Biology subjects

Lee, S.-A.

Publications and source records attributed to Lee, S.-A..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

D2 autoreceptors gate vulnerability to cocaine use disorder

A defining feature of substance use disorder is that repeated drug use does not always lead to addiction, motivating the search for biomarkers of vulnerability1. Reduced striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability is a robust PET correlate of problematic stimulant use2-5, but the signal may reflect high endogenous dopamine level, and it conflates presynaptic D2 autoreceptors on dopamine axons with postsynaptic D2/3 heteroreceptors on striatal projection neurons. We dissociated these contributions using cell type-specific Drd2 haploinsufficiency in dopamine neurons (autoD2KD), D2-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSN-D2KD), or both. Autoreceptor haploinsufficiency (autoD2KD) weakened presynaptic control of dopamine release, enhanced phasic gain, and prolonged cocaine-evoked dopamine elevations. This was accompanied by a hyper-exploratory trait and altered cocaine adaptation. Specifically, autoD2KD mice showed greater cocaine-seeking behavior, despite intact responses to sucrose reward and punishment. Although all genotypes showed graded reductions in striatal D2/3 binding, D1-like compensations diverged, resulting in different D1:D2/3 ratio in the striatum. The clinical implication is that striatal D1 density and D1:D2/3 balance may emerge as critical biomarkers for distinguishing cell-type-specific D2 reductions relevant to addiction vulnerability.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Preclinical immunogenicity of the LP.8.1-adapted BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine

SARS-CoV-2 evolution toward antigenically distinct lineages drives escape from host immunity. JN.1 lineage derivatives have recently dominated the global epidemiologic landscape. In preclinical models, an LP.8.1-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine elicited higher serum neutralizing antibody responses against contemporary, circulating JN.1 sublineages, including the currently dominant XFG, as compared to JN.1-, KP.2- and XEC-adapted vaccines. These findings supported the selection of an LP.8.1-adapted vaccine for the composition of the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine formula.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

Retinoic acid-induced protein 14 controls dendritic spine dynamics associated with depressive-like behaviors

Dendritic spines are the central postsynaptic machinery that determines synaptic function. The F-actin within dendritic spines regulates their dynamic formation and elimination. Rai14 is an F-actin-regulating protein with a membrane-shaping function. Here, we identified the roles of Rai14 for the regulation of dendritic spine dynamics associated with stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. Rai14-deficient neurons failed to maintain a proper dendritic spine density in the Rai14+/- mouse brain, resulting in impaired functional synaptic activity. Rai14 was protected from degradation by complex formation with Tara, and accumulated in the dendritic spine neck, thereby enhancing spine maintenance. Concurrently, Rai14 deficiency in mice altered gene expression profile relevant to depressive conditions and increased depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, Rai14 expression was reduced in the prefrontal cortex of the mouse stress model, which was blocked by antidepressant treatment. Thus, we propose that Rai14-dependent regulation of dendritic spines may underlie the plastic changes of neuronal connections relevant to depressive-like behaviors.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Development of spike receptor-binding domain nanoparticle as a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic, enters host cells via the interaction of its Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) of Spike protein with host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, RBD is a promising vaccine target to induce protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we report the development of RBD protein-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 using self-assembling H. pylori-bullfrog ferritin nanoparticles as an antigen delivery. RBD-ferritin protein purified from mammalian cells efficiently assembled into 24-mer nanoparticles. 16-20 months-old ferrets were vaccinated with RBD-ferritin nanoparticles (RBD-nanoparticles) by intramuscular or intranasal inoculation. All vaccinated ferrets with RBD-nanoparticles produced potent neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Strikingly, vaccinated ferrets demonstrated efficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge, showing no fever, body weight loss and clinical symptoms. Furthermore, vaccinated ferrets showed rapid clearance of infectious viruses in nasal washes and lungs as well as viral RNA in respiratory organs. This study demonstrates the Spike RBD-nanoparticle as an effective protein vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) suppresses browning of white adipose tissue through C/EBPβ modulation

SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is highly expressed in white adipose tissue (WAT) and plays an important role in the early stages of adipogenesis. To investigate the function of SENP2 in adipocytes, we generated adipocyte-specific Senp2 knock-out (Senp2-aKO) mice. Compared to wild-type mice, Senp2-aKO mice had reduced adipose tissue mass and smaller multi-locular adipocytes in inguinal WAT (iWAT). Body temperatures of Senp2-aKO mice were effectively regulated during cold exposure. Additionally, Senp2-aKO mice were resistant to high-fat-diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and exhibited an increase in energy expenditure rates. Expression of thermogenic genes, including Ucp1, was significantly increased in iWAT (and less efficiently in epidydimal WAT [eWAT]) of Senp2-aKO mice, suggesting that SENP2 depletion accelerates browning of WAT. Further, suppression of HOXC10 was essential for beige adipocyte formation in SENP2-deficient cells of iWAT, and Hoxc10 transcriptional suppression was mediated by C/EBP{beta}, a direct target of SENP2. Sumoylated C/EBP{beta} efficiently inhibited Hoxc10 transcription through recruitment of the transcriptional co-repressor DAXX. Similarly, Senp2 knockdown using siRNAs during adipogenesis promoted thermogenic adipocyte differentiation of precursor cells in both iWAT and eWAT, and C/EBP{beta} was a common mediator. Together these results suggest that SENP2 plays critical role in white adipocyte differentiation by suppressing differentiation toward thermogenic adipocytes through modulation of C/EBP{beta} in both iWAT and eWAT.

cell biology↗