Core question: How does astrocytic dysregulation, especially GABA and metabolic imbalance, disrupt neuronal circuits across neurological disorders?
We previously showed that aberrant tonic inhibition by astrocytic GABA silences dopaminergic neurons and causes motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease models (Curr Biol 2020; Exp Neurobiol 2021; EMM 2021; IJMS 2022), and that the same principle operates after stroke (Cell Rep 2020) and in neuropathic pain (EMM 2024). In Alzheimer's disease, we visualized reactive astrocyte–neuron interaction using ¹¹C-acetate and ¹⁸F-FDG PET (Brain 2023).
Ongoing directions: Non-motor symptoms and brain-gut circuits in Parkinson's disease; astrocyte-mediated modulation of neural circuits in Alzheimer's disease.
Related Publications
[Parkinson's disease]
Aberrant tonic inhibition of dopaminergic neuronal activity causes motor symptoms in animal models of PD. Curr Biol 2020 (co-first) · 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.079
KDS2010, a newly developed reversible MAO-B inhibitor, as an effective therapeutic candidate for PD. Neurotherapeutics 2021 (co-first) · 10.1007/s13311-021-01097-4
Redefining differential roles of MAO-A in dopamine degradation and MAO-B in tonic GABA synthesis. EMM 2021 (co-corr.) · 10.1038/s12276-021-00646-3
The pathological role of astrocytic MAOB in Parkinsonism revealed by genetic ablation and over-expression of MAOB. Exp Neurobiol 2021 (co-corr.) · 10.5607/en21007
Adenovirus-induced reactive astrogliosis exacerbates the pathology of PD. Exp Neurobiol 2021 (co-corr.) · 10.5607/en21013
Revisiting the role of astrocytic MAOB in PD. IJMS 2022 (co-first, co-corr.) · 10.3390/ijms23084453
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing induces neurological recovery in an A53T-SNCA overexpression rat model of PD. CRISPR J 2022 (co-corr.) · 10.1089/crispr.2021.0025
DDC-promoter-driven chemogenetic activation of SNpc dopaminergic neurons alleviates parkinsonian motor symptoms. IJMS 2023 (co-corr.) · 10.3390/ijms24032491
[Alzheimer's disease]
Visualization of reactive astrocyte–neuron interaction in AD using ¹¹C-acetate and ¹⁸F-FDG. Brain 2023 (co-first, Editor's choice) · 10.1093/brain/awad037
A key mediator and imaging target in AD: unlocking the role of reactive astrogliosis through MAOB. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024 (co-corr.) · 10.1007/s13139-023-00837-y
Baicalin and baicalein alleviate aberrant neuronal suppression mediated by GABA from reactive astrocytes. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024 (co-corr.) · 10.1111/cns.14740
Acetate-induced reactive astrocytes enhance uptake of amyloid-β with upregulation of MEGF10 and MERTK. Mol Cell Toxicol 2026 (co-corr.) · 10.1007/s13273-026-00625-7
Differential proximity of perisynaptic astrocytic Best1 at excitatory and inhibitory tripartite synapses in APP/PS1 and MAOB-KO mice. Exp Neurobiol 2021 (co-corr., cover) · 10.5607/en21015
[Stroke and pain]
Excessive astrocytic GABA causes cortical hypometabolism and impedes functional recovery following subcortical stroke. Cell Rep 2020 (co-first) · 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107861
Tonic excitation by astrocytic GABA causes neuropathic pain through augmenting neuronal activity and glucose metabolism. EMM 2024 (co-corr.) · 10.1038/s12276-024-01232-z
[Selected collaborations]
Astrocytic MAOB–GABA axis as a molecular brake on repair following spinal cord injury. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2025 · 10.1038/s41392-025-02398-2
Neuronal STING–GAT1 signaling maintains paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain in the spinal cord. Pain 2025 · 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003593
