Biology subjects

Bae, J. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Bae, J. W..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

The Pdgfd-Pdgfrb axis orchestrates tumor-nerve crosstalk in pancreatic cancer

Nerves are an integral component of the tumor microenvironment, contributing to cancer progression, metastasis, morbidity, and mortality. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), worse clinical outcomes are associated with perineural invasion (PNI), a process by which cancer cells surround and invade nerves. Here, we employed whole-transcriptome and single-cell spatial transcriptomics to identify candidate tumor-nerve interactions that promote PNI. We discovered that Pdgfd signaling promotes key features of nerve invasion. Mechanistically, Pdgfd stimulated cancer cell invasiveness, neurite outgrowth, and direct physical engagement with glia. Pharmacological blockade of this axis reduced each of these processes in vitro as well as PNI in vivo. Thus, Pdgfd-Pdgfrb signaling mediates PNI by coordinating multifaceted cancer-neuron-glia interactions and represents a promising therapeutic strategy aimed at disrupting harmful cancer-nerve crosstalk.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Integrated spatial morpho-transcriptomics predicts functional traits in pancreatic cancer

Analyses of patient-derived cell lines have greatly enhanced discovery of molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, characterization of cellular morphological properties is limited. We studied cell morphologies of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines and their associations with drug sensitivity, gene expression, and functional properties. By integrating live cell and spatial mRNA imaging, we identified KRAS inhibitor-induced morphological changes specific for drug-resistant cells that correlated with gene expression changes. We then categorized a large panel of patient-derived PDAC cell lines into morphological (e.g., polygonal, irregular, spheroid) and organizational (e.g., tightly aggregated, multilayered, dispersed) subtypes and found differences in gene expression, therapeutic targeting potential, and metastatic proclivity. In human PDAC tissues, we identified prognostic expression signatures associated with distinct cancer cell organization patterns. In summary, we highlight the potential of cell morphological information in rapid, cost-effective assays to aid precision oncology efforts leveraging patient-derived in vitro models and tissues.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Skp1 proteins are structural components of the synaptonemal complex in C. elegans

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a hallmark of meiotic prophase that plays a crucial role in regulating crossovers between homologous chromosomes. Here, we demonstrate that two Skp1-related proteins in C. elegans, SKR-1 and SKR-2, serve as structural components of the SC, independent of their canonical functions within the Skp1-Cul1-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex. SKR-1 and SKR-2 localize to the central region of the SC, and synapsis requires their dimerization through a hydrophobic interface that overlaps with the binding sites for CUL-1 and F-box proteins. Using in vitro reconstitution and in vivo analysis of mutant proteins, we show that SKR proteins interact with the other SC proteins using their C-terminal helices to form a soluble complex, which likely represents a basic building block for SC assembly. Our findings demonstrate how conserved Skp1 proteins are repurposed as part of the SC and may provide insight into how synapsis is coupled to cell cycle progression.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons

It is unclear how different types of cortical projection neurons work together to support diverse cortical functions. We examined the discharge characteristics and inactivation effects of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons--two major types of cortical excitatory neurons that project to cortical and subcortical structures, respectively--in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice performing a delayed response task. We found that IT neurons, but not PT neurons, convey significant working memory-related signals. We also found that the inactivation of IT neurons, but not PT neurons, impairs behavioral performance. In contrast, PT neurons convey far more temporal information than IT neurons during the delay period. Our results indicate a division of labor between IT and PT projection neurons in the prefrontal cortex for the maintenance of working memory and for tracking the passage of time, respectively.

neuroscience↗