Biology subjects

Hong, Y. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Hong, Y. K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

TIM3+ Tumor Associated M2 Macrophages Impair Antitumor T Cell Immunity and Promote Gastric Cancer Progression and Peritoneal Metastasis

Peritoneal metastases (PM) are the leading cause of cancer-related death in gastric cancer (GC) patients with survival typically < 9 months. Here, we demonstrate that TIM3 and its ligands are increased along the GC continuum and associated with poor survival. Integrated omics analyses and functional studies revealed highly enriched TIM3 in CD163+ tumor associated M2 immunosuppressive macrophages significantly promote tumor cell invasion and tumor growth in vivo, while TIM3 depletion in macrophages reduced tumor cell malignant attributes and increased T cell immunity from PBMCs or CD45+ immune cells of malignant ascites in co-culture system. By cytokine and kinase arrays, we discovered that depletion of TIM3 in macrophages reduced the production of notable secretome of cytokines/chemokines from M2 macrophages; and the protumor function of TIM3+ macrophages rely on the p90RSK1/2/CCL20 axis. Finally, we reveal that TIM3 blockage or genetic KO had superior antitumor activity in combination with anti-PD1 immunotherapy and mitomycin C (MMC) chemotherapy. Together, this study uncovers an important role for TIM3 in tumor associated M2 macrophages and underscores the potential of TIM3 blockage in GC patients with PM. Statement of significanceIn this study, we show TIM3 increases along GC continuum, and highly enriched on tumor associated M2 macrophages that fuel tumor growth; and suppress T cell function via p90RSK1/2/CCL20 axis. TIM3 depletion restores T-cell immunity and curbs tumor growth. TIM3 blockade combined with anti-PD1 and mitomycin C provide a novel therapeutic strategy for GC patients with PM.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Deep and superficial layers of the primary somatosensory cortex are critical for whisker-based texture discrimination in mice

The neocortex, comprised of multiple distinct layers, processes sensory input from the periphery, makes decisions, and executes actions. Despite extensive investigation of cortical anatomy and physiology, the contributions of different cortical layers to sensory guided behaviors remain unknown. Here, we developed a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) paradigm in which head-fixed mice use a single whisker to either discriminate textures of parametrically varied roughness or detect the same textured surfaces. Lesioning the barrel cortex revealed that 2AFC texture discrimination, but not detection, was cortex-dependent. Paralyzing the whisker pad had little effect on performance, demonstrating that passive can rival active perception and cortical dependence is not movement-related. Transgenic Cre lines were used to target inhibitory opsins to excitatory cortical neurons of specific layers for selective perturbations. Both deep and superficial layers were critical for texture discrimination. We conclude that even basic cortical computations require coordinated transformation of sensory information across layers. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=77 SRC="FIGDIR/small/245381v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (22K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16c4d20org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@13b8832org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16ac3aborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@5426d8_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Effects of arousal and movement on secondary somatosensory and visual thalamus

All neocortical sensory areas have an associated primary and secondary thalamic nucleus. While the primary nuclei encode sensory information for transmission to cortex, the nature of information encoded in secondary nuclei is poorly understood. We recorded juxtasomally from neurons in secondary somatosensory (POm) and visual (LP) thalamic nuclei of awake head-fixed mice with simultaneous whisker tracking and pupilometry. POm activity correlated with whether or not a mouse was whisking, but not precise whisking kinematics. This coarse movement modulation persisted after unilateral paralysis of the whisker pad and thus was not due to sensory reafference. POm continued to track whisking even during optogenetic silencing of primary somatosensory and motor cortex and after lesion of superior colliculus, indicating that motor efference copy cannot explain the correlation between movement and POm activity. Whisking and pupil dilation were strongly correlated, raising the possibility that POm may track arousal rather than movement. LP, being part of the visual system, is not expected to encode whisker movement. We discovered, however, that LP and POm track whisking equally well, suggesting a global effect of arousal on both nuclei. We conclude that secondary thalamus is a monitor of behavioral state, rather than movement, and may exist to alter cortical activity accordingly.

neuroscience↗