Research
  • Identification of autoantibodies associated with neuroinflammatory diseases and studies to examine the pathophysiology responsible for autoantibody mediated CNS dysfunction.

    Publications

    a. C Mandel-Brehm, D Dubey, TJ Kryzer, BD O’Donovan, B Tran, SE Vazquez, HA Sample, KC Zorn, LM Khan, IO Bledsoe, A McKeon, SJ Pleasure, VA Lennon, JL DeRisi, MR Wilson, SJ Pittock (2019) Kelch-like protein 11 antibodies in seminoma-associated paraneoplastic encephalitis. New England J. Medicine 381:47-54 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1816721

    b. M Richie, SP Pleasure, J Hurley, A Goss, MR Wilson (2020) ANA Investigates: Pioneering Unbiased Diagnostics. Annals of Neurology DOI: 10.1002/ana.25683 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31953868/

    c. J Zhou, Y Lin, T Huynh, H Noguchi, JO Bush, SJ Pleasure (2020) NMDA receptors control cortical axonal projections via EPHRIN-B/EPHB signaling. eLife https://elifesciences.org/articles/59612

    d. E Song*, CM Bartley*, RD Chow, T Ngo, R Jiang, CR Zamecnik, R Dandekar, R Loudermilk, Y Dai, F Liu, I Howes, BD Alvarenga, T Huynh, L McAlpine, N-T Rahman, B Geng, J Chiarella, B Israelow, CBF Vogels, ND Grubaugh, A Casanovas-Massana, BS Phinney, M Salemi, J Alexander, JA Gallego, T Lencz, J Walsh, C Lucas, J Klein, T Mao, J Oh, A Ring, S Spudich, A Ko, S Kleinstein, JL DeRisi, A Iwasaki, SJ Pleasure#, MR Wilson#, SF Farhadian# (2020) Exploratory neuroimmune profiling identifies CNS-specific alterations in COVID-19 patients with neurological involvement. Biorxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.11.293464

    * - co-first authors

    # - co-senior authors

  • Understanding how cortical circuits form at the molecular, signaling and anatomic level.

    Publications

    a. G Li, H Adesnik, J Li, J Long, R Nicoll, JLR Rubenstein, SJ Pleasure (2008) Regional distribution of cortical interneurons and development of inhibitory tone are regulated by Cxcl12/Cxcr4 signaling. Journal of Neuroscience 28:1085-1098. PMCID: PMC3072297

    b. Y Choe, JA Siegenthaler, SJ Pleasure (2012) A cascade of morphogenic signaling initiated by the meninges controls corpus callosum formation. Neuron 73:698-712. PMCID: PMC3292762

    c. L Cocas, G Fernandez, M Barch, J Doll, I Zamora Diaz, SJ Pleasure (2016) Cell type-specific circuit mapping reveals the presynaptic connectivity of developing cortical circuits. Journal of Neuroscience 36:3378-3390. PMCID: PMC4792945

    d. J Zhou, Y Lin, T Huynh, H Noguchi, JO Bush, SJ Pleasure (2020) NMDA receptors control cortical axonal projections via EPHRIN-B/EPHB signaling. eLife https://elifesciences.org/articles/59612

  • We pioneered the idea for a role for the cortical meninges in regulating the development of the cortex and hippocampus.

    Publications

    a. JA Siegenthaler, AM Ashique, K Zarbalis, KP Patterson, JH Hecht, MA Kane, AE Folias, Y Choe, SR May, T Kume, JL Napoli, AS Peterson, SJ Pleasure (2009) Retinoic acid from the meninges regulates cortical neuron generation. Cell 139:597-609. PMCID: PMC2772834

    b. JH Hecht, JA Siegenthaler, KP Patterson, SJ Pleasure (2010) Primary cellular meningeal defects cause neocortical dysplasia and dyslamination. Annals of Neurology 68:454-464. PMCID: PMC2966036

    c. Y Choe, JA Siegenthaler, SJ Pleasure (2012) A cascade of morphogenic signaling initiated by the meninges controls corpus callosum formation. Neuron 73:698-712. PMCID: PMC3292762

    d. S Mishra, Y Choe, SJ Pleasure, JA Siegenthaler (2016) Cerebrovascular defects in Foxc1 mutants correlate with aberrant WNT and VEGF-A pathways downstream of retinoic acid from the meninges. Developmental Biology 420:148-165. PMCID: PMC5124406

  • Work in the lab also studies the control of neural precursor development by morphogenic signals.

    Publications

    a. R Munji, Y Choe, G Li, J Siegenthaler, SJ Pleasure (2011) Wnt signaling regulates neuronal differentiation of cortical intermediate progenitors. Journal of Neuroscience 31:1676-1687. PMCID: PMC3040956

    b. O Yabut, G Fernadez, T Huynh, K Yoon, SJ Pleasure (2015) Suppressor of fused is critical for maintenance of neuronal progenitor identity during cortical neurogenesis. Cell Reports 12:2021-2034. PMCID: PMC4591209.

    c. H Noguchi, JG Castillo, K Nakashima, SJ Pleasure (2019) Suppressor of Fused controls perinatal expansion and quiescence of future dentate adult neural stem cells. eLife, 8:e42918. PMCID: PMC6459675.

    d. OR Yabut, H-X Ng, K Yoon, JC Arela, T Ngo, SJ Pleasure (2020) The neocortical specification program is established through combined modulation of SHH and FGF signaling. Journal of Neuroscience 40:6872-6887. PMCID: PMC7470916.

  • We have been main contributors to the field’s understanding of the molecular control of dentate gyrus development.

    Publications

    a. Y Choe, A Kozlova, D Graf, SJ Pleasure (2013) Bone morphogenic protein signaling is a major determinant of dentate development. Journal of Neuroscience 33:6766-6775. PMCID: PMC3684166

    b. G Li, L Fang, G Fernandez, SJ Pleasure (2013) The ventral hippocampus is the embryonic origin for adult neural stem cells in the dentate gyrus. Neuron 78:657:672. PMCID: PMC3669230

    c. Y Choe, T Huynh, SJ Pleasure (2015) Epithelial cells supply Sonic Hedgehog to the perinatal dentate gyrus via transport by platelets. eLife doi: 10.7554/eLife.07834. PMCID: PMC4600762  

    d. H Noguchi, JG Castillo, K Nakashima, SJ Pleasure (2019) Suppressor of Fused controls perinatal expansion and quiescence of future dentate adult neural stem cells. eLife, 8:e42918. PMCID: PMC6459675