University of California San Francisco, Postdoctoral Associate (2023/4-Present)

24. TanL⁺, Oertel F. C⁺, Cheng A⁺ (+, equal contribution), Cobigo Y, Keihani A, Bennett D, Abdelhak A,Montes S. C, Chapman M, Chen R, Cordano C, Ward M. E, Casaletto K, Kramer J. H, Rosen H. J, Boxer A, Miller B. L, Green A. J, Elahi F. M*, Lakkaraju A*.
Targeting complement C3a receptor resolves mitochondrial hyperfusion and subretinal microglial activation in progranulin-deficient frontotemporal dementia

BioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.29.595206.

Key Contributions: Draft writing, figure illustration, experimental design, data collection (including in vivo biochemical analyses, immunofluorescence, imaging, bioinformatics analysis), C3aR antagonist studies, and biostatistical analyses.

23. Cheng A*, Fukunaga K, Lakkaraju A.

Feasibility and considerations of Epsin2 as a candidate target for multiple system atrophy treatment.

Expert Opinion On Therapeutic Targets (2023) 27 (11), 1032-1034.

doi: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2277227

22. Tian Z*, Cheng A*.

Myelin in white matter function and related diseases.

Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience (2023) 16:1284273.

doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2023.1284273

Tohoku University, Assistant Professor (2022/4-2022/11)

21. Cheng A⁺ *, Jia W⁺, Finkelstein D, Stefanova N, Wang H, Sasaki T, Kawahata I, Fukunaga K*.

FABP7 inhibition for cerebellum ataxia: a pharmacological study in multiple system atrophy model mouse.

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2024) 45 (1), 66-75.

doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01138-y

20. Cheng A*, Kawahata I, Wang Y, Jia W, Wang H, Sekimori T, Chen Y, Suzuki H, Takeda A, Stefanova N, , Ma W, Chen M, Finkelstein D, Sasaki T*, Fukunaga K*.

Epsin2, a novel target for multiple system atrophy therapy via regulating α-synuclein propagation associated with FABP7.

Brain (2023) 146(8): 3172–3180.

doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad137

19. Jia W, Kawahata I, Cheng A, Sasaki T, Sasaoka T, Fukunaga K*.

Amelioration of Nicotine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference Behaviors by FABP3 Inhibitor in Mice

Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2023) 24(7): 6644.

doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076644

18. Wang H, Fukunaga K, Cheng A, Wang Y, Arimura N, Yoshino H, Sasaki T, Kawahata I*.

Novel FABP3 ligand, HY-11-9, ameliorates neuropathological deficits in MPTP-induced Parkinsonism in mice.

Journal of Pharmacological Sciences (2023) 152: 30-8.

doi.org10.1016j.jphs.2023.02.008

17. Guo Q, Kawahata I*, Jia W, Wang H, Cheng A, Yabuki, Shioda N, Fukunaga K*.

α-Synuclein decoy peptide protects mice against α-synuclein-induced memory loss.

CNS Neurosci Ther. (2023) 29: 1547-1560.

doi: 10.1111/CNS.14120

16. Guo Q, Kawahata I*, Cheng A, Wang H, Jia W, Yoshino H, Fukunaga K*.

Fatty acid-binding proteins 3 and 5 are involved in the initiation of mitochondrial damage in ischemic neurons.

Redox Biology (2023) 59: 102547.

doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102547

15. Ma W*, Wang Y, Li B, Zhou Y, Xu Y, Sun Y, Gu L*, Cheng A.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Potassium Vinyltrifluoroborate with Arenes: A Direct Access to Functionalized Styrene Derivatives.

Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis (2022) 364(22): 3881-3887.

doi.org/10.1002/adsc.202200745

14. Cheng A*, Fukunaga K.

Role of fatty acid-binding protein 7 and novel therapeutic approach in synucleinopathies.

Nihon Yakurigaku zasshi. Folia Pharmacologica Japonica (2022) 157(6): 396-400.

doi: 10.1254/fpj.22056

13. Cheng A, Wang Y, Shinoda Y, Kawahata I, Yamamoto T, Jia W, Yamamoto H, Mizobata T, Kawata Y, Fukunaga K.

Fatty acid-binding protein 7 triggers α-synuclein oligomerization in glial cells and oligodendrocytes associated with oxidative stress.

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2022) 43(3): 552-562.

doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00675-8

12. Guo Q*, Kawahata I, Cheng A, Jia W, Wang H and Fukunaga K*

Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins: Their Roles in Ischemic Stroke and Potential as Drug Targets.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2022) 23(17): 9648.

doi.org/10.3390/ijms23179648

Tohoku University, Doctor Student (2017/4－2022/3)

11. Cheng A, Jia W, Kawahata I, Fukunaga K*.

A novel fatty acid-binding protein 5 and 7 inhibitor ameliorates oligodendrocyte injury in multiple sclerosis mouse model.

eBioMedicine (2021) 72: 103582.

doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103582

10. Ma W*, Tan Y, Wang Y, Li Z, Li Z, Gu L, Mei R, Cheng A.

Hydroxyl-Directed Ruthenium-Catalyzed peri-Selective C-H Acylmethylation and Annulation of Naphthols with Su oxonium Ylides.

Org. Lett. (2021) 23: 6200–6205.

doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.1c01684

9. Cheng A, Kawahata I, Jia W, Fukunaga K*.

Impact of Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins in alpha- Synuclein-Induced Mitochondrial Injury in Synucleinopathy.

Biomedicines (2021) 9: 560.

doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9050560

8. Jia W, Kawahata I, Cheng A, Fukunaga K*.

The Role of CaMKII and ERK Signaling in Addiction.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2021) 22(6): 3189.

doi.org/10.3390/ijms22063189

7. Umaru BA, Kagawa Y, Shil SK, Arakawa N, Pan Y, Miyazaki H, Kobayashi S, Yang S, Cheng A, Wang Y, Shinoda Y, Kiniwa Y, Okuyama R, Fukunaga K, Owada Y*.

Ligand Bound Fatty Acid Binding Protein 7 (FABP7) Drives Melanoma Cell Proliferation Via Modulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.

Pharm Res. (2021) 38(3): 479-90.

doi: 10.1007/s11095-021-03009-9

6. Wang Y, Shinoda Y, Cheng A, Kawahata I, Fukunaga K*.

Epidermal Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 5 (FABP5) Involvement in Alpha-Synuclein-Induced Mitochondrial Injury Under Oxidative Stress.

Biomedicines (2021) 9: 110.

doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9020110

5. Yuan D, Cheng A, Kawahata I, Izumi H, Xu J, and Fukunaga K*.

Single Administration of the T-Type Calcium Channel Enhancer SAK3 Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Cognition in Olfactory Bulbectomized Mice.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2021) 22(2): 741.

doi: 10.3390/ijms22020741

4. Jia W, Wilar G, Kawahata I, Cheng A, and Fukunaga K*.

Impaired Acquisition of Nicotine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference in Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 3 Null Mice.

Molecular neurobiology (2021) 58: 2030-2045.

doi: 10.1007/s12035-020-02228-2

3. Cheng A, Kawahata I, and Fukunaga K*.

Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 Mediates Cell Death by Psychosine Exposure through Mitochondrial Macropores Formation in Oligodendrocytes.

Biomedicines (2020) 8: 635.

http://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8120635

2. Matsuo K, Cheng A, Yabuki Y, Takahata I, Miyachi H, and Fukunaga K*.

Inhibition of MPTP- induced α-synuclein oligomerization by fatty acid-binding protein 3 ligand in MPTP-treated mice.

Neuropharmacology (2019) 150: 164-74.

doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.03.029

1. Cheng A+, Shinoda Y+, Yamamoto T, Miyachi H, Fukunaga K*.

Development of FABP3 ligands that inhibit arachidonic acid-induced α-synuclein oligomerization.

Brain research (2019) 1707: 190-7.

doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.11.036