Asst. Prof. Wei-Ting Kuo

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, major in Physiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University 2016
• Master of Science, major in Physiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University 2008
• Bachelor of Science, major in Biology, National Taiwan Normal University 2005

Training

• Research Fellow

  Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School  2021

Epithelial cells govern many physiological and pathological processes, and our research is focused on how these cells use tight junction proteins to keep the mucosa in a state of homeostasis. These tight junction proteins are indispensable when it comes to controlling intercellular communication and keeping the mucosal barrier in place.

We are mainly interested in studying how tight junction proteins contribute to the development of cancer and inflammation in the mucosa. Our group's areas of interest include:

Our group's areas of interest include:

1. Epithelial tight junction protein repair in inflammatory disorders
2. The role of tight junction proteins in the pathophysiology of colorectal and oral cancers 
3. Immune cells, bacteria, and tight junction proteins in the control of the mucosal environmental stability
4. The function of tight junction proteins in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disease

Come be a part of our research team and write a new chapter in science if you're enthusiastic about these areas of study and want to make a difference in people's lives through improving their health!

1. Kuo WT^#. Epithelial Junctional Proteins for Physical Defense, Cell-Cell Contact, and Polarity Complex. Mucosal Barriers and Host-Microbiota Interplay​: Dysbiosis to Barrier Dysfunction​​. Elsevier Science. 2026 Jun. eBook ISBN: 9780443403071.
2. Wang ZY, Huang CY, Liu WW, Kuo WT^#. Sensory functions beyond taste: multifaceted role of solitary chemosensory cells and taste receptors in mucosal immune defense and disease pathogenesis. Life Sci. 2026 Feb 18:124280. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2026.124280. PMID: 41720181.
3. Xiong L, Huang JS, Dong YS, Han W, Kuo WT*, Xu WT, Han YR, An CC, Zhu RM, Zhu NN, Xia HQ, Rahman A, Tang SN, Jiang CG, Zhao JH, Pei WX, Wang J, Wang XD, Song JY, Wang ZH, Wu SS, Zhang H, Xu HH, Wu BM, Huang QS, Bao B, Mei Q, Zhu HQ, Hou LL, Liangpunsakul S, Cao F, Weng HL, Tan B, Turner JR, Wang H, Zuo L. Targeting MLCK1 uncouples immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis from antitumour immunity. Gut. 2026 Jan 6:gutjnl-2025-337780. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2025-337780. PMID: 41494803.
4. Lee TY, Lin YH, Chang WY, Lin LY, Chang CF, Kuo WT, Tu CH, Wu MS, Hsin LW, Linda YuCH. 5-HT7 antagonists confer analgesia via suppression of neurotrophin overproduction in submucosal nerves of mouse models with visceral hypersensitivity. J Physiol. 2025 Aug 4. doi: 10.1113/JP286444. PMID: 35585132.
5. Ko HH, Peng HH, Chou HYE, Hou HH, Liu WW, Kuo MYP, Lee AYL, Kao HF, Lin HY, Chang YC, Kuo WT^#, Cheng SJ. Downregulation of PAX1 in OSCC Enhances Stemness and Immunosuppression via IFIT1 and PD-L1 Pathways. Oral Diseases. 2025 Jan 2. doi: 10.1111/odi.15225. PMID: 39748231.
6. Ko HH, Chou HYE, Hou HH, Kuo WT, Liu WW, Kuo MYP, Cheng SJ. Oleanolic acid inhibits aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10-induced cancer stemness and avoids cisplatin-based chemotherapy resistance via the Snail signaling pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Journal of Dental Sciences. 2025 Jan. 20(1), 100-108. doi: 10.1016/j.jds.2024.09.018. PMID: 39873100.
7. Chen YW, He AC, Huang TY, Lai DH, Wang YP, Liu WW, Kuo WT, Hou HH, Cheng SH, Lee CY, Chuang WC, Chnag CC, Lee BS. Iontophoresis-Enhanced Buccal Delivery of Cisplatin-Encapsulated Chitosan Nanoparticles for Treating Oral Cancer in a Mouse Model. Int J Nanomedicine. 2024 Oct 16:19:10435-10453. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S475742. PMID: 39430308.
8. Wei XL, Wu DQ, Li J, Wu MM, Li QH, Che ZD, Cheng X, Cheng QY, Yin F, Zhang H, Wang XF, Abtahi, S, Zuo L, Hang L, Ma LL, Kuo WT, Liu XY, Turner JR, Wang H, Xiao J, Wang F. Myeloid beta-arrestin 2 depletion attenuates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis via the metabolic reprogramming of macrophages. Cell Metab. 2024 Oct 1;36(10):2281-2297.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.08.010. PMID: 39305895.
9. Guo TY, Kuo WT, Tsai YS, Yu LC, Huang CY. Glucose-stimulated mucus secretion by goblet cells mitigates intestinal barrier dysfunction in a rat model of mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion injury. Curr Dev Nutr. 2024. 26;8(9):104431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104431. PMID: 39263224.
10. Chen YW, Hou YW, Wang CW, Cheng SJ, Kuo WT, Lin CP, Hou HH. Oral Lactobacillus zeae exacerbates the pathological manifestation of periodontitis in a mouse model. Mol Oral Microbiol. 2024. Oct;39(5):344-353. doi: 10.1111/omi.12455. PMID: 38385832.
11. Christy J, Chuang CP, Wu CY, Yeh HW, Wang PY, Wu TY, Kuo WT, Chiang YC, Chen HY. Vapor sublimation and deposition polymerization to fabricate a directional scaffold for guiding tubular dentin regeneration. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202313056.
12. Zhu L, Xiong L, Huang J, Jiang C, Xu W, Zhang J, Hu C, Zhong Y, Dong Z, Chen F, Zhu H, Kuo WT^#, Cao F, Zuo L. A combination of all-trans retinoic acid derivative and COX-2 inhibitor has anticancer effects in human pharyngeal carcinoma cells. Heliyon. 2023; 17;9(11):e21664. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21664. PMID: 38074870.
13. Ko HH, Peng HH, Cheng AN, Chou HE, Hou HH, Kuo WT, Liu WW, Kuo MY, Lee AY, Cheng SJ. Metastasis and immunosuppression promoted by mtDNA and PD-L1 in extracellular vesicles are reversed by WGP β-glucan in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Sci. 2023 Jul 31. doi: 10.1111/cas.15919. PMID: 37525561.
14. Hou HH, Lee BS, Liu YC, Wang YP, Kuo WT, Chn IH, He AC, Lai CH, Tung KL, Chen YW. Vapor-induced pore-forming atmospheric-plasma-sprayed zinc-, strontium-, and magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite coatings on titanium implants enhance new bone formation - an in vivo and in vitro investigation. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 3;24(5):4933. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054933. PMID: 36902368.
15. Chen YW, Wu GH, Lee BS, Liu CT, Li HY, Cheng SJ, Kuo WT, Jeng JH, Chang PC, Lin CP, Chou HE, Hou HH. Third-generation sequencing-selected Scardovia wiggsiae promotes periodontitis progression in mice. J Periodontal Res. 2023;58(1):155-164. doi: 10.1111/jre.13077. PMID: 36451314.
16. Hunag CY, Chen JK, Kuo WT. Glutamine induces remodeling of tight junctions in Caco-2 colorectal cancer cell. Med Oncol 2022 Dec 2;40(1):32. doi: 10.1007/s12032-022-01896-5. PMID: 36460896.
17. Sweat YY, Abtahi S, Chanez-Paredes SD, Raju P, Zuo L, Shashikanth N, Kuo WT, Turner JR. Modulation of intestinal disorders by claudin-2 and occludin via canonical and noncanonical mechanisms. Tight Junctions. Springer, Cham. 2022 Jun: 85-107. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-97204-2_5
18. Zuo L, Kuo WT*, Cao F, Chanez-Paredes SD, Zeve D, Mannam P, Jean-Francois L, Day A, Graham WV, Sweat YY, Shashikanth N, Breault DT, Turner JR. Tacrolimus-binding protein FKBP8 directs myosin light chain kinase-dependent barrier regulation and is a potential therapeutic target in Crohn’s disease. Gut 2023 May;72(5):870-881. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326534. PMID: 35537812. 
19. Kuo WT*, Odenwald MA, Turner JR, Zuo L. Tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1 as regulators of epithelial proliferation and survival. Ann NY Acad Sci 2022 Aug;1514(1):21-33. DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14798. PMID: 35580994.
20. Kuo WT*, Zuo L, Odenwald MA, Madha S, Singh G, Gurniak CB, Abraham C, Turner J R. The Tight junction protein ZO-1 is dispensable for barrier function but critical for effective mucosal repair. Gastroenterology 2021 Dec;161(6):1924-1939. DOI 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.08.047. PMID: 34478742.
21. Chanez-Paredes SD, Abtahi S, Kuo WT, Turner JR. Differentiating between tight junction-dependent and tight junction-independent intestinal barrier loss in vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2021;2367:249-271. DOI 10.1007/7651_2021_389. PMID: 33830456.
22. Cao F, Zhu L, Zhang J, Pongkorpsakol P, Kuo WT, Turner JR, Zhou Q, Wang Y, Chen F, Liu Y, Zuo L. Myosin light chain kinase is a potential target for hypopharyngeal cancer treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2020;131:110665. DOI 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110665. PMID: 32920510.
23. Raju P, Shashikanth N, Tsai PY, Pongkorpsakol P, Chanez-Paredes S, Steinhagen PR, Kuo WT, Singh G, Tsukita S, Turner JR. Inactivation of paracellular cation-selective claudin-2 channels attenuates immune-mediated experimental colitis in mice. J Clin Invest 2020;130:5197-5208. DOI 10.1172/JCI138697. PMID: 32516134.
24. Rutlin M, Rastelli D, Kuo WT, Estep JA, Louis A, Riccomagno MM, Turner JR, Rao M. The villin1 gene promoter drives cre recombinase expression in extraintestinal tissues. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020;10:864-867 e5. DOI 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.05.009. PMID: 32464312.
25. Zuo L, Kuo WT*, Turner JR. Tight junctions as targets and effectors of mucosal immune homeostasis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020 Apr;10:327-340. DOI 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.04.001. PMID: 32304780.
26. Kuo WT*, Shen L, Zuo L, Shashikanth N, Ong M, Wu L, Zha J, Edelblum KL, Wang Y, Wang Y, Nilsen SP, Turner JR. Inflammation-induced occludin downregulation limits epithelial apoptosis by suppressing caspase-3 expression. Gastroenterology 2019 Nov;157:1323-1337. DOI 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.07.058. PMID: 31401143.
27. Zha JM, Li HS, Lin Q, Kuo WT, Jiang ZH, Tsai PY, Ding N, Wu J, Xu SF, Wang YT, Pan J, Zhou XM, Chen K, Tao M, Odenwald MA, Tamura A, Tsukita S, Turner JR, He WQ. Interleukin 22 expands transit-amplifying cells while depleting Lgr5(+) stem cells via inhibition of wnt and notch signaling. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019;7:255-274. DOI 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.09.006. PMID: 30686779.
28. Odenwald MA, Choi W, Kuo WT, Singh G, Sailer A, Wang Y, Shen L, Fanning AS, Turner JR. The scaffolding protein ZO-1 coordinates actomyosin and epithelial apical specializations in vitro and in vivo. J Biol Chem 2018;293:17317-17335. DOI 10.1074/jbc.RA118.003908. PMID: 30242130.
29. Huang CY, Kuo WT, Huang CY, Lee TC, Chen CT, Peng WH, Lu KS, Yang CY, Yu LC. Distinct cytoprotective roles of pyruvate and ATP by glucose metabolism on epithelial necroptosis and crypt proliferation in ischaemic gut. J Physiol 2017;595:505-521. DOI 10.1113/JP272208. PMID: 27121603.
30. Lu YZ, Huang CY, Huang YC, Lee TC, Kuo WT, Pai YC, Yu LC. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-dependent neutrophil priming prevents intestinal ischemia/reperfusion-induced bacterial translocation. Dig Dis Sci 2017;62:1498-1510. DOI 10.1007/s10620-017-4468-3. PMID: 28144894.
31. Tsai PY, Zhang B, He WQ, Zha JM, Odenwald MA, Singh G, Tamura A, Shen L, Sailer A, Yeruva S, Kuo WT, Fu YX, Tsukita S, Turner JR. Il-22 upregulates epithelial claudin-2 to drive diarrhea and enteric pathogen clearance. Cell Host Microbe 2017;21:671-681 e4. DOI 10.1016/j.chom.2017.05.009. PMID: 28618266.
32. Kuo WT*, Lee TC, Yu LC. Eritoran suppresses colon cancer by altering a functional balance in toll-like receptors that bind lipopolysaccharide. Cancer Res 2016;76:4684-95. DOI 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-0172. PMID: 27328732.
33. Kuo WT*, Lee TC, Yu LC. Janus-faced bacterial regulation of epithelial cell death and survival: Association with colon carcinogenesis. Mol Cell Oncol 2016;3:e1029064. DOI 10.1080/23723556.2015.1029064. PMID: 27308544.
34. Kuo WT*, Lee TC, Yang HY, Chen CY, Au YC, Lu YZ, Wu LL, Wei SC, Ni YH, Lin BR, Chen Y, Tsai YH, Kung JT, Sheu F, Lin LW, Yu LC. LPS receptor subunits have antagonistic roles in epithelial apoptosis and colonic carcinogenesis. Cell Death Differ 2015;22:1590-604. DOI 10.1038/cdd.2014.240. PMID: 25633197.
35. Wu LL, Peng WH, Kuo WT, Huang CY, Ni YH, Lu KS, Turner JR, Yu LC. Commensal bacterial endocytosis in epithelial cells is dependent on myosin light chain kinase-activated brush border fanning by interferon-gamma. Am J Pathol 2014;184:2260-74. DOI 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.05.003. PMID: 24911373.
36. Yu LC, Shih YA, Wu LL, Lin YD, Kuo WT, Peng WH, Lu KS, Wei SC, Turner JR, Ni YH. Enteric dysbiosis promotes antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection: Systemic dissemination of resistant and commensal bacteria through epithelial transcytosis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2014;307:G824-35. DOI 10.1152/ajpgi.00070.2014. PMID: 25059827.
37. Huang CY, Kuo WT, Huang YC, Lee TC, Yu LC. Resistance to hypoxia-induced necroptosis is conferred by glycolytic pyruvate scavenging of mitochondrial superoxide in colorectal cancer cells. Cell Death Dis 2013;4:e622. DOI 10.1038/cddis.2013.149. PMID: 23640464.
38. Yu LC, Huang CY, Kuo WT, Sayer H, Turner JR, Buret AG. SGLT-1-mediated glucose uptake protects human intestinal epithelial cells against giardia duodenalis-induced apoptosis. Int J Parasitol 2008;38:923-34. DOI 10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.12.004. PMID: 18281046.

• 2025.12 Early-Stage Faculty Prize, International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS)

• 2023.11 Young Investigator Award, Federation of Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies (FAOPS)

• 2026.05 Master student, Ching-Wen Huang, won the "Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the neuroscience/regenerative medicine category of the 2026 YSA Taiwan Merck Young Scientist Award

• 2026.03 Master student, Ching-Wen Huang, won the "Tien Te Lee Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the 40th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences

• 2026.03 Master student, Wan-Hsuan Liu, won the "Tien Te Lee Distinguished Award" in the poster competition at the 40th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences

• 2025.09 Research assistant, Chia-Ying Lin, was selected to give an oral presentation at the 40th International Union of Physiological Sciences Congress in Frankfurt, Germany

• 2025.03 Research assistant, Chia-Ying Lin, won the "Tien Te Lee Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the 39th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences

• 2025.03 Research assistant, Yi-Syuan Tsai, won the "Tien Te Lee Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the 39th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences

• 2024.05 Master student, Chia-Ying Lin, won the "Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the cancer research category of the 2026 YSA Taiwan Merck Young Scientist Award

• 2024.04 Research assistant, Ying-Chien Chang, won the "Excellence Award" in the National Oral Medicine Research Day Thesis Competition at the School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, for the 112th academic year

• 2024.03 Master student, Chia-Ying Lin, won the "Tien Te Lee Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the 38th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences (Physiology Society)

• 2024.03 Master student, Ying-Chien Chang, won the "Tien Te Lee Excellence Award" in the poster competition at the 38th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Sciences (Physiology Society)

Master Students

Wan-Hsuan Liu

Ching-Wen Huang

Zih-Ling Chao

Jillian Tsu-Ling Cheng

Research Assistants 

Yi-Syuan Tsai

Ying-Chieh Chang

Chia-Ying Lin

Administrative Assistants

Hsuan-Yi Chou (Joint employment)

Lab Alumni

Chia-Ying Lin (Master student, 2024.07)

Ying-Chieh Chang (Master student, 2024.02)