GHSU Cancer Center Robert K. Yu, PhD, MedScD
Molecular Oncology Program, Molecular Signaling; Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics

Research interests: The chemistry, metabolism and biological function of complex glycoconjugates, particularly glycosphingolipids.

The Yu Laboratory                                                                                     

                                                                                                research opportunities

Education

BS             1960         Tunghai University, Taiwan, ROC
PhD           1967          University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana

MedScD     1980         University of Tokyo

 

Current Research

Complex glycoconjugates, particularly glycosphingolipids, play crucial roles in determining cellular properties, such as intercellular interactions, recognition and adhesion. We are developing an understanding of the role of stage-specific glycoconjugates in governing cell events via several signaling pathways.

Focus on neurodegenerative disorders.

In the Yu laboratory, we are elucidating the basic mechanisms underlying a variety of neurodegenerative disorders with a goal of developing novel strategies in disease diagnosis and therapy.

Address : CA 1006

Medical College of Georgia
Georgia Health Sciences University

1120 15th Street

Augusta, GA 30912

Office: (706) 721-0699 

E-mail: ryu @georgiahealth.edu

Current projects are focused on the following areas:

• Developmental neurobiology – the role of glycoconjugates in cellular proliferation and differentiation as well as the metabolic basis and regulatory mechanisms for changes in their expression in normal brain development;
• Stem cell biology – role of glycoconjugates in neural stem cell differentiation and proliferation as well as use of stem cells in transplantation therapy;
• Mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders – the basic mechanisms underlying a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including neuroplasia, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune demyelinating neuropathies, mucopolysaccharidoses, sensorineural hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease
• Neurooncology – basic mechanisms of tumorigenesis and development of vaccine-based tumor suppression strategies.

Key References:

Yu RK, Nakatani Y and Yanagisawa M. Role of glycosphingolipid metabolism in the developing brain. J. Lipid Res. 2008, Oct. 14 [Epub ahead of print].

Yang CR. and Yu RK. Intracerebral transplantation of neural stem cells combined with trehalose ingestion alleviates pathology in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease. J. Neurosci. Res. 2008, Aug. 5 [Epub ahead of print]

Ariga T, Suetake K, Nakane M, Kubota M, Usuki S, Kawashima I and Yu RK. Glycosphingolipid antigens in neural tumor cell lines and anti-glycosphingolipid antibodies in ear of patients with neural tumors. NeuroSignals. 2008;16: 226-34.

Ariga T, McDonald MP and Yu RK. Role of ganglioside metabolism in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease — A review. J. Lipid Res. 2008; 49:1157-75.

Usuki S, Ariga T, Dasgupta S, Kasama T, Morikawa K, Nonaka  S, Okuhara Y, Kise M and Yu RK. Structural analysis of novel bioactive acylated steryl glucosides (ASGs) in pre-germinated brown rice bran. J. Lipid Res. 2008;49:2188-96.

Usuki S, Nakatani Y, Taguchi K, Fujita T, Tanabe S, Utsunomi I, Gu YH,Cawthraw S, Newell D, Pajaniappan M,Thompson S, Ariga T and Yu RK. Topology and patch-clamp analysis of the sodium channel in relationship to the anti-lipid A antibody in campylobacteriosis. J. Neurosci. Res.2008;86:3359-74.

Zeng G and Yu RK. Cloning and transcriptional regulation of ganglioside synthase genes. Current Drug Target 2008;9:317-24.

Ngamukote S, Yanagisawa M, Ariga T, Ando, S and Yu RK. Developmental changes of glycosphingolipids and expression of glycogenes in mouse brains. J. Neurochem. 2007;103:2327-41.

Yang CR, Liour SS, Dasgupta S and Yu RK. Inhibition of neuronal migration by JONES antibody is independent of 9-O-acetyl GD3 in GD3-synthase knockout mice. J. Neurosci. Res. 2007;85:1381-90.

Yanagisawa M and Yu RK. The expression and functions of glycoconjugates in neural stem cells. Glycobiol. 2007;17:57R-74R. (Ranked among the top 5 of the most frequently read articles in Glycobiology).

Yu RK and Yanagisawa M. Glycosignaling in neural stem cells: Involvement of glycoconjugates in signal transduction modulating the neural stem cell fate. J. Neurochem. 2007;103:39-46.

Yu RK, Yanagisawa M and Ariga T. (2007). Glycosphingolipid Structures. In JP Kamerling (Ed.), Comprehensive Glycoscience (pp. 73-122). Elsevier, Oxford, UK.

Dasgupta S, Yanagisawa M, Krishnamurthy K, Liour SS and Yu RK. TNF-α Upregulates glucuronosyltransferase gene expression in brain endothelial cells and promotes T cell adhesion. J. Neurosci. Res. 2007;85:1086-94.

Usuki S, Pahaniappan M, Thompson SA and Yu RK. Chemical validation of molecular mimicry: the interaction of cholera toxin with Campylobacter lipooligosaccharides. Glycoconj. J. 2007;24:167-180.

Yu RK, Usuki S and Ariga T. Ganglioside molecular mimicry and its pathological roles in Guillain-Barré syndrome and related diseases. Infect. & Immun. 2006;74:6517-27.

Sun X, Gao L, Yu RK and Zeng G. Down regulation of WNK1 protein kinase in neural progenitor cells suppresses cell proliferation and migration. J. Neurochem.2006; 99:1114-22.

Yanagisawa M, Ariga T and Yu RK. Fucosyl-GM1 expression and amyloid beta-protein accumulation in PC12 cells. J. Neurosci. Res. 2006;84:415-423.

Yanagisawa M, Ariga T and Yu RK. Colera toxin B subunit binding does not correlate with GM1 expression: A study using mouse neural precursor cells. Glycobiology. 2006;16:19G-23G.

Usuki S, Taguchi K, Cawthaw S, Shibata K, Ariga T, Newell DG and Yu RK. Human and chicken antibodies to gangliosides following infection by Camplyobacter jejuni. Exp. Neurol. 2006;200:50-55.

Usuki S, Thompson SA, Rivner MH, Taguchi K, Shibata K, Ariga T and Yu RK . Molecular mimicry: Sensitization of Lewis rats with Camplyobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides induces formation of antibody toward GD3 ganglioside. J. Neurosci. 2006;Res. 83:274-84.

Yu RK and Yanagisawa M. Glycobiology of neural stem cells. CNS & Neurol. Disorders-Drug Targets. 2006;5:15-423.

Liour SS, Kraemer SA, Dinkins MB, Su CY, Yanagisawa M and Yu RK. Further characterization of embryonic stem cell-derived radial glial cells. Glia. 2006;53:43-56.

Yanagisawa M, Taga T, Nakamura K, Ariga T and Yu RK. Characterization of glycoconjugate antigens in mouse embryonic neural precursor cells. J. Neurochem. 2005;95:1311-20.

Santiago MF, Liour SS, Mendez-Otero R and Yu RK. Glial guided neuronal migration in P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cell aggregates. J. Neurosci. Res. 2005;81:9-20.

Liour SS, Dinkins MB, Su CY and Yu RK. Spatiotemporal expression of GM1 in murine medial pallial neural progenitor cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 2005;491:330-338.

Usuki S, Sanchez J, Ariga A, Utsunomiya I, Taguchi K, Rivner MH and Yu RK. AIDP and CIDP having specific antibodies to the carbohydrate epitope (-NeuAcα2-8NeuAcα2-3Galβ1-4Glc-) of gangliosides. J. Neurol. Sci. 2005; 80:1-17.

Ariga T and Yu RK. Anti-glycolipid antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndome and related diseases: A review of clinical features and antibody specificities. J. Neurosci. Res. 80: 1-17, 2005.

Tencomnao T, Kapitonov D, Bieberich E and Yu RK. Transcriptional regulation of the human UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (hCGT) gene expression: Functional Role of GC-box and CRE. Glycoconj. J. 2004;20:339-51.

Yu RK, Bieberich E, Xia T and Zeng G. Developmental regulation of ganglioside biosynthesis in the nervous system. J. Lipid Res. 2004;45:783-93.

Yanagisawa M, Liour SS and Yu RK. Involvement of gangliosides in proliferation of immortalized neural progenitor cells. J. Neurochem. 2004;91: 804-12.

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