TAM, Siu Cheung Michael

Associate Dean (Education)

Professor

Education Background

Ph.D (University of Toronto)

M.Sc. (University of Toronto)

B.Sc. (University of Toronto)

Research Field
Mechanism of trichosanthin action; Genetic adaptation in high altitude
Email
michaeltam@cuhk.edu.cn
Biography

Professor Michael Tam received his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the University of Toronto, Canada. He joined CUHK in 1981 as a founding member of the Faculty of Medicine and retired in 2012. During this 31 years, He served as Chairman of the Department of Physiology, Associate Director (Medical Education) of the School of Biomedical Sciences, and Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of the Faculty of Medicine. After retirement, he continues to teach various medical courses and coordinate and teach the Physiology Course at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels of the Nethersole School of Nursing CUHK.

Professor Tam’s research areas included genetic adaptation in high altitude. He studies the genetic difference between Tibetans and Hans and looks for genes contributing to better survival at high altitude. Professor Tam’s team is the first group to identify the natural selection of the gene EPAS1 that enables Tibetans to better adapt to high altitude. Professor Tam is also deeply committed in examining the mechanism of trichosanthin action. Trichosanthin is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein with antiviral activity. It inhibits replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as herpes simplex virus (HSV). The mechanism is unknown. Found results support the hypothesis that trichosanthin selectively induces apoptosis in viral infected cells while sparing uninfected cells. Infected cells die prematurely and therefore limit viral replication. The mechanism appears to involve the MAPK signal pathway.

Academic Publications

1. Tam SC, Blumenstein J and Wong JT. Soluble Dextran-Hemoglobin Complex as a Potential Blood Substitute; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 73(6), 2128-2131, 1976.
2.  Blumenstein J, Tam SC, Chang JE and Wong JT; Experimental Transfusion of Dextran-Hemoglobin; Blood Substitutes and Plasma Expanders, Edited by: Jamieson GA and Greenwalt TJ; Alan R. Liss Inc. New York, 1978, pp. 205-212
3. Tam SC, Blumenstein J and Wong JT; Blood Replacement in Dogs by Dextran-Hemoglobin; Can. J. Biochem. 56(10), 981-984, 1978
4. Tam SC and Wong JT; Modification of Hemoglobin upon Covalent Coupling to Dextran: En¬hanced Stability against Acid Denaturation and Reduced Affinity for Haptoglobin; Can. J. Biochem., 58, 732-736, 1980.
5. Tam SC, Goldstein MB, Richardson NMR, Robson WLM, Stinebaugh BJ and Halperin ML; Effect of Extracellular Volume Contraction on Distal-Nephron Hydro¬gen Ion Secretion in vivo; J. Lab. Clin. Med. 96(3), 442-459, 1980.
6. Halperin ML, Goldstein MB., Sajo I., and Tam SC; Sodium:Water Ratio in CSF and Serum; Diabetes Care 3(4), 569-570, 1980.
7. Tam SC, Goldstein MB, Chen CB, Halperin ML and Stinebaugh BJ; Implication of the Finding of Calcium Carbonate in Rabbit Urine with Respect to Renal Acidification; Can. J. Physiol. Pharm. 59(8), 800-805, 1981.
8. Stinebaugh BJ, Schloeder FX, Tam SC, Goldstein MB and Halperin ML; Pathogenesis of Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis; Kidney International 19, 1-7, 1981 (Review).
9. Halperin ML, Goldstein MB, Gougoux A, Chen CB, Pichette C, Stinebaugh BJ and Tam SC; Regulation of Distal Acidification; Proc. 8th Int. Congr. Nephrol., Athen, 206-217, 1981 (Review).
10. Cunnington PG, Jenkins SN, Tam SC and Wong JT; Oxygen Binding and Immunological Properties of Complexes Between Dextran and Animal Hemoglobin; Biochemical Journal 193, 261-266, 1981.
11. Tam SC, Goldstein MB, Stinebaugh BJ, Chen CB, Gougoux A and Halperin ML; Studies on the Regulation of Hydrogen Ion Secretion in the Collect¬ing Duct In Vivo; Kidney International 20, 636-642, 1981.
12. Gougoux A, Vinay P, Lemieux G, Duran MA, Chen CB, Goldstein MB, Stinebaugh BJ, Tam SC and Halperin ML; Studies on the Mechanism Whereby Acidemia Stimulates Collecting Duct Hydrogen Ion Secretion In Vivo; Kidney International 20, 643-648, 1981.
13. Robson WL, Bayliss CE, Feldman R, Goldstein MB, Chen CB, Richardson RMA, Stinebaugh BJ, Tam SC and Halperin ML; Evaluation of the Effect of Pentobarbitone Anaesthesia on the Plasma Potassium Concentration in the Rabbit and Dog; Can. Anesth. Soc. J. 28(3), 210-216, 1981.
14. Pichette C, Bercovici M, Goldstein M, Stinebaugh B, Tam SC and Haplerin ML; Evaluation of the Blood Lactate Concentration by Alkali Therapy Without Requiring Additional Lactate Acid Accumulation; Critical Care Medicine 10(5), 323-326, 1982.
15. Pichette C, Tam SC, Chen CB, Goldstein MB, Stinebaugh BJ and Halperin ML; Effect of Potassium on Distal Nephron Hydrogen Ion Secretion in the Dog; J. Lab. Clin. Med. 100(3), 374-384, 1982.
16. Androgue HJ, Stinebaugh BJ, Gougoux A, Lemieux G, Vinay P, Tam SC, Goldstein MB and Halperin ML; Decreased Distal Acidification in Acute Hypercapnia in the Dog; Am. J. Physiol. 244(1), F19-27, 1983.
17. Tam SC, Yip KP, Fung KP and Chang ST. Hypotensive and Renal effects of Pleurotus sajor-caju; Life Sciences, 38(13), 1155-1161, 1986
18. Tam SC. Acute Hypokalemic Effect of Gossypol; Can. J. Physiol. Pharma.; 64(7), 881-903, 1986.
19. Tam SC and Wong JT. Impairment of Renal Function by Stroma-Free Hemoglobin in Rats; J. Lab. Clin. Med., 111(2), 189-93 1988.
20. Tam SC, Tang LS, Nicholls G, Swaminathan R. The Role of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in the Increase in GFR Induced by a Protein Meal; Clinical Sciences (U.K.), 78(5), 481-485, 1990.
21. Ko WH, Wong CC, Yeung HW, Yung MH, Shaw PC, and Tam SC; Increasing the Plasma Half-life of Trichosanthin by Coupling to Dextran; Biochemical Pharmacology, 42(9), 1721-1728, 1991.
22. Cheng TS, Ko WH, Swaminathan R and Tam SC. The effect of lysine on hemolysis induced renal damage; J Lab Clin Med, 119(5), 496-502, 1992.
23. Ko WH, Wong CC, Yeung HW, and Tam SC. Modulation of Trichosanthin antigenicity by coupling to dextran; Biochemistry International; 28(4), 643-650, 1992.
24. Ko WH, Yeung HW, and Tam SC. The biological activities of Trichosanthin after coupling to dextran; General Pharmacology, 24(3), 757-762, 1993.
25. Ko WH and Tam SC. Renal reabsorption of trichosanthin and its effect on GFR; Renal Failure, 16(3), 359-366, 1994.
26. Tang NL Chan WL, Ke YB, Mak MK, Lai FM and Tam SC. Acute renal failure and proximal tubule lesions after trichosanthin injection in rats; Experimental and Molecular Pathology; 64(2) 78-89, 1997.
27. Nie H, Cai X, He X, Xu L, Ke Y and Tam SC. Position 120-123, a potential active site of trichosanthin; Life Sciences, 62(6) 491-500, 1998
28. He XH, Shaw PC, Xu LH, and Tam SC. Site-directed polyethylene glycol modification of trichosanthin: Effects on its biological activity, pharmacokinetics and antigenicity; Life Sciences 64(14) 1163-1175 1999.
29. Chan WL, Shaw PC, Li XB, Xu QF, He XH, and Tam SC. Lowering of trichosanthin immunogenicity by site-specific coupling to dextran; Biochemical Pharmacology 57(8), 927-34, 1999.
30. He XH, Shaw PC and Tam SC. Reducing the immunogenicity and improving the plasma half-life of trichosanthin by site-directed PEGylation; Life Sciences 65(4), 355-368, 1999.
31. He XH, Nie HL, Shaw PC, Ke IB and Tam SC. Site-directed polyethylene glycol modification of trichosanthin; Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 15(6) 924-927, 1999.
32. Chan SH, Shaw PC, Mulot SF, Xu LH, Chan WL, Tam SC, Wong KB. Engineering of a mini-trichosanthin that has lower antigenicity by deleting its C-terminal amino acid residues; BBRC, 270(1):279-85, 2000.
33. Chan WL, Shaw PC, Tam SC, Jacobsen C, Gliemann J, Nielsen MS. Trichosanthin interacts with and enters cells via LDL receptor family members; BBRC, 270(2), 453-7, 2000.
34. Chan WL, Tang LS, Yim C, Lai FM, and Tam SC. New features of renal lesion induced by stroma free hemoglobin; Toxicologic Pathology, 28(5), 635-642, 2000.
35. Zheng YT, Chan WL, Chan P, Huang H, Tam SC. Enhancement of the antiherpetic effect of trichosanthin by acyclovir and interferon; FEBS Letter, 496, 139-142, 2001
36. Sung RYT, Yu CW, Ng E, Du ZD, Tomlinson B, and Tam SC. Head-up tilt test without intravascular cannulation in children and adolescents; International Journal of Cardiology, 80, 69-76, 2001
37. Chan WL, Zheng YT, Huang H, and Tam SC. Relationship between trichosanthin cytoxicity and its intracellular concentration; Toxicology, 177, 245-251, 2002
38. Wang JH, Nie HL, Tam SC, Huang H, and Zheng YT. Anti-HIV-1 property of trichosanthin correlates with its ribosome inactivating activity; FEBBS Letter, 531, 295-298, 2002
39. Zhou Q, Kwan HY, Chan HC, Jiang JL, Tam SC, and Qao XQ. Blockage of voltage-gated K+ channel inhibits adhesion and proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells; International J. of Molecular Medicine, 11(2), 261-266, 2003
40. Wood Yee Chan, Hai Huang, and Siu-Cheung Tam. Receptor-mediated endocytosis of trichosanthin in choriocarcinoma cells; Toxicology, 186, 191-203, 2003
41. Wang JH, Nie HL, Huang H, Tam SC and Zheng YT. Independency of anti-HIV-1 activity from ribosome-inactivating activity of trichosanthin; BBRC 302(1), 89-94, 2003
42. Leung PS, Fung ML, and Tam SC. Renin-angiotensin system in the carotid body; The International J. of Biochem & Cell Biology, 35(6), 847-854, 2003 (review article)
43. Wang Jian-hua, Tam Michael SC, Huang Hai, Ouyang Dong-yun, Wang Yuan-yuan and Zheng Yong-tang. Site-directed PEGylation of trichosanthin retained its anti-HIV activity with reduced potency in vitro; BBRC, 317, 965-971, 2004
44. Wang YY, Ouyang DY, Huang H, Chan H, Tam SC and Zheng YT. Enhanced apoptotic action of trichosanthin and HIV-1 infected cells; BBRC 331, 1075-1080, 2005
45. Zhang GH, Wang Q, Chen JJ, Zhang XM, Tam SC and Zheng YT; The Anti-HIV effect of Scutellarin; BBRC 334, 812-816, 2005
46. Herman Chan & Siu-Cheung Tam; Role of blood transfusion in trichosanthin induced anaphylaxis; Environmental Toxicology & Pharmacology, 20, 73-76, 2005
47. Ouyang DY, Chan H, Wang YY, Huang H, Tam SC and Zheng YT. An inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (CEP-11004) counteracts the anti-HIV-1 action of trichosanthin; BBRC 339, 25-29, 2006
48. Hai Huang, Herman Chan, Yuan-Yuan Wang, Dong-Yun Ouyang, Yong-Tang Zheng, and Siu-Cheung Tam. Trichosanthin suppresses the elevation of p38 MAPK, and Bcl-2 induced by HSV infection in Vero cells; Life Sciences 79, 1287-1292, 2006
49. Herman Chan, Po-sing Leung, Michael Siu-cheung Tam. Effect of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor on D-Galactosamine Induced Acute Liver Injury; Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 34 (10), 985-991, 2007.
50. Wang Rui Rui, Yang Liu Meng, Wang Yun Hua, Pang Wei, Tam Michael SC, Tien Po and Zheng Yong Tang. Sifuvirtide, a potent HIV inhibitor peptide; BBRC, 382, 540-544, 2009
51. Wei Pang, Siu-Cheung Tam, and Zheng Yong Tang. Current peptide HIV type-1 fusion inhibitors; Antiviral Chemistry & Chemotherapy, 20, 1-18, 2009 (review article)
52. LONG Jing; ZHANG De Hua; ZHANG Gao Hong; RAO Zhi Kun; WANG Yun Hua; TAM Michael S C; HE Yan Ping and ZHENG Yong Tang. The Anti-HIV Activity of Three 2-alkylsulfanyl-6-benzyl-3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-4 (3H)-one Derivatives Acting As Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor In Vitro. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 45(2) 228-234. 2010
53. SUN Yi; OUYANG Dong Yun; PANG Wei; TU Yuan Quan; LI Yu Ye; SHEN Xiao Mei; TAM Michael S C; YANG Hong Ying and ZHENG Yong Tang. Expression of Syncytin in Leukemia and Lymphoma Cells, Leukemia Research, 34, 1195-1202, 2010
54. BEALL Cynthia M.; CAVALLERI Gianpiero L.; DENG Libin; ELSTON Robert C.; GAO Yang; KNIGHT Jo; LI Chaohua; LI Jiang Chuan; LIANG Yu; MCCORMACK Mark; MONTGOMERY Hugh E.; PAN Hao; ROBBINS Peter A.; SHIANNA Kevin V.; TAM Michael S C; TSERING Ngodrop; VEERAMAH Krishna R.; WANG Wei; WANGDUI Puchung; WEALE Michael E.; XU Yaomin; XU Zhe; YANG Ling; ZAMAN M. Justin; ZENG Changqing; ZHANG Li; ZHANG Xianglong; ZHAXI Pingcuo and ZHENG Yong Tang. Natural Selection on EPAS1 (NIF2α) Associated with Low Hemoglobin Concentration in Tibetan Highlanders, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 107(25), 11459-11464, 2010
55. Dong-Xu He and Siu-Cheung Tam. Trichosanthin affects HSV-1 replication in Hep-2 cells., BBRC, 402, 670-675, 2010.
56. Dongxu He, Kwowhei Yau, Huanjing Shi Yongtang Zheng SiuCheung Tam., Conversion of Trichosanthin-induced CD95 (FAS) type I into type II apoptotic signaling during Herpes simplex virus infection., Molecular Immunology 48, 2000-2008, 2011
57. Dongxu He Yongtang Zheng and Siucheung Tam., The anti-herpetic activity of trichosanthin via the nuclear factor-κB and p53 pathways., Life Sciences 90(17-18) 673-681 2012
58. Li LD, Qiu YQ, Xu J, Irwin DM, Tam SC, Tang NL and Zhang YP; Genetic adaptation of the hypoxia-inducible factor pathway to oxygen pressure among Eurasian human populations; Mol Biol Evol. 29(11) 3359-70, 2012
59. Hwang Isabel, Tam Michael, Lam Shun Leung, and Lam Paul; Review of use of animation as a supplementary learning material of physiology content in four academic years; The Electronic Journal of E-learning; 10(4), 368-377, 2012