Taniguchi Laboratory

Taniguchi lab aims to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms of gene expression that drive behavioral adaptations to emotional experiences, including pathological behaviors associated with substance use disorder and stress-related mental disorders (e.g., reward-seeking behavior, anxiety, and altered motivation toward natural or drug rewards). To achieve this, we integrate advanced molecular biology techniques with rodent behavior assays to investigate how gene expression shapes behavior under both normal and pathological conditions.       

Research:
Epigenetic regulation of substance use disorder-related behavior.
Cocaine exposure activates cAMP-PP2A signaling pathway. Dephosphorylated HDAC5 translocate into nucleus and binds to the enhancer of Npas4 gene. The nuclear HDAC5 and its target Npas4 in the nucleus accumbens control the formation of cocaine reward-associated contextual memory.

Figure 1. HDAC5 and its target gene, Npas4,
function in the NAc to regulate cocaine
conditioned behavior.
Taniguchi et al., Neuron, 2012 and Taniguchi and Carreira et al., Neuron, 2017.

Transcriptional mechanisms underlying stress-induced behavioral changes.
Social defeat stress induces robust NPAS4 expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Chronic exposure to social defeat stress results in repeated NPAS4 expression in the mPFC, leading to excessive synaptic downregulation. This neuronal adaptation is associated with anhedonia-like behavioral deficits, including reduced sucrose preference and effort-based reward-seeking motivation behavior.

Figure 2. NPAS4 in the mPFC controls chronic
stress-induced anhedonia-like deficit in
reward-related behavior and synaptic plasticity
Hughes et al., eLife, 2023.

Epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms of behavioral plasticity in response to emotional experiences.
A long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) forms a DNA:RNA hybrid triple-strand genome structure known as an R-loop at the enhancer of Npas4 gene in response to emotional experiences. This R-loop is necessary for formation of a 3D chromatin loop that connects the enhancer to the proximal promoter of Npas4 gene. The LncRNA and R-loop are required for activity-dependent Npas4 gene expression in neurons, highlighting their fundamental role in transition emotional experience into gene expression underlying behavioral plasticity

Figure 3. A long noncoding RNA forms
R-loop to shape emotional experience-
induced behavioral adaptation.
Akiki et al., Science, 2024.

Experimental approach:
Molecular mechanisms of gene expression:
We use molecular biology techniques to uncover the regulatory mechanisms that control gene expression. Our work focuses on epigenetic modifications with approaches chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq), chromatin genome 3D loop structure, and non-coding RNA function. In parallel, we generate new genetic tools to manipulate gene expressions and regulatory mechanisms in vivo. 

Rodent behavior assay:
We use viral-mediated techniques to manipulate epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and target genes expression in vivo, enabling us to examine their roles in reward-related behaviors. Rodents receiving viral-mediated gene manipulation are subjected to cocaine/heroin or stressor exposure paradigm, followed by a range of behavior assays, including general learning and memory, mood-related behaviors, reward-seeking behaviors, drug addiction, and depression-related behaviors.

These approaches, combined with newly develop molecular tools, offer novel insights into the fundamental neuroscience field and identify the pathological mechanisms of human mental disorders.
 

Education and Training
Taniguchi lab offers research training opportunities for postdoctoral researchers, research staff, laboratory technicians, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Training includes research design, experimental planning and execution, critical reading of scientific literature, constructive scientific discussion, and effective teamwork. We foster a supportive and intellectually engaging environment that embraces the challenges and encourage curiosity. Our goal is to empower trainees to pursue meaningful scientific questions, advance knowledge, and support their professional development.

 
Team members:
 
Makoto Taniguchi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biography: Dr. Taniguchi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. from Tokyo Metropolitan University in Tokyo, Japan, where he trained in molecular biology with a focus on protein signaling pathway. During his postdoctoral training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, he expanded his expertise to psychiatric neuroscience. His research interest further broadened at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, where he began stress-related psychiatric disorders. Following training, Dr. Taniguchi joined MUSC as a research assistant professor. He was subsequently promoted to a tenure-track Assistant professor and then to Associate professor in 2025. His current research focuses on transcriptional mechanisms that underlie behavioral plasticity in response to emotional experiences, including exposure to drugs and stressor.

 

Caila Worley, B.S.
Laboratory Specialist
Biography: Caila developed an interest in genetics and molecular biology throughout her undergraduate education at the College of Charleston. She joined the Taniguchi lab as an intern, investigating the molecular underpinnings of neuroscience, specifically as it relates to substance use disorder, and continues this research now as a post-graduate. Caila aims to continue researching the fundamental mechanisms of addiction and to significantly contribute to the rapidly growing field of neuroscience.

 

Sierra Simmerson, B.S.
Laboratory Specialist


 
Rose Marie Akiki, B.S.
MD-PhD Student
Biography: Rose Marie's ambitions are focused on studying the molecular neurobiology of mental illnesses notably the molecular mechanisms behind drug reward learning. During her undergraduate and her medical school years, she investigated immune disturbances underlying Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders. She later gained interest in psychiatric illnesses while working on a clinical study on Major Depressive Disorder treatments. As a Ph.D. student in the Cowan lab and Taniguchi Lab, Rose Marie is using cutting-edge molecular tools to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA in driving neuronal plasticity underlying learning of drug reward. She hopes that via her work she could contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms of emotions.

Previous Members:
Sara Pilling (~2020), Rebecca Cornbrooks (2020-2021: Graduate Program at MUSC), Christopher Driscoll (2021), Philip Mace (2022-2023), Claire Herrington (2023-2024: Graduate Program at Boston University), Magami Kosuke (2021-2022), and Rei Nishimoto (2023-2024)


Taniguchi Laboratory Recent Publications (2020-current):
Anderson EM, Tsvetkov E, Wood D, Akiki RM, Al Hasanieh K, McCue LM, Taniguchi M, Lavin A, Cowan CW. Heroin regulates the voltage-gated sodium channel auxiliary subunit, SCN1b, to modulate nucleus accumbens medium spiny neuron intrinsic excitability and cue-induced heroin seeking, eNeuro, 2025, PMID: 39947903

Wood DJ, Tsvetkov E, Comte-Walters S, Welsh CL, Bloyd M, Wood TG, Akiki RM, Anderson EM, Penrod RD, Madan LK, Ball LE, Taniguchi M, Cowan CW, Epigenetic control of an auxiliary subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels regulates the strength of drug-cue associations and relapse-like cocaine seeking, Biol. Psychiatry, 2025, PMID: 39923817

Akiki, RM, Cornbrooks G. R, Magami K, Greige A, Snyder K. K, Wood J. D, Herrington M. C, Mace P, Blidy K, Koike N, Berto S, Cowan C. W δ, Taniguchi M δ, A long non-coding eRNA forms R-loops to shape emotional experience-induced behavioral adaptation. δ Corresponding Authors, Science, 2024 December, PMID: 39666799

Wood DJ, Huebschman JL, Martinez D, Tsvetkov E, Snyder K, Tjhia R, Kumar J, Hughes BW, Taniguchi M, Smith LN, Cowan CW, Penrod RD. The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) functions in a cell type- and sex-specific manner in the adult nucleus accumbens to regulate non-contingent cocaine behaviors. Genes Brain Behavior. 2024, PMID: 39164860

Hughes BW#+., Huebschman J+ , Tsvetkov E., Siemsen BM#., Snyder KK., Akiki RM*., Wood D*., Penrod RD., Scofield MD., Berto S., Taniguchi M++. and Cowan CW++. NPAS4 supports cocaine conditioned-cue in rodents by controlling the cell type-specific activation balance in the nucleus accumbens. Nature Communications, 2024. (+These authors contributed equally), (++ Co-corresponding author)

Armenta-Resendiz M, Carter JS*, Hunter Z, Taniguchi M, Reichel CM, Lavin A., Sex Differences in behavior, cognitive, and physiological recovery following methamphetamine administration, Psychopharmacology, 2024 July, PMID: 38953940

Penrod RD, Taniguchi M, Kearns AM, Hopkins JL, Reichel CM. Differential Roles of Oxytocin Receptors in the Prefrontal Cortex and Nucleus Accumbens on Cocaine Self-Administration and Reinstatement of Cued Cocaine Seeking in Male Rats. Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2023 Dec, PMID: 37875346

Chao YS, Parrilla-Carrero J, Eid M, Culver OP, Jackson TB, Lipat R, Taniguchi M, Jhou TC. Innate cocaine-seeking vulnerability arising from loss of serotonin-mediated aversive effects of cocaine in rats. Cell Report, 2023 April, PMID: 37083325

Hughes B W#, Siemsen B M#, Tsvetkov E, Berto S, Kumar J, Cornbrooks R G, Akiki R M, Cho J Y, Carter J S, Snyder K K, Assali A, Scofield M S, Cowan C W++, Taniguchi M++, NPAS4 in the medial prefrontal cortex mediates chronic social defeat stress-induced anhedonia-like behavior and reductions in excitatory synapses, eLife, 2023 Feb, PMID: 36780219, (++ Co-corresponding author)

Anderson EM, Tsvetkov E, Galante A, DeVries D, McCue LM, Wood D, Barry S, Berto S, Lavin A, Taniguchi M, Cowan CW. Epigenetic function during heroin self-administration controls future relapse-associated behavior in a cell type-specific manner. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Feb, PMID: 36745812

Anderson EM, Taniguchi M. Epigenetic Effects of Addictive Drugs in the Nucleus Accumbens. Frontier Molecular Neuroscience, 2022

Penrod RD, Thomsen M, Taniguchi M, Guo Y, Cowan CW, Smith LN. The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, Arc/Arg3.1, influences mouse cocaine self-administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 2020 Jan.

Complete list of published work in MyBibliography