Biology subjects

Won, J.-K.

Publications and source records attributed to Won, J.-K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Inhibiting EZH2 complements steroid effects in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating X-linked disorder caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Despite recent advances in understanding the disease etiology and applying emerging treatment methodologies, glucocorticoid derivatives remain the only general therapeutic option that can slow disease development. However, the precise molecular mechanism of glucocorticoid action remains unclear, and there is still need for additional remedies to complement the treatment. Here, using single-nucleus RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptome analyses of human and mouse muscles, we investigated pathogenic features in DMD patients and palliative effects of glucocorticoids. Our approach further illuminated the importance of proliferating satellite cells, and revealed increased activity of a signal transduction pathway involving EZH2 in the patient cells. Subsequent administration of EZH2 inhibitors to Dmd mutant mice resulted in improved muscle phenotype through maintaining the immune-suppressing effect but overriding the muscle weakness and fibrogenic effects exerted by glucocorticoids. Our analysis reveals pathogenic mechanisms that can be readily targeted by extant therapeutic options for DMD. TeaserA survey of DMD tissues in human and mouse suggests EZH2 as a critical factor in DMD satellite cells; its inhibition resulted in better prognosis.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

Single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomic analysis identified molecular features of neuronal heterogeneity and distinct glial responses in Parkinson's disease.

The heterogeneity of Parkinsons disease (PD) is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of understanding the disorder. Among the factors contributing to this heterogeneity, ethnic differences are primary sources, significantly influencing the likelihood of PD developing and its initial symptoms nature. While there have been numerous reports related to PD in East Asia, there has been a lack of contribution from single-cell (or nucleus) transcriptome studies, which have been making significant contributions to understanding PD. In this study, a total of 33,293 nuclei obtained from the substantia nigra (SN) of confirmed pathological PD and control patients in South Korea were profiled, revealing 8 different cell types through cluster analysis. Monocle-based pseudotime analysis identified two disease-associated trajectories for each astrocyte and microglia and identified genes that differentiate them. Interestingly, we uncovered the inflammatory intervention in the early PD-associated transition in microglia and identified the molecular features of this intermediate state of microglia. In addition, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) based on TENET analysis revealed the detrimental effect of an HSPA5-led module in microglia and MSRB3- and HDAC8- led modules specifying the two different astrocyte trajectories. In SN neurons, we observed population changes, a decrease in dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurons and a proportional increase in GABAergic neurons. By deconvolution in spatial transcriptome obtained the PD sample, we confirmed spatiotemporal heterogeneity of neuronal subpopulations and PD-associated progressive gliosis specific to dopaminergic nuclei, SN and ventral tegmental areas (VTAs). In conclusion, our approach has enabled us to identify the genetic and spatial characterization of neurons and to demonstrate different glial fates in PD. These findings advance our molecular understanding of cell type-specific changes in the progression of Korean PD, providing an important foundation for predicting and validating interventions or drug effects for future treatments.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Control of neurogenic competence in mammalian hypothalamic tanycytes.

Hypothalamic tanycytes, radial glial cells that share many features with neuronal progenitors, generate small numbers of neurons in the postnatal hypothalamus, but the identity of these neurons and the molecular mechanisms that control tanycyte-derived neurogenesis are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that tanycyte-specific disruption of the NFI family of transcription factors (Nfia/b/x) robustly stimulates tanycyte proliferation and tanycyte-derived neurogenesis. Single-cell RNA- and ATAC-Seq analysis reveals that NFI factors repress Shh and Wnt signaling in tanycytes, and small molecule modulation of these pathways blocks proliferation and tanycyte-derived neurogenesis in Nfia/b/x-deficient mice. We show that Nfia/b/x-deficient tanycytes give rise to multiple mediobasal hypothalamic neuronal subtypes that can mature, integrate into hypothalamic synaptic circuitry, and selectively respond to changes in internal states. These findings identify molecular mechanisms that control tanycyte-derived neurogenesis, suggesting a new therapeutic approach to selectively remodel the hypothalamic neural circuitry that controls homeostatic physiological processes.

neuroscience↗