Research Bio
My study was to pursue the better understanding the molecular mechanism of vascular disease like atherosclerosis and its treatment. When I was a postdoctoral fellow, I discovered the important role of p53 and ERK5 SUMOylation on regulating disturbed flow-mediated endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction via downregulation of SENP2, which is a SUMO-specific protease. This study provided a mechanistic framework to the well-accepted observation that disturbed flow induces endothelial dysfunction and accelerating atherosclerosis formation. Recently, I have started to determine the mechanism of atherosclerosis formation, especially vulnerable plaque formation in the advanced lesions focusing on the monocyte/macrophage biology.
I found the possible involvement of macrophage ERK5 in this process and genetic deletion of ERK5 in the macrophage showed an increase in necrotic core and atherosclerosis formation via defective phagocytic clearance (efferocytosis), which has been shown an important role in vulnerable plaque formation. I hope that this study will reveal new insight into ERK5 regulation in macrophages in advanced lesion of atherosclerosis to find a novel therapeutic target.
2013 Mar 15
Heo KS, Chang E, Le NT, Cushman HJ, Yeh ET, Fujiwara K, Abe JI. "De-SUMOylation enzyme of sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 2 regulates disturbed flow-induced SUMOylation of ERK5 and p53 that leads to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis." Circulation research. 2013 Mar 15; 112(6):911-23. Epub 2013 Feb 04. |
2013 Feb
Heo KS, Chang E, Takei Y, Le NT, Woo CH, Sullivan MA, Morrell C, Fujiwara K, Abe JI. "Phosphorylation of protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1) by MAPK-activated protein kinase-2 inhibits endothelial inflammation via increasing both PIAS1 transrepression and SUMO E3 ligase activity." Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 2013 Feb 0; 33(2):321-9. Epub 2012 Nov 29. |
2013 Jan 29
Le NT, Heo KS, Takei Y, Lee H, Woo CH, Chang E, McClain C, Hurley C, Wang X, Li F, Xu H, Morrell C, Sullivan MA, Cohen MS, Serafimova IM, Taunton J, Fujiwara K, Abe JI. "A crucial role for p90RSK-mediated reduction of ERK5 transcriptional activity in endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis." Circulation. 2013 Jan 29; 127(4):486-99. Epub 2012 Dec 14. |
2012 Oct
Heo KS, Fujiwara K, Abe JI. "Glucagon-like peptide-1 and its cardiovascular effects." Current atherosclerosis reports. 2012 Oct 0; 14(5):422-8. |
2012 Feb 17
Le NT, Takei Y, Shishido T, Woo CH, Chang E, Heo KS, Lee H, Lu Y, Morrell C, Oikawa M, McClain C, Wang X, Tournier C, Molina CA, Taunton J, Yan C, Fujiwara K, Patterson C, Yang J, Abe JI. "p90RSK targets the ERK5-CHIP ubiquitin E3 ligase activity in diabetic hearts and promotes cardiac apoptosis and dysfunction." Circulation research. 2012 Feb 17; 110(4):536-50. Epub 2012 Jan 19. |
