Jo, Misung

Jo Lab Research - Introduction

The overall research goal in my laboratory is to understand ovarian physiology, with key emphasis on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the periovulatory process of the expansion of cumulus-oocyte complex (COC), ovulation, and CL formation in the ovary. The ovulatory process is a prerequisite for successful fertility in females. Considerable research efforts have been directed to identify the factors that play crucial roles in these ovulatory processes, thus aiming to develop novel clinical approaches to improve female fertility or manage infertility-associated disorders.

Project 1)

The preovulatory gonadotropin (LH/FSH) surge induces the extensive reprogramming of gene expression in periovulatory follicles to bring out the periovulatory process. Transcription factors induced by the LH surge in the periovulatory follicles play a central role in these processes by directly controlling the expression of periovulatory genes. Of particular interest in our laboratory has been on a family of transcription factors, Activator protein-1 (AP-1. AP-1 transcription factor consists of Fos and Jun families and acts as homo- or heterodimers to regulate the expression of numerous genes. One of the ongoing projects in our laboratory is to determine the role of AP-1 transcription factors in the ovulatory process in the rodent and human ovary. This project utilizes RNA-seq and accompanying bioinformatics analyses to determine AP-1’s downstream target genes in periovulatory granulosa cells of mice and humans.

Participants:

PI – Misung Jo

Scientist – Yohan Choi

Graduate Students – Hayce Jeon

Lab technician – Shawn Park

Project 2)

Our laboratory is interested in nuclear receptors for steroid hormones, progesterone (PGR) and cortisol (NR3C1), which are time-dependently upregulated by the LH surge in human periovulatory granulosa cells. When these steroid hormones bind to their respective receptors, the complex stimulates or suppresses the expression of various genes. We have recently reported that progesterone/PGR plays important roles in the ovulatory process by regulating the expression of genes involved in synthesis and transport of prostaglandins (another key ovulatory factor). We are also investigating the role of NR3C1 in the human ovary. High-throughput next-generation sequencing and following bioinformatics analyses will be utilized for this project.

Participants:

PI – Misung Jo

Scientist – Yohan Choi

Graduate Students – Hayce Jeon

Project 3)

Another project of our laboratory is to identify leukocyte subpopulations in the periovulatory follicle and their roles in the human ovary. A few hours after the LH surge, millions of leukocytes are infiltrated into the ovary. However, little is known about 1) what types of leukocytes are introduced, 2) what mechanisms bring/hold the leukocytes into the follicle, and 3) how the leukocytes contribute the ovulatory process in the ovary, especially in humans. This project takes advantage of single-cell RNA-seq and following bioinformatics analyses to, based on individual cell expression profiles, identify leukocyte subpopulations in the ovulatory follicles and demonstrate how leukocytes impact the ovulatory process by collaborating with periovulatory granulosa cells in the human ovary.

Participants:

PI – Misung Jo

Scientist – Yohan Choi

Software:

Cell Ranger (v6.0.2 from 10X genomics), Illumina® bcl2fastq (v2.20 or higher), sequence analyzer (blast, bowtie, trinity, DESeq2)

Grants:

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