benjamin IJ, Silverstein RL, Zheng Z) J Clin Lipidol 2021;15(5):724-731 PMID: 34470719 PMCID: PMC8353976 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85114047849 09/03/2021       12 Citations
  • Deficiency of macrophage PHACTR1 impairs efferocytosis and promotes atherosclerotic plaque necrosis. (Kasikara C, Schilperoort M, Gerlach B, Xue C, Wang X, Zheng Z, Kuriakose G, Dorweiler B, Zhang H, Fredman G, Saleheen D, Reilly MP, Tabas I) J Clin Invest 2021 Apr 15;131(8) PMID: 33630758 PMCID: PMC8262505 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85104174793 02/26/2021       30 Citations
  • Interacting hepatic PAI-1/tPA gene regulatory pathways influence impaired fibrinolysis severity in obesity. (Zheng Z, Nakamura K, Gershbaum S, Wang X, Thomas S, Bessler M, Schrope B, Krikhely A, Liu RM, Ozcan L, López JA, Tabas I) J Clin Invest 2020 Aug 03;130(8):4348-4359 PMID: 32657780 PMCID: PMC7410057 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85089125237 07/14/2020       25 Citations
  • Cholesterol Stabilizes TAZ in Hepatocytes to Promote Experimental Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis. (Wang X, Cai B, Yang X, Sonubi OO, Zheng Z, Ramakrishnan R, Shi H, Valenti L, Pajvani UB, Sandhu J, Infante RE, Radhakrishnan A, Covey DF, Guan KL, Buck J, Levin LR, Tontonoz P, Schwabe RF, Tabas I) Cell Metab 2020 May 05;31(5):969-986.e7 PMID: 32259482 PMCID: PMC7313619 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85083861208 04/08/2020       105 Citations
  • Macrophage Metabolism of Apoptotic Cell-Derived Arginine Promotes Continual Efferocytosis and Resolution of Injury. (Yurdagul A Jr, Subramanian M, Wang X, Crown SB, Ilkayeva OR, Darville L, Kolluru GK, Rymond CC, Gerlach BD, Zheng Z, Kuriakose G, Kevil CG, Koomen JM, Cleveland JL, Muoio DM, Tabas I) Cell Metab 2020 Mar 03;31(3):518-533.e10 PMID: 32004476 PMCID: PMC7173557 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85080068507 02/01/2020       215 Citations
  • Macrophage MerTK Promotes Liver Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. (Cai B, Dongiovanni P, Corey KE, Wang X, Shmarakov IO, Zheng Z, Kasikara C, Davra V, Meroni M, Chung RT, Rothlin CV, Schwabe RF, Blaner WS, Birge RB, Valenti L, Tabas I) Cell Metab 2020 Feb 04;31(2):406-421.e7 PMID: 31839486 PMCID: PMC7004886 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85078479595 12/17/2019       140 Citations
  • An ATF6-tPA pathway in hepatocytes contributes to systemic fibrinolysis and is repressed by DACH1. (Zheng Z, Nayak L, Wang W, Yurdagul A Jr, Wang X, Cai B, Lapping S, Ozcan L, Ramakrishnan R, Pestell RG, Jain MK, Tabas I) Blood 2019 Feb 14;133(7):743-753 PMID: 30504459 PMCID: PMC6376283 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85061475922 12/07/2018       23 Citations
  • Hepatocyte-secreted DPP4 in obesity promotes adipose inflammation and insulin resistance. (Ghorpade DS, Ozcan L, Zheng Z, Nicoloro SM, Shen Y, Chen E, Blüher M, Czech MP, Tabas I) Nature 2018 Mar 29;555(7698):673-677 PMID: 29562231 PMCID: PMC6021131 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85044788933 03/22/2018       202 Citations
  • Interaction between stress responses and circadian metabolism in metabolic disease. (Yang Z, Kim H, Ali A, Zheng Z, Zhang K) Liver Res 2017 Sep;1(3):156-162 PMID: 29430321 PMCID: PMC5805151 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85051645629 02/13/2018       18 Citations
  • Inhalation Exposure to PM2.5 Counteracts Hepatic Steatosis in Mice Fed High-fat Diet by Stimulating Hepatic Autophagy. (Qiu Y, Zheng Z, Kim H, Yang Z, Zhang G, Shi X, Sun F, Peng C, Ding Y, Wang A, Chen LC, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K) Sci Rep 2017 Nov 24;7(1):16286 PMID: 29176715 PMCID: PMC5701159 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85034992166 11/28/2017       32 Citations
  • CAMKIIγ suppresses an efferocytosis pathway in macrophages and promotes atherosclerotic plaque necrosis. (Doran AC, Ozcan L, Cai B, Zheng Z, Fredman G, Rymond CC, Dorweiler B, Sluimer JC, Hsieh J, Kuriakose G, Tall AR, Tabas I) J Clin Invest 2017 Nov 01;127(11):4075-4089 PMID: 28972541 PMCID: PMC5663361 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85032982234 10/04/2017       75 Citations
  • CREBH Maintains Circadian Glucose Homeostasis by Regulating Hepatic Glycogenolysis and Gluconeogenesis. (Kim H, Zheng Z, Walker PD, Kapatos G, Zhang K) Mol Cell Biol 2017 Jul 15;37(14) PMID: 28461393 PMCID: PMC5492176 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85021826450 05/04/2017       40 Citations
  • Hepatocyte TAZ/WWTR1 Promotes Inflammation and Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. (Wang X, Zheng Z, Caviglia JM, Corey KE, Herfel TM, Cai B, Masia R, Chung RT, Lefkowitch JH, Schwabe RF, Tabas I) Cell Metab 2016 Dec 13;24(6):848-862 PMID: 28068223 PMCID: PMC5226184 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85003945921 01/10/2017       260 Citations
  • Toll-like Receptor (TLR) Signaling Interacts with CREBH to Modulate High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) in Response to Bacterial Endotoxin. (Dandekar A, Qiu Y, Kim H, Wang J, Hou X, Zhang X, Zheng Z, Mendez R, Yu FS, Kumar A, Fang D, Sun F, Zhang K) J Biol Chem 2016 Oct 28;291(44):23149-23158 PMID: 27637329 PMCID: PMC5087733 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84993982959 10/30/2016       16 Citations
  • CREBH Couples Circadian Clock With Hepatic Lipid Metabolism. (Zheng Z, Kim H, Qiu Y, Chen X, Mendez R, Dandekar A, Zhang X, Zhang C, Liu AC, Yin L, Lin JD, Walker PD, Kapatos G, Zhang K) Diabetes 2016 Nov;65(11):3369-3383 PMID: 27507854 PMCID: PMC5079639 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84993975770 08/11/2016       57 Citations
  • Hepatocyte DACH1 Is Increased in Obesity via Nuclear Exclusion of HDAC4 and Promotes Hepatic Insulin Resistance. (Ozcan L, Ghorpade DS, Zheng Z, de Souza JC, Chen K, Bessler M, Bagloo M, Schrope B, Pestell R, Tabas I) Cell Rep 2016 Jun 07;15(10):2214-2225 PMID: 27239042 PMCID: PMC5068925 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84969980373 05/31/2016       40 Citations
  • Transcriptional signatures of unfolded protein response implicate the limitation of animal models in pathophysiological studies. (Zheng Z, Wang G, Li L, Tseng J, Sun F, Chen X, Chang L, Heng H, Zhang K) Environ Dis 2016;1(1):24-30 PMID: 28265594 PMCID: PMC5336312 01/01/2016    
  • A novel ER-microtubule-binding protein, ERLIN2, stabilizes Cyclin B1 and regulates cell cycle progression (Zhang X, Cai J, Zheng Z, Polin L, Lin Z, Dandekar A, Li L, Sun F, Finley RL, Fang D, Yang ZQ, Zhang K) Cell Discovery 8 September 2015;1 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84983772454 09/08/2015       26 Citations
  • Exposure to fine airborne particulate matters induces hepatic fibrosis in murine models. (Zheng Z, Zhang X, Wang J, Dandekar A, Kim H, Qiu Y, Xu X, Cui Y, Wang A, Chen LC, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K) J Hepatol 2015 Dec;63(6):1397-404 PMID: 26220751 PMCID: PMC5003300 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84951567255 07/30/2015       140 Citations
  • A novel ER-microtubule-binding protein, ERLIN2, stabilizes Cyclin B1 and regulates cell cycle progression. (Zhang X, Cai J, Zheng Z, Polin L, Lin Z, Dandekar A, Li L, Sun F, Finley RL Jr, Fang D, Yang ZQ, Zhang K) Cell Discov 2015;1:15024 PMID: 27462423 PMCID: PMC4860859 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84983772454 01/01/2015       26 Citations
  • Liver-enriched transcription factor CREBH interacts with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α to regulate metabolic hormone FGF21. (Kim H, Mendez R, Zheng Z, Chang L, Cai J, Zhang R, Zhang K) Endocrinology 2014 Mar;155(3):769-82 PMID: 24424044 PMCID: PMC3929740 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84896838463 01/16/2014       105 Citations
  • Diabetes mellitus is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective case-control study in hepatitis endemic area. (Zheng Z, Zhang C, Yan J, Ruan Y, Zhao X, San X, Mao Y, Sun Q, Zhang K, Fan Z) PLoS One 2013;8(12):e84776 PMID: 24386416 PMCID: PMC3873428 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84891299084 01/05/2014       26 Citations
  • Toll-like receptor-mediated IRE1α activation as a therapeutic target for inflammatory arthritis. (Qiu Q, Zheng Z, Chang L, Zhao YS, Tan C, Dandekar A, Zhang Z, Lin Z, Gui M, Li X, Zhang T, Kong Q, Li H, Chen S, Chen A, Kaufman RJ, Yang WL, Lin HK, Zhang D, Perlman H, Thorp E, Zhang K, Fang D) EMBO J 2013 Sep 11;32(18):2477-90 PMID: 23942232 PMCID: PMC3770952 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84884292103 08/15/2013       151 Citations
  • Exposure to fine airborne particulate matter induces macrophage infiltration, unfolded protein response, and lipid deposition in white adipose tissue. (Mendez R, Zheng Z, Fan Z, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K) Am J Transl Res 2013;5(2):224-34 PMID: 23573366 PMCID: PMC3612517 04/11/2013    
  • Exposure to fine airborne particulate matter induces macrophage infiltration, unfolded protein response, and lipid deposition in white adipose tissue (Mendez R, Zheng Z, Fan Z, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K) American Journal of Translational Research 2013;5(2):224-234 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84875762872 01/01/2013       96 Citations
  • Exposure to ambient particulate matter induces a NASH-like phenotype and impairs hepatic glucose metabolism in an animal model. (Zheng Z, Xu X, Zhang X, Wang A, Zhang C, Hüttemann M, Grossman LI, Chen LC, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K) J Hepatol 2013 Jan;58(1):148-54 PMID: 22902548 PMCID: PMC3527686 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84871231019 08/21/2012       234 Citations
  • ERLIN2 promotes breast cancer cell survival by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. (Wang G, Liu G, Wang X, Sethi S, Ali-Fehmi R, Abrams J, Zheng Z, Zhang K, Ethier S, Yang ZQ) BMC Cancer 2012 Jun 08;12:225 PMID: 22681620 PMCID: PMC3732090 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84861940241 06/12/2012       36 Citations
  • Pharmacologic ER stress induces non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in an animal model. (Lee JS, Zheng Z, Mendez R, Ha SW, Xie Y, Zhang K) Toxicol Lett 2012 May 20;211(1):29-38 PMID: 22414386 PMCID: PMC3334434 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84858987289 03/15/2012       117 Citations
  • Endoplasmic reticulum-tethered transcription factor cAMP responsive element-binding protein, hepatocyte specific, regulates hepatic lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and lipolysis upon metabolic stress in mice. (Zhang C, Wang G, Zheng Z, Maddipati KR, Zhang X, Dyson G, Williams P, Duncan SA, Kaufman RJ, Zhang K) Hepatology 2012 Apr;55(4):1070-82 PMID: 22095841 PMCID: PMC3319338 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84862828272 11/19/2011       158 Citations
  • Measurement of ER stress response and inflammation in the mouse model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. (Zheng Z, Zhang C, Zhang K) Methods Enzymol 2011;489:329-48 PMID: 21266239 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-79251525864 01/27/2011       25 Citations
  • Role of unfolded protein response in lipogenesis. (Zheng Z, Zhang C, Zhang K) World J Hepatol 2010 Jun 27;2(6):203-7 PMID: 21160998 PMCID: PMC2999286 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-80052828973 12/17/2010       43 Citations
  • Role of unfolded protein response in lipogenesis (Zheng Z, Zhang C, Zhang K) World Journal of Hepatology 2010;2(6):203-207 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-80052828973 12/01/2010       43 Citations
  • Airborne particulate matter selectively activates endoplasmic reticulum stress response in the lung and liver tissues. (Laing S, Wang G, Briazova T, Zhang C, Wang A, Zheng Z, Gow A, Chen AF, Rajagopalan S, Chen LC, Sun Q, Zhang K) Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2010 Oct;299(4):C736-49 PMID: 20554909 PMCID: PMC2957267 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-77957673495 06/18/2010       180 Citations
    • Last update: 01/10/2024