Biology subjects

Iguchi, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Iguchi, N..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Zinc finger domains bind low-complexity domain polymers

Self-association of low-complexity protein sequences (LC domains) is important for polymer formation. Several molecular chaperones are involved in the regulation of LC domain polymer formation. However, the mechanisms underlying cell recognition of LC domain polymers remain unclear. Here we show that zinc finger domains (ZnFs) bind LC domains of RNA-binding proteins in a cross-{beta} polymer-dependent manner. ZnFs bound to LC domain hydrogels and suppressed LC domain polymer formation. Moreover, ZnFs preferentially recognize LC domains in the polymeric state. These findings suggest that ZnFs act as physiological regulators of LC domain polymer formation.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation on human cerebral organoids alters expression related to lipid metabolism

Ischemic stroke is one of the most common neurological disease. However, the impact of ischemic stroke on human cerebral tissue remains largely unknown; due to a lack of ischemic human brain samples. In this study, we used cerebral organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells to evaluate the effect of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). We identified 15 differentially expressed genes (DEGs); and found that all the DEGs were downregulated. Pathway analysis showed the relationship of vitamin digestion and absorption, fat digestion and absorption, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, and complement and coagulation cascades. These findings indicate the mechanisms underlying ischemic injury in human cerebral tissue.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Brainstem organoids from human pluripotent stem cells contain neural crest population

The brainstem controls heartbeat, blood pressure and respiration, which are life-sustaining functions, therefore, disorders of the brainstem can be lethal. Brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells recapitulate the course of human brain development and are expected to be useful for medical research on central nervous system disorders. However, existing organoid models have limitations, hampering the elucidation of diseases affecting specific components of the brain. Here, we developed a method to generate human brainstem organoids (hBSOs), containing neural crest stem cells as well as midbrain/hindbrain progenitors, noradrenergic and cholinergic neurons, and dopaminergic neurons, demonstrated by specific electrophysiological signatures. Single-cell RNA sequence analysis, together with proteomics and electrophysiology, revealed that the cellular population in these organoids was similar to that of the human brainstem and neural crest, which raises the possibility of making use of hBSOs in grafting for transplantation, efficient drug screenings and modeling the neural crest diseases.

developmental biology↗