Division Faculty

Clinical/Research Interests:
The cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating myocardial repair/remodeling in infarcted heart, a cause of chronic heart failure. Studies focus on the mechanisms by which reactive oxygen species promotes cardiac remodeling and the importance of the activated cardiac renin-angiotensin system on oxidative stress following infarction.

Residency:  Harbin Medical University, China
Joined UT:  2000

Biographical Information:

Dr. Sun is a Professor of Medicine of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.  She received her MD and PhD from Harbin Medical University of China.  After two years postdoctoral training at the University of Melbourne, Australia, she joined the University of Missouri as a research fellow and was appointed Assistant Professor a year later in 1993, becoming Associate Professor of Medicine in 1999. In 2000, Dr. Sun joined the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center.  Dr. Sun’s research interests (NIH and AHA-funded) have focused on pathogenesis and pathophysiology of tissue repair/remodeling involving infarcted heart and injured kidney.  In vivo and in vitro studies address cellular and molecular responses involved in leading to tissue inflammation and fibrosis.  Dr. Sun is an author with over 100 publications.  She serves on several editorial boards.

Recent Publications (selected):

1. Zhao W, Zhao T, Chen Y, Ahokas RA, Sun Y. Oxidative stress mediates cardiac fibrosis by enhancing transforming growth factor-beta1 in hypertensive rats. Mol Cell Biochem 2008;317:43-50. PMID: 18581202
2. Zhao W, Zhao D, Yan R, Sun Y. Cardiac oxidative stress and remodeling following infarction: role of NADPH oxidase. Cardiovasc Pathol 2008:[Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 18402834
3. Zhao W, Chen SS, Chen Y, Ahokas RA, Sun Y. Kidney fibrosis in hypertensive rats: role of oxidative stress. Am J Nephrol 2008;28:548-554. PMID: 18239381
4. Sun Y. Myocardial repair/remodelling following infarction: roles of local factors. Cardiovasc Res 2008:[Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 19050008
5. Lu L, Chen SS, Hassid A, Sun Y. Cardiac fibrogenesis following infarction in mice with deletion of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Am J Med Sci 2008;335:431-438. PMID: 18552572
6. Sun Y. Oxidative stress and cardiac repair/remodeling following infarction. Am J Med Sci 2007;334:197-205. PMID: 17873534
7. Zhao W, Ahokas RA, Weber KT, Sun Y. ANG II-induced cardiac molecular and cellular events: role of aldosterone. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2006;291:H336-H343. PMID: 16489102
8. Sun Y, Ahokas RA, Bhattacharya SK, Gerling IC, Carbone LD, Weber KT. Oxidative stress in aldosteronism. Cardiovasc Res 2006;71:300-309. PMID: 16631148
9. Sun Y, Weber KT. Animal models of cardiac fibrosis. Methods Mol Med 2005;117:273-290. PMID: 16130232
10. Zhao W, Lu L, Chen SS, Sun Y. Temporal and spatial characteristics of apoptosis in the infarcted rat heart. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;325:605-611. PMID: 15530436
11. Lu L, Zhang JQ, Ramires FJ, Sun Y. Molecular and cellular events at the site of myocardial infarction: from the perspective of rebuilding myocardial tissue. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;320:907-913. PMID: 15240134
12. Lu L, Quinn MT, Sun Y. Oxidative stress in the infarcted heart: role of de novo angiotensin II production. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;325:943-951. PMID: 15541381
13. Lu L, Chen SS, Zhang JQ, Ramires FJ, Sun Y. Activation of nuclear factor-kB and its proinflammatory mediator cascade in the infarcted rat heart. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004;321:879-885. PMID: 15358108
14. Sun Y, Weber KT. RAS and connective tissue in the heart. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2003;35:919-931. PMID: 12676176
15. Sun Y, Zhang J, Lu L, Chen SS, Quinn MT, Weber KT. Aldosterone-induced inflammation in the rat heart. Role of oxidative stress. Am J Pathol 2002;161:1773-1781. PMID: 12414524
16. Sun Y. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and vascular remodeling. Congest Heart Fail 2002;8:11-16. PMID: 11821623
17. Sun Y, Zhang J, Zhang JQ, Weber KT. Renin expression at sites of repair in the infarcted rat heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2001;33:995-1003. PMID: 11343421
18. Weber KT, Sun Y. Recruitable ACE and tissue repair in the infarcted heart. J Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Syst 2000;1:295-303. PMID: 11967815
19. Sun Y, Zhang JQ, Zhang J, Lamparter S. Cardiac remodeling by fibrous tissue after infarction in rats. J Lab Clin Med 2000;135:316-323. PMID: 10779047
20. Sun Y, Zhang J, Zhang JQ, Ramires FJA. Local angiotensin II and transforming growth factor-b1 in renal fibrosis of rats. Hypertension 2000;35:1078-1084. PMID: 10818068
21. Sun Y, Weber KT. Infarct scar: a dynamic tissue. Cardiovasc Res 2000;46:250-256. PMID: 10773228
22. Sun Y. Cardiac angiotensin II generation. High Blood Pressure Research American Heart Association Newsletter 1999 (Spring/Summer):7-9.

Invited Book Chapters (selected)

1. Sun Y, Weber KT. Renin angiotensin aldosterone system and cardiac extracellular matrix. In: Villarreal FJ, ed. Interstitial Fibrosis in Heart Failure. New York: Springer, 2005:167-180.
2. Sun Y, Weber KT. Wound healing and the tissue renin angiotensin aldosterone system. In: De Mello WC, ed. Renin Angiotensin System and the Heart. London: John Wiley & Sons, 2004:137-160.
3. Sun Y, Weber KT. Cardiac repair following infarction. In: Dhalla NS, Chockalingam A, Berkowitz HI, Singal PK, eds. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Health. Boston: Kluwer, 2003:29-35.
4. Weber KT, Sun Y. Tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and the infarcted heart. In: Giles TD, ed. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE): Clinical and Experimental Insights. Fort Lee, NJ: Health Care Communications, 2001:103-121.
5. Weber KT, Sun Y. ACE in the normal and injured heart: where, what and why? In: Husain A, Graham RM, eds. Drugs, Enzymes and Receptors of the Renin-Angiotensin System: Celebrating a Century of Discovery. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 2000:325-341.
6. Sun Y. Local angiotensin II and tissue repair post-myocardial infarction. In: Dhalla NS, Zahradka P, Dixon IMC, Beamish RE, eds. Angiotensin II Receptor Blockade: Physiological and Clinical Implications. New York: Kluwer, 1998:55-61.
7. Sun Y. Local angiotensin II and myocardial fibrosis. In: Zanchetti A, ed. Hypertension and the Heart. New York: Plenum Press, 1997:55-61.