Xiaogang Cui   Ph.D
	Associate Professor, Master's Supervisor
	Email: xgcui@sxu.edu.cn

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Major Research Directions

Tuberculosis, a severe infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), poses a significant global public health threat. Our research group focuses on elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms by which Mtb orchestrates an exosome-ferroptosis-ncRNA interaction network to drive immune dysregulation and pulmonary necrosis. Specifically, we investigate: 1) Mtb-induced exosome release (TLR2/NF-κB-mediated antigen transfer), 2) ferroptosis activation via GPX4/ACSL4 axis disruption to enhance bacterial nutrient acquisition, and 3) ncRNA-mediated targeting of ferroptosis regulators (e.g., miR-766-3p suppression of NRAMP1). Our findings highlight that combinatorial targeting of this network—through ferroptosis inhibitors, ncRNA antagonists, and exosome blockade—synergistically enhances anti-tuberculosis therapeutic efficacy. These interdisciplinary studies aim to develop precision strategies for TB control by disrupting Mtb-host crosstalk at multiple mechanistic nodes. Based on this, the primary research directions are as follows:  

1) Investigating the mechanisms of exosome release, composition of contents, and their regulatory effects on immune cell function under tuberculosis infection conditions  

2) Studying how Mtb infection induces ferroptosis in host cells, and the impact of ferroptosis on the survival, transmission, and inflammatory responses of Mtb

3) Exploring the mechanisms by which non-coding RNAs regulate key genes of ferroptosis in the context of pulmonary tissue necrosis induced by Mtb infection  

Recruitment Areas

1. Academic Master's Programs: Genetics

2. Professional Master's Programs: Biology and Medicine (Bioengineering, Food Engineering)  

Email: xgcui@sxu.edu.cn  

Led Projects

1. Central Government's Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project, YDZJSX2024D010, Research on the Mechanism of Patient-Derived miR-766-3p in Regulating Macrophage Ferroptosis to Promote Pathological Development of Tuberculosis, 2024/07-2027/06, 800,000 RMB, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

2. Shanxi Provincial Education Department Teaching Reform Project, Research on the Training Model of Outstanding Biomedical Talents through the Interdisciplinary Integration of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, 2024/06-2026/06, 20,000 RMB, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

3. Industry Collaboration Project, Development of Functional Products from Jishan Date, 2021.12 -2024.12, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

4. Industry Collaboration Project, Development of Functional Products from Ganoderma Lucidum Triacid, 2021.12-2024.12, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

5. Industry Collaboration Project, Development of Milk Quality Identification Reagent Kits, 2021.11-2024.11, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

6. Industry Collaboration Project, Development of Biodiversity GAP Analysis Software, 2019-09 to 2021-08, Ongoing, Principal Investigator  

7. Shanxi Provincial Higher Education Science and Technology Innovation Project, Research on Key Gene TRIB3 and miRNA in the Regulation Mechanism of Milk Fat Traits in Dairy Cows, 2019.07-2021.07, Completed, Principal Investigator  

8. Shanxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation Youth Fund, Screening of miRNAs Related to Milk Components in Dairy Cows Based on High-Throughput Sequencing Technology and Functional Validation, 2018.12-2020.12, Completed, Principal Investigator  

Graduate student in progress

Representative Publications

1. Cui X, Zhang F, Meng H, Yuan T, Li M, Yuan D, Fan X, Jia X, Wang Q*, Xing L*, Wu C*. Transport of miR-766-3p to A549 cells by plasma-derived exosomes and its effect on intracellular survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by regulating NRAMP1 expression in A549 cells. Microbiol Res. 2025 Jan; 290:127943.

2. Cui X, Meng H, Li M, Chen X, Yuan D, Wu C*. Exosomal Small RNA Sequencing Profiles in Plasma from Subjects with Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection. Microorganisms. 2024 Jul 12;12(7):1417.

3. Meng C, Chen G, Liu Y, Wen D, Cui J, Dong L, Yang Z, Meng H, Gao Y, Feng J, Cui X*, Wu C*. miR-4687-5p Affects Intracellular Survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis through Its Regulation of NRAMP1 Expression in A549 Cells. Microorganisms. 2024 Jan 22;12(1):227.

4. Han J^†, Cui X^†( Co- first author), Yuan T, Yang Z, Liu Y, Ren Y, Wu C, Bian Y*. Plasma-derived exosomal let-7c-5p, miR-335-3p, and miR-652-3p as potential diagnostic biomarkers for stable coronary artery disease. Front Physiol. 2023; 14:1161612.

5. Cui X, Li C, Wei Z, Meng H, Zhang F, Liu Y, Wu C, Yang S*. DDIT3 Governs Milk Production Traits by Targeting IL-6 to Induce Apoptosis in Dairy Cattle. Agriculture. 2023; 13(1):117.

6. Cui X, Yuan T, Ning P, Han J, Liu Y, Feng J, Lian F, Hao M, Dong L, Hao J, Xing L*, Wu C*. Polymorphisms in the ASAP1 and SP110 Genes and Its Association with the Susceptibility to Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a Mongolian Population. J Immunol Res. 2022; 2022:2713869.

7. Cui X, Yuan T, Fang Z, Feng J, Wu C*. Bta-miR-125a Regulates Milk-Fat Synthesis by Targeting SAA1 mRNA in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells. Agriculture. 2022; 12(3):344.

8. Cui X*, Zhang S, Zhang Q, Guo X, Wu C, Yao M, Sun D*. Comprehensive microRNA expression profile of the mammary gland in lactating dairy cows with extremely different milk protein and fat percentages. Front Genet. 2020; 11:548268.

9. Cui X, Marshall B, Shi N, Chen SY, Rekaya R, Liu HX*. RNA-Seq analysis on chicken taste sensory organs: An ideal system to study organogenesis. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):9131.

10. Cui X, Hou Y, Yang S, Xie Y, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Lu X, Liu GE, Sun D*. Transcriptional profiling of mammary gland in Holstein cows with extremely different milk protein and fat percentage using RNA sequencing. BMC Genomics. 2014; 15:226.

11. Li F, Li L, Zhang Y, Bai S, Sun L, Guan J, Zhang W, Cui X*, Feng J*, Tong Y*. Isolation and characterization of the novel bacteriophage vB_SmaS_BUCT626 against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Virus Genes. 2022;58(5):458-466.

Participation in published papers (in chronological order)

1. Han J, Kang X, Su Y, Wang J, Cui X, Bian Y*, Wu C*. Plasma exosomes from patients with coronary artery disease promote atherosclerosis via impairing vascular endothelial junctions. Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 30;14(1):29813.

2. Yao M, Pan Y, Ren T, Yang C, Lei Y, Xing X, Zhang L, Cui X, Zheng Y, Xing L, Wu C. Loss of Dip2b leads to abnormal neural differentiation from mESCs. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023 Sep 13;14(1):248.

3. Shah PT, Bahoussi AN, Cui X, Shabir S, Wu C, Xing L*. Genetic diversity, distribution, and evolution of chicken anemia virus: A comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis. Front Microbiol. 2023; 14:1145225.

4. Liu G, Wang Z, Cui X, Yang S*. Component analysis of Xylaria sp. L1 sporocarps after solid-state fermentation by okara and its safety evaluation in mice and rats. Nat Prod Res. 2023; 37(5):852-856.

5. Yao M, Su P, Li Z, Cui X, Yang Q, Xing X, Lei Y, Lian M, Ren T, Wang X, Zheng Y*, Wu C*. Knockout of Dip2c in murine ES cell line IBMSe001-B-1 by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. Stem Cell Res. 2021; 53:102236.

6. Han J, Ning P, Ge A, Ma X, Alexander Burton J, Yang C, Cui X, Wu C*, Hao J, Dong L. Association of polymorphisms of innate immunity-related genes and tuberculosis susceptibility in Mongolian population. Hum Immunol. 2021; 82(4):232-239.

7. Yu W, Wang Z, Marshall B, Yoshida Y, Patel R, Cui X, Ball R, Yin L, Kawabata F, Tabata S, Chen W, Kelsh RN, Lauderdale JD, Liu HX*. Taste buds are not derived from neural crest in mouse, chicken, and zebrafish. Dev Biol. 2021; 471:76-88.

8. Yao M, Yang Q, Lian M, Su P, Cui X, Ren T, Wang X, Wu C, Zheng Y*. Generation of Dip2a homozygous knockout murine ES cell line IBMSe001-A-1 via CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Stem Cell Res. 2020; 45:101778.

9. Li J, Li Z, Cui X, Wu C*. Bayesian phylodynamic inference on the temporal evolution and global transmission of SARS-CoV-2. J Infect. 2020;81(2):318-356.

10. Ma F, Zhi C, Wang M, Li T, Khan SA, Ma Z, Jing Z, Bo C, Zhou Q, Xia S, Huang S, Huang S, Zhang Z, Jia H, Cui X, Yao M, Ji T*. Dysregulated NF-κB signal promotes the hub gene PCLAF expression to facilitate nasopharyngeal carcinoma proliferation and metastasis. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020; 125:109905.

11. Kramer N, Chen G, Ishan M, Cui X, Liu HX*. Early taste buds are from Shh+ epithelial cells of tongue primordium in distinction from mature taste bud cells which arise from surrounding tissue compartments. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2019; 515(1):149-155.

12. Fan Y, Wang P, Fu W, Dong T, Qi C, Liu L, Guo G, Li C, Cui X, Zhang S, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Sun D*. Genome-wide association study for pigmentation traits in Chinese Holstein population. Anim Genet. 2014;45(5):740-4.

13. Xie Y, Yang S, Cui X, Jiang L, Zhang S, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Sun D*. Identification and expression pattern of two novel alternative splicing variants of EEF1D gene of dairy cattle. Gene. 2014; 534(2):189-96.

14. Pengyuan Ning, Li Dong, Jinqi Hao, Xiaogang Cui, Caiting Yang, Aixin Wang, Mingyuan Hao, Yanqing Yu, Changxin Wu*. Correlation Analysis of the Expression Levels of ASAP1, NRAMP1, and SP110 Genes with Susceptibility to Tuberculosis in Mongolian and Han Populations. Chinese Journal of Animal Infectious Diseases. 2020.

Awards and Honors

In 2021, guided undergraduate students from the Initial Minority College to achieve First Prize in the "Internet Plus" competition.  

In 2021, awarded the Best Guidance Teacher Award.  

In 2022, guided undergraduate students from the Initial Minority College to achieve Second Prize in the "Internet Plus" competition.  

In 2023, participated in a specialized training program organized by the Science and Technology Association, delivering a lecture on data processing in bioinformatics.  

In 2023, participated in a specialized training program organized by Bethune Hospital, delivering a lecture on big data processing in bioinformatics.