韩国首尔东国大学Jongpil Kim课题组在研究中取得进展。他们提出了电磁场诱导的体内基因开关用于基因表达的远程时空控制。2026年4月14日出版的《细胞》发表了这项成果。
该研究团队提出了一种响应电磁场（EMFs）的远程控制体内基因开关，可以精确地激活靶基因的时空。该课题组研究人员通过CRISPR-Cas9筛选揭示了EMF诱导的基因开关激活机制，确定细胞色素b5 B型（Cyb5b）是可能作为EMF传感器的重要介质。EMF诱导的基因开关被有节奏的振荡钙动力学激活，而不是普通的钙流入，定义了一个精确调谐和生物正交的诱导机制。
在功能上，EMF激活Oct4-Sox2-Klf4 （OSK）盒诱导老年小鼠体内部分重编程，人类突变淀粉样前体蛋白（APP）的条件表达重现了阿尔茨海默病（AD）模型的病理特征，EMF介导的Tph2表达恢复了Tph2突变抑郁症小鼠的血清素能活性并改善了抑郁样行为。总之，远程控制的电磁诱导基因开关代表了一个多功能和有效的生物医学平台。
据介绍，获得基因表达的精确控制在生物医学应用中至关重要。然而，时空精度仍然具有挑战性。
附：英文原文
Title: Electromagnetic field-inducible in vivo gene switch for remote spatiotemporal control of gene expression
Author: Junyeop Kim, Yerim Hwang, Sumin Kim, Daeyeol Kwon, Jeonghyun Park, Byounggook Cho, Saemin An, Soi Kang, Yunkyung Kim, Seonghun Kim, Christopher J. Lengner, Soochan Kim, Youngeun Kwon, Jung-Suk Sung, Jongpil Kim
Issue&Volume: 2026-04-14
Abstract: Gaining precise control of gene expression is crucial in biomedical applications. However, spatiotemporal precision remains challenging. Here, we present a remotely controlled in vivo gene switch responsive to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that enables precise spatiotemporal activation of target genes. We uncovered the EMF-inducible gene switch activation mechanism via a CRISPR-Cas9 screen, identifying cytochrome b5 type B (Cyb5b) as an essential mediator likely acting as an EMF sensor. The EMF-inducible gene switch was activated by rhythmic oscillatory calcium dynamics rather than generic calcium influx, defining a precisely tuned and bio-orthogonal induction mechanism. Functionally, EMF activation of the Oct4-Sox2-Klf4 (OSK) cassette induced in vivo partial reprogramming in aged mice, conditional expression of human mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) modeling recapitulated pathological features, and EMF-mediated Tph2 expression restored serotonergic activity and ameliorated depressive-like behaviors in Tph2-mutant depression mice. Overall, a remotely controlled EMF-inducible gene switch represents a versatile and effective biomedical platform.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.029
Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(26)00330-2