Wenfei Sun

Jan 17, 2024 | nature.com | Shuai Wang |Wenfei Sun |Stephen R. Quake |Bryan Roth

AbstractThe assembly and specification of synapses in the brain is incompletely understood1,2,3. Latrophilin-3 (encoded by Adgrl3, also known as Lphn3)—a postsynaptic adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor—mediates synapse formation in the hippocampus4 but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here we show in mice that LPHN3 organizes synapses through a convergent dual-pathway mechanism: activation of Gαs signalling and recruitment of phase-separated postsynaptic protein scaffolds.

Oct 3, 2023 | biorxiv.org | Shuai Wang |Thomas C. Südhof |Wenfei Sun |Stephen R. Quake

AbstractThe assembly and specification of synapses in the brain is incompletely understood. Latrophilin-3, a postsynaptic adhesion-GPCR, mediates synapse formation in the hippocampus but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here we show that Latrophilin-3 organizes synapses by a novel dual-pathway mechanism: activation of GαS/cAMP-signaling and recruitment of phase-separated postsynaptic protein scaffolds.

Jul 13, 2023 | nature.com | Vissarion Efthymiou |Wenfei Sun |Hua Dong

AbstractThe current obesity epidemic and high prevalence of metabolic diseases necessitate efficacious and safe treatments. Brown adipose tissue in this context is a promising target with the potential to increase energy expenditure, however no pharmacological treatments activating brown adipose tissue are currently available. Here, we identify AXL receptor tyrosine kinase as a regulator of adipose function.