Research Interests
Investigating the muco-ciliary epithelium and the study of ERAD complex on chondrogenesis.
My research has two main ideas. First, my research focuses on studying the pathophysiology of the muco-ciliary epithelium. The embryonic epithelium of Xenopus is composed of mucus-secreting goblet cells, and mucus clearing multi-ciliated cells similar to the human respiratory tract. Therefore, I revealed proteomes of cilia, and I developed a high-throughput screening system. Secondly, I investigated the function of the ERAD complex on chondrogenesis.
The study on the molecular function of GJA1 on the ciliogenesis.
The gap junction complex functions as a transport channel across the membrane.
Among gap junction subunits, gap junction protein alpha 1 (GJA1) is the most commonly expressed subunit.
However, the molecular mechanism and function of GJA1 in ciliogenesis remain unknown.
Here, we examined GJA1 functions during ciliogenesis in human RPE1 cells and Xenopus laevis.
ITGBL1 promotes cell migration by preferentially inhibiting integrin-ECM binding at the trailing edge.
Cell migration is a basic cellular behavior involved in multiple phenomena in the human body.
For proper cell migration, integrin must be differentially regulated at leading edges or trailing edges during cell migration.
Integrin and the ECM binding complex must be disassembled for the retraction of trailing edges.
Previously, we showed that ITGBL1 was a secreted protein and inhibits integrin activity.
In this study, we revealed that ITGBL1 preferentially inhibited integrin activity at the trailing edges to promote cell migration.
Conclusionally, ITGBL1 facilitates directional cell migration by promoting disassembly of the trailing edge focal adhesion complex.
Cilia proteomics - research on cilia subdomain.
Cilia are hair-like organelle which protrude from cell surface. Cilia play important roles in body such as signal transduction and detecting external stimuli. Cilia can be divided into 5 subdomain, ciliary tip, axoneme, EvC zone, transition zone, basal body. Proteins composition for each subdomains are not discovered well because of their small size. Using proximity labeling technique, we can label proteins located at specific subdomain without labeling on unnecessary region. Through this technique, our lab found out some proteins at specific subdomain and is trying to discover function of purified proteins on cilia.
Cilia also have their own movement for specific purpose such as delivery of some materials. Our lab is studying about proteins which are related to ciliary beating. We picked out some candidate ciliary proteins which are related to ciliary beating through informatics. Through regulating expression level of candidate genes or proteins, we checked difference in ciliary beating with fluorescent bead imaging.
Study of tissue-specific ciliopathy through relationship between primary cilium and DNA damage response.
Identifying the relationship between primary cilium and DNA damage response is crucial not only for expanding the knowledge of cilium study but also for suggesting the possible mechanism for ciliopathy syndrome. Characterizing DDR-related ciliopathies in specific tissue or cell types is also important to narrow down the mechanistic study of ciliopathy and identify ciliopathy treatment.