Professor MOON Byung-san’s Research Team in Biomedical Engineering Reveals Mechanism Regulating Neural Progenitor Cell Self-Renewal and Differentiation

Published in Leading International Journal Experimental and Molecular Medicine (Top 3.8% in Medicine)

Breakthrough Expected to Accelerate Stem Cell–Based Therapies and Drug Development for Brain Disorders

[August 12, 2025]

<From left, Professor MOON Byung-san and Ph.D. candidate Maitikuinnu>

A research team led by Professor MOON Byung-san from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Yeungnam University (YU, President CHOI Oe-chool) has identified a novel molecular mechanism that regulates the self-renewal and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs).The study newly defines the “Wnt-Mbd3 axis” as a key pathway governing the maintenance of stemness and neuronal differentiation of NPCs, offering crucial insights that may pave the way for therapeutic strategies for abnormal brain development and neurodegenerative disorders. 

The research findings were published online on August 1, 2025, in Experimental and Molecular Medicine (Impact Factor: 12.9), an SCI-indexed international journal ranked in the top 3.8% in the field of Medicine, Research & Experimental. Ph.D. candidate Maitikuinnu served as the first author, with Professor MOON as the corresponding author.

The team discovered that Wnt signaling enhances the stability of the Mbd3 protein. Stabilized Mbd3, in conjunction with the NuRD complex, suppresses the expression of neuronal differentiation genes, thereby maintaining the stemness of NPCs.This breakthrough demonstrates for the first time that Wnt signaling and the Mbd3-NuRD complex—previously considered independent—function synergistically through the “Wnt-Mbd3 axis.” 

The study has been hailed as a major advance in understanding how neuronal fate is determined. It carries far-reaching implications, not only for brain development but also for developing stem cell–based therapeutic technologies for degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.By artificially modulating the Wnt-Mbd3 axis, it may become possible to direct stem cells to differentiate into specific types of neurons. This could also be leveraged to establish drug-screening platforms and significantly enhance the efficiency of new drug development. .

Professor MOON stated, “This research builds upon our long-standing studies in neural stem cell biology and represents a meaningful achievement that can guide new approaches in treating both brain developmental disorders and degenerative neurological diseases. Moving forward, we plan to further investigate the interaction between Wnt signaling and epigenetic regulation mechanisms, and extend this work to disease models related to aging and infertility.”

Prior to this study, Professor MOON’s team had already drawn attention in the field of stem cell regulation by publishing a series of related findings in leading journals including PLoS Biology (2017), PNAS (2017), Nature Communications (2018), and Journal of Clinical Investigation (2020).