DECIPHERING THE LANGUAGE OF ASTROCYTES: Yu sets research sights on the stars

One of the newest scientists joining the IMM’s Center for Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology is Xinzhu Yu, PhD, who will start her new role on May 1.

A neuroscientist by training, Yu has focused her research on brain function and neuropsychiatric diseases related to brain dysfunction as she developed her lab over the last four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign.

Her specific interest is deciphering the language of astrocytes – the ‘star’ cells of the brain – which are the most abundant non-neuronal cells that exist throughout the brain. “The IMM’s Center for Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology is a perfect environment to pursue my research on astrocytes, which are star-shaped cells in the brain that look very pretty,” she said, adding that little is known about their contributions to brain function and dysfunction.

Astrocytes appeared on her research radar when investigating the molecular mechanism regulating how neurons are wired during development. “It turned out, that one molecule guiding the neurons to connect properly to each other is expressed by astrocytes in the brain. And I was very curious about what those cells are doing, and why they are there, are they just helping the neurons to wire, or are they actually doing something more significant?” she asked.

Her research led her to look at the role of astrocytes in several brain disorders, including Fragile X Syndrome, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety disorders. “I think they are doing something more fundamental and very actively helping the brain to function properly,” she said.

In a recent study led by Yu’s lab looking at the role of astrocytes in anxiety disorders, they discovered that after silencing astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex of animal models, the animals became more anxious. “We found that interesting and significant, because anxiety disorder is the most common mental illness,” she said, adding that this is the first study linking astrocyte function directly with anxiety on the molecular, cellular, and system levels.

Currently, her lab is looking into the role that astrocytes play in Alzheimer’s disease. “We are analyzing how astrocytes change during the progression of this disease, and what changes first. I hope we can use this information to develop early diagnosis or intervention to help patients,” she said.

Multiple sclerosis is another focus for Yu and her colleagues. Here, they are looking at how T cells from the immune system interact with astrocytes in the brain. “When immune cells get into the brain, what kind of conversations are they having with other brain cells that are already there?” she asked, adding that astrocytes may act as a sensor to immune responses.

Yu said she is looking forward to the collaborative environment of the IMM, including direct access to physicians and even patients to collect data firsthand. “It will take us decades to finally figure out what’s happening in the brain, but I have a lot of hope,” she said.