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Sung Soo Chung

Seoul National University · Medicine

About the Lab

Professor Sung Soo Chung's research lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases, particularly insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and adipogenesis, with a strong emphasis on transcriptional and post-translational regulation. The lab investigates the roles of nuclear receptors (e.g., PPARγ, PPARδ), SUMOylation machinery (especially SENP2), and signaling pathways (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin) in energy metabolism and cellular differentiation. Additionally, the lab explores spinal biomechanics and clinical outcomes in lumbar total disc replacement, linking molecular regulation to orthopedic surgery and patient recovery. Their work bridges molecular biology with translational medicine, aiming to identify novel therapeutic targets for metabolic and degenerative diseases.

insulin resistanceadipogenesisSUMOylationPPAR signalinglumbar disc replacement

Research Overview

Papers
168
Total Citations
3,853
Papers (5y)
22
Primary Field
Medicine

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
22total
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Citations per year (5y)
112total
20212022202320242025

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|175 citations·2008
Glutathione Peroxidase 3 Mediates the Antioxidant Effect of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in Human Skeletal Muscle Cells
Sung Soo Chung, Min Kim, Byoung-Soo Youn, Nam Seok Lee, Ji Woo Park, In Kyu Lee, Yun Sok Lee, Jae Bum Kim, Young Min Cho, Hong Kyu Lee, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q2Molecular and Cellular BiologyOA

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus and in diabetic vascular complications. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a class of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists, improve insulin sensitivity and are currently used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, we show that TZD prevents oxidative stress-induced insulin resistance in human skeletal muscle cells, as indicated by the increase in i

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
Article|85 citations·2010
Control of Adipogenesis by the SUMO-Specific Protease SENP2
Sung Soo Chung, Byung Yong Ahn, Min Kim, Hye Hun Choi, Ho Seon Park, Shinae Kang, Sang Gyu Park, Young‐Bum Kim, Young Min Cho, Hong-Kyu Lee, Chin Ha Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q2Molecular and Cellular BiologyOA

Here, we demonstrate that SENP2, a desumoylating enzyme, plays a critical role in the control of adipogenesis. SENP2 expression was markedly increased upon the induction of adipocyte differentiation, and this increase was dependent on protein kinase A activation. Remarkably, knockdown of SENP2 led to a dramatic attenuation of adipogenesis with a marked decrease in PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA levels. Knockdown of SENP2 also caused a marked reduction in the level of C/EBPbeta protein but not in

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
3
Article|61 citations·2006
Lumbar Total Disc Replacement Using ProDisc II
Sung Soo Chung, Chong Suh Lee, Chang Seok Kang
Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques

A lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) is believed to be a promising substitute in the surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disc disease. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 36 consecutive patients who underwent lumbar TDR using ProDisc II, and the factors associated with a better clinical outcome after a 2-year minimum follow-up. At the time of the latest follow-up, the success rate was 94% of 36 patients according to the criteria of the US Food

Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
4
Article|59 citations·2015
SUMO-Specific Protease 2 (SENP2) Is an Important Regulator of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle
Young Do Koo, Jin Woo Choi, Myung‐Jin Kim, Sehyun Chae, Byung Yong Ahn, Min Kim, Byung‐Chul Oh, Daehee Hwang, Jae Hong Seol, Young‐Bum Kim, Young Joo Park, Sung Soo Chung
SJR Q1DiabetesOA

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-specific proteases (SENPs) that reverse protein modification by SUMO are involved in the control of numerous cellular processes, including transcription, cell division, and cancer development. However, the physiological function of SENPs in energy metabolism remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of SENP2 in fatty acid metabolism in C2C12 myotubes and in vivo. In C2C12 myotubes, treatment with saturated fatty acids, like palmitate, led to nuclear fac

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
5
Article|56 citations·2017
Carnitine induces autophagy and restores high-fat diet-induced mitochondrial dysfunction
Jin Woo Choi, Jung Hun Ohn, Hye Seung Jung, Young Joo Park, Hak Chul Jang, Sung Soo Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1Metabolism
Clinical BiochemistryBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
6
Article|54 citations·2011
Regulation of Wnt/β‐Catenin Signaling by CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein β During Adipogenesis
Sung Soo Chung, Ji Seon Lee, Min Kim, Byung Yong Ahn, Hye Seung Jung, Hak Mo Lee, Jae Woo Kim, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1ObesityOA

Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibits adipogenesis, while disruption of Wnt signaling leads to spontaneous adipogenesis. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) is rapidly induced in early stages of adipogenesis and is responsible for transcriptional induction of two major adipogenic transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and C/EBPα. In this study, we examined whether C/EBPβ is involved in the suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling duri

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
7
Article|52 citations·2006
The Effect of Lumbar Total Disc Replacement on the Spinopelvic Alignment and Range of Motion of the Lumbar Spine
Sung Soo Chung, Chong Suh Lee, Chang Seok Kang, Sang Hyun Kim
Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques

A lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) is a type of motion-preserving surgery, which aims to restore and maintain the normal range of motion (ROM) and the sagittal balance of the spine. However, little is known regarding how the spinopelvic alignment and ROM of the lumbar spine are influenced by the lumbar TDR with ProDisc. This study retrospectively analyzed the sagittal alignment and ROM of the lumbar spine in 26 consecutive patients who had undergone the TDR with ProDisc with a minimum follow-

Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
8
Article|47 citations·2015
SIRT3 Overexpression Attenuates Palmitate-Induced Pancreatic β-Cell Dysfunction
Min Kim, Ji Seon Lee, Joo En Oh, Jinyan Nan, Hakmo Lee, Hye Seung Jung, Sung Soo Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1PLoS ONEOA

Abnormally high levels of circulating free fatty acids can lead to pancreatic islet β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis, contributing to β-cell failure in Type 2 diabetes. The NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase Sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) has been implicated in Type 2 diabetes. In this study, we tested whether SIRT3 overexpression affects palmitate-induced β-cell dysfunction in cells of line NIT1, which are derived from mouse pancreatic β-cells. Two different lengths of SIRT3 were overexpressed: full length

Geriatrics and GerontologyMedicine
9
Article|39 citations·2010
SUMO modification selectively regulates transcriptional activity of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ in C2C12 myotubes
Sung Soo Chung, Byung Yong Ahn, Min Kim, Jun Ho Kho, Hye Seung Jung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1Biochemical Journal

PPAR (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor) γ, a nuclear receptor, can be conjugated with SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier), which results in the negative regulation of its transcriptional activity. In the present study, we tested whether de-SUMOylation of PPARγ affects the expression of PPARγ target genes in mouse muscle cells and investigated the mechanism by which de-SUMOylation increases PPARγ transcriptional activity. We found that the SUMO-specific protease SENP2 [SUMO1/sentrin/SM

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
10
Article|31 citations·2007
미국과 영국의 교장 양성 및 자격 프로그램 분석
정성수, 김도기, 이쌍철

>본 연구는 미국과 영국의 교장 양성(자격) 과정을 분석해 봄으로써 한국 교장 자격 제도의 바람직한 개선 방향을 모색하본 연구는 미국과 영국의 교장 양성(자격) 과정을 분석해 봄으로써 한국 교장 자격 제도의 바람직한 개선 방향을 모색하는 데 그 목적이 있다. 연구목적을 달성하기 위해, 우리나라와 달리 각 주마다 서로 다른 교장 양성 및 자격 프로그램을 실시하고 있는 미국의 사례와 우리나라와 유사하게 교장 자격을 국가에서 관리하고 있는 영국의 사례를 선정하여 분석하였다. 구체적으로, 미국의 경우, 비교적 큰 도시인 뉴욕주 콜롬비아 대학의 교장 양성프로그램(SPA)을 중심으로 캘리포니아주 UC-버클리 대학의 교장 양성 프로그램(PLI)을 비교하여 분석하였고, 영국은 영국국립교장연수원의 교장 자격 연수(NPQH)프로그램을 분석하였다. 연구 결과, 다음과 같은 시사점을 도출하였다. 첫째, 학교장으로써 지녀야할 핵심 역량에 기반하여 교장 자격 연수 내용이 구성되어야 한다. 둘째, 현행 1

11
Article|31 citations·2016
F-box only protein 9 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of PPARγ
Kyeong Won Lee, Soo Heon Kwak, Young Do Koo, Yun-Kyung Cho, Hak Mo Lee, Hye Seung Jung, Young Min Cho, Young Joo Park, Sung Soo Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1Experimental & Molecular MedicineOA

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a critical regulator of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, adipocyte differentiation and inflammatory response. Post-translational modification of PPARγ and its degradation involve several pathways, including the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Here, we identified F-box only protein 9 (FBXO9) as an E3 ubiquitin ligase of PPARγ. We screened interacting partners of PPARγ using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometric analysis and identifie

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
12
Article|30 citations·2019
SUMO-specific protease 2 mediates leptin-induced fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle
Young Do Koo, Ji Seon Lee, Seung‐Ah Lee, Paula G.F. Quaresma, Ratan V. Bhat, William G. Haynes, Young Joo Park, Young‐Bum Kim, Sung Soo Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1MetabolismOA
PhysiologyMedicine
13
Article|29 citations·2006
Sp1 mediates repression of the resistin gene by PPARγ agonists in 3T3-L1 adipocytes
Sung Soo Chung, HyeJi Choi, Y.M. Cho, Hyoung‐Koo Lee, K.S. Park
SJR Q2Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
EpidemiologyMedicine
14
Article|28 citations·2022
SENP2 regulates mitochondrial function and insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells
Jinyan Nan, Ji Seon Lee, Joon Ho Moon, Seung‐Ah Lee, Young Joo Park, Dong‐Sup Lee, Sung Soo Chung, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q1Experimental & Molecular MedicineOA

Increasing evidence has shown that small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification plays an important role in metabolic regulation. We previously demonstrated that SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is involved in lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipogenesis. In this study, we investigated the function of SENP2 in pancreatic β cells by generating a β cell-specific knockout (Senp2-βKO) mouse model. Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion were significantly impaired in the Senp2-βKO mice.

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
15
Article|27 citations·2008
Activation of PPARγ negatively regulates O-GlcNAcylation of Sp1
Sung Soo Chung, Ji Hyun Kim, Ho Seon Park, Hye Hun Choi, Kyeong Won Lee, Young Min Cho, Hong Kyu Lee, Kyong Soo Park
SJR Q2Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Areas

SurgeryMolecular BiologyPathology and Forensic MedicineBiomedical EngineeringPhysiologyElectrical and Electronic Engineering

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