Professor Oh Young-joon’s Research Team Proposes New Concept for Preventing Neuron Death

A research team that includes Yonsei Professor Oh Young-joon from the Department of Systems Biology has discovered a mechanism—Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)—which causes the C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) to abandon its neuroprotective function, thereby contributing to neuronal cell death progression following neurotoxic stimuli. The research has significant potential in terms of developing treatments for regressive nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cerebral apoplexy. The results of the research were published July 24 in the online version of Cell Death and Differentiation; the article is titled “Phosphorylation of CHIP at Ser20 by Cdk5 promotes tAIF-mediated neuronal death.”

According to Professor Oh: “It is known worldwide that regressive nervous system diseases lead to death. The prevalence of such diseases will continue to increase as the society gets older. With the results of the research, it is possible to propose how Cdk5 controls might be crucial in terms of developing treatments for regressive nervous system disorders and diseases.” The project was sponsored by the Korea Research Foundation.