@article{GroebnerWorstWeischenfeldtetal.2018, author = {Gr{\"o}bner, Susanne N. and Worst, Barbara C. and Weischenfeldt, Joachim and Buchhalter, Ivo and Kleinheinz, Kortine and Rudneva, Vasilisa A. and Johann, Pascal D. and Balasubramanian, Gnana Prakash and Segura-Wang, Maia and Brabetz, Sebastian and Bender, Sebastian and Hutter, Barbara and Sturm, Dominik and Pfaff, Elke and H{\"u}bschmann, Daniel and Zipprich, Gideon and Heinold, Michael and Eils, J{\"u}rgen and Lawerenz, Christian and Erkek, Serap and Lambo, Sander and Waszak, Sebastian and Blattmann, Claudia and Borkhardt, Arndt and Kuhlen, Michaela and Eggert, Angelika and Fulda, Simone and Gessler, Manfred and Wegert, Jenny and Kappler, Roland and Baumhoer, Daniel and Stefan, Burdach and Kirschner-Schwabe, Renate and Kontny, Udo and Kulozik, Andreas E. and Lohmann, Dietmar and Hettmer, Simone and Eckert, Cornelia and Bielack, Stefan and Nathrath, Michaela and Niemeyer, Charlotte and Richter, G{\"u}nther H. and Schulte, Johannes and Siebert, Reiner and Westermann, Frank and Molenaar, Jan J. and Vassal, Gilles and Witt, Hendrik and Burkhardt, Birgit and Kratz, Christian P. and Witt, Olaf and van Tilburg, Cornelis M. and Kramm, Christof M. and Fleischhack, Gudrun and Dirksen, Uta and Rutkowski, Stefan and Fr{\"u}hwald, Michael and Hoff, Katja von and Wolf, Stephan and Klingebeil, Thomas and Koscielniak, Ewa and Landgraf, Pablo and Koster, Jan and Resnick, Adam C. and Zhang, Jinghui and Liu, Yanling and Zhou, Xin and Waanders, Angela J. and Zwijnenburg, Danny A. and Raman, Pichai and Brors, Benedikt and Weber, Ursula D. and Northcott, Paul A. and Pajtler, Kristian W. and Kool, Marcel and Piro, Rosario M. and Korbel, Jan O. and Schlesner, Matthias and Eils, Roland and Jones, David T. W. and Lichter, Peter and Chavez, Lukas and Zapatka, Marc and Pfister, Stefan M.}, title = {The landscape of genomic alterations across childhood cancers}, series = {Nature}, volume = {555}, journal = {Nature}, organization = {ICGC PedBrain-Seq Project, ICGC MMML-Seq Project,}, doi = {10.1038/nature25480}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-229579}, pages = {321-327}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Pan-cancer analyses that examine commonalities and differences among various cancer types have emerged as a powerful way to obtain novel insights into cancer biology. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of genetic alterations in a pan-cancer cohort including 961 tumours from children, adolescents, and young adults, comprising 24 distinct molecular types of cancer. Using a standardized workflow, we identified marked differences in terms of mutation frequency and significantly mutated genes in comparison to previously analysed adult cancers. Genetic alterations in 149 putative cancer driver genes separate the tumours into two classes: small mutation and structural/copy-number variant (correlating with germline variants). Structural variants, hyperdiploidy, and chromothripsis are linked to TP53 mutation status and mutational signatures. Our data suggest that 7-8\% of the children in this cohort carry an unambiguous predisposing germline variant and that nearly 50\% of paediatric neoplasms harbour a potentially druggable event, which is highly relevant for the design of future clinical trials.}, language = {en} } @article{GotruvanGeffenNagyetal.2019, author = {Gotru, Sanjeev Kiran and van Geffen, Johanna P. and Nagy, Magdolna and Mammadova-Bach, Elmina and Eilenberger, Julia and Volz, Julia and Manukjan, Georgi and Schulze, Harald and Wagner, Leonard and Eber, Stefan and Schambeck, Christian and Deppermann, Carsten and Brouns, Sanne and Nurden, Paquita and Greinacher, Andreas and Sachs, Ulrich and Nieswandt, Bernhard and Hermanns, Heike M. and Heemskerk, Johan W. M. and Braun, Attila}, title = {Defective Zn2+ homeostasis in mouse and human platelets with α- and δ-storage pool diseases}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {9}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-019-44751-w}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227455}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Zinc (Zn2+) can modulate platelet and coagulation activation pathways, including fibrin formation. Here, we studied the (patho)physiological consequences of abnormal platelet Zn2+ storage and release. To visualize Zn2+ storage in human and mouse platelets, the Zn2+ specific fluorescent dye FluoZin3 was used. In resting platelets, the dye transiently accumulated into distinct cytosolic puncta, which were lost upon platelet activation. Platelets isolated from Unc13d-/- mice, characterized by combined defects of α/δ granular release, showed a markedly impaired Zn2+ release upon activation. Platelets from Nbeal2-/- mice mimicking Gray platelet syndrome (GPS), characterized by primarily loss of the α-granule content, had strongly reduced Zn2+ levels, which was also confirmed in primary megakaryocytes. In human platelets isolated from patients with GPS, Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) and Storage Pool Disease (SPD) altered Zn2+ homeostasis was detected. In turbidity and flow based assays, platelet-dependent fibrin formation was impaired in both Nbeal2-/- and Unc13d-/- mice, and the impairment could be partially restored by extracellular Zn2+. Altogether, we conclude that the release of ionic Zn2+ store from secretory granules upon platelet activation contributes to the procoagulant role of Zn2+ in platelet-dependent fibrin formation.}, language = {en} } @article{ElMeseryRosenthalRauertWunderlichetal.2019, author = {El-Mesery, Mohamed and Rosenthal, Tina and Rauert-Wunderlich, Hilka and Schreder, Martin and St{\"u}hmer, Thorsten and Leich, Ellen and Schlosser, Andreas and Ehrenschwender, Martin and Wajant, Harald and Siegmund, Daniela}, title = {The NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor MLN4924 sensitizes a TNFR1+ subgroup of multiple myeloma cells for TNF-induced cell death}, series = {Cell Death \& Disease}, volume = {10}, journal = {Cell Death \& Disease}, doi = {10.1038/s41419-019-1860-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-226666}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor MLN4924 inhibits cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase complexes including the SKP1-cullin-F-box E3 ligase βTrCP. MLN4924 therefore inhibits also the βTrCP-dependent activation of the classical and the alternative NFĸB pathway. In this work, we found that a subgroup of multiple myeloma cell lines (e.g., RPMI-8226, MM.1S, KMS-12BM) and about half of the primary myeloma samples tested are sensitized to TNF-induced cell death by MLN4924. This correlated with MLN4924-mediated inhibition of TNF-induced activation of the classical NFκB pathway and reduced the efficacy of TNF-induced TNFR1 signaling complex formation. Interestingly, binding studies revealed a straightforward correlation between cell surface TNFR1 expression in multiple myeloma cell lines and their sensitivity for MLN4924/TNF-induced cell death. The cell surface expression levels of TNFR1 in the investigated MM cell lines largely correlated with TNFR1 mRNA expression. This suggests that the variable levels of cell surface expression of TNFR1 in myeloma cell lines are decisive for TNF/MLN4924 sensitivity. Indeed, introduction of TNFR1 into TNFR1-negative TNF/MLN4924-resistant KMS-11BM cells, was sufficient to sensitize this cell line for TNF/MLN4924-induced cell death. Thus, MLN4924 might be especially effective in myeloma patients with TNFR1+ myeloma cells and a TNFhigh tumor microenvironment.}, language = {en} } @article{HellerReiterLeichtetal.2023, author = {Heller, Bianca and Reiter, Florian P. and Leicht, Hans Benno and Fiessler, Cornelia and Bergheim, Ina and Heuschmann, Peter U. and Geier, Andreas and Rau, Monika}, title = {Salt-intake-related behavior varies between sexes and is strongly associated with daily salt consumption in obese patients at high risk for MASLD}, series = {Nutrients}, volume = {15}, journal = {Nutrients}, number = {18}, issn = {2072-6643}, doi = {10.3390/nu15183942}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363107}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) imposes a significant burden on Westernized regions. The Western diet, high in salt intake, significantly contributes to disease development. However, there are a lack of data on salt literacy and salt intake among MASLD patients in Germany. Our study aims to analyze daily salt intake and salt-intake-related behavior in MASLD patients. Methods: 234 MASLD patients were prospectively included. Daily salt intake and salt-intake-related behavior were assessed via a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ—DEGS) and a salt questionnaire (SINU). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Results: Mean daily salt intake was higher in men than in women (7.3 ± 5 g/d vs. 5.3 ± 4 g/d; p \< 0.001). There was significant agreement between increased daily salt intake (6 g/d) and the behavioral salt index (SI) (p \< 0.001). Men exhibited higher SI scores compared to women, indicating lower awareness of salt in everyday life. Multivariate analysis identified specific salt-intake-related behaviors impacting daily salt consumption. Conclusions: Our study reveals a strong link between daily salt intake and salt-intake-related behavior, highlighting sex-specific differences in an MASLD cohort. To enhance patient care in high-cardiovascular-risk populations, specific behavioral approaches may be considered, including salt awareness, to improve adherence to lifestyle changes, particularly in male patients.}, language = {en} } @article{GrunzKunzBaumannetal.2023, author = {Grunz, Jan-Peter and Kunz, Andreas Steven and Baumann, Freerk T. and Hasenclever, Dirk and Sieren, Malte Maria and Heldmann, Stefan and Bley, Thorsten Alexander and Einsele, Hermann and Knop, Stefan and Jundt, Franziska}, title = {Assessing osteolytic lesion size on sequential CT scans is a reliable study endpoint for bone remineralization in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma}, series = {Cancers}, volume = {15}, journal = {Cancers}, number = {15}, issn = {2072-6694}, doi = {10.3390/cancers15154008}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-362526}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Multiple myeloma (MM) frequently induces persisting osteolytic manifestations despite hematologic treatment response. This study aimed to establish a biometrically valid study endpoint for bone remineralization through quantitative and qualitative analyses in sequential CT scans. Twenty patients (seven women, 58 ± 8 years) with newly diagnosed MM received standardized induction therapy comprising the anti-SLAMF7 antibody elotuzumab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (E-KRd). All patients underwent whole-body low-dose CT scans before and after six cycles of E-KRd. Two radiologists independently recorded osteolytic lesion sizes, as well as the presence of cortical destruction, pathologic fractures, rim and trabecular sclerosis. Bland-Altman analyses and Krippendorff's α were employed to assess inter-reader reliability, which was high for lesion size measurement (standard error 1.2 mm) and all qualitative criteria assessed (α ≥ 0.74). After six cycles of E-KRd induction, osteolytic lesion size decreased by 22\% (p \< 0.001). While lesion size response did not correlate with the initial lesion size at baseline imaging (Pearson's r = 0.144), logistic regression analysis revealed that the majority of responding osteolyses exhibited trabecular sclerosis (p \< 0.001). The sum of osteolytic lesion sizes on sequential CT scans defines a reliable study endpoint to characterize bone remineralization. Patient level response is strongly associated with the presence of trabecular sclerosis.}, language = {en} } @article{SteinhardtCejkaChenetal.2024, author = {Steinhardt, Maximilian J. and Cejka, Vladimir and Chen, Mengmeng and B{\"a}uerlein, Sabrina and Sch{\"a}fer, Julia and Adrah, Ali and Ihne-Schubert, Sandra M. and Papagianni, Aikaterini and Kort{\"u}m, K. Martin and Morbach, Caroline and St{\"o}rk, Stefan}, title = {Safety and tolerability of SGLT2 inhibitors in cardiac amyloidosis — a clinical feasibility study}, series = {Journal of Clinical Medicine}, volume = {13}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine}, number = {1}, issn = {2077-0383}, doi = {10.3390/jcm13010283}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-356024}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) slow the progression of renal dysfunction and improve the prognosis of patients with heart failure. Amyloidosis constitutes an important subgroup for which evidence is lacking. Amyloidotic fibrils originating from misfolded transthyretin and light chains are the causal agents in ATTR and AL amyloidosis. In these most frequent subtypes, cardiac involvement is the most common organ manifestation. Because cardiac and renal function frequently deteriorate over time, even under best available treatment, SGLT2i emerge as a promising treatment option due to their reno- and cardioprotective properties. We retrospectively analyzed patients with cardiac amyloidosis, who received either dapagliflozin or empagliflozin. Out of 79 patients, 5.1\% had urinary tract infections; 2 stopped SGLT2i therapy; and 2.5\% died unrelated to the intake of SGLT2i. No genital mycotic infections were observed. As expected, a slight drop in the glomerular filtration rate was noted, while the NYHA functional status, cardiac and hepatic function, as well as the 6 min walk distance remained stable over time. These data provide a rationale for the use of SGLT2i in patients with amyloidosis and concomitant cardiac or renal dysfunction. Prospective randomized data are desired to confirm safety and to prove efficacy in this increasingly important group of patients.}, language = {en} } @article{GoepfertTraubSelletal.2023, author = {G{\"o}pfert, Dennis and Traub, Jan and Sell, Roxane and Homola, Gy{\"o}rgy A. and Vogt, Marius and Pham, Mirko and Frantz, Stefan and St{\"o}rk, Stefan and Stoll, Guido and Frey, Anna}, title = {Profiles of cognitive impairment in chronic heart failure—A cluster analytic approach}, series = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}, volume = {17}, journal = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}, doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2023.1126553}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-313429}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background Cognitive impairment is a major comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) with a wide range of phenotypes. In this study, we aimed to identify and compare different clusters of cognitive deficits. Methods The prospective cohort study "Cognition.Matters-HF" recruited 147 chronic HF patients (aged 64.5 ± 10.8 years; 16.2\% female) of any etiology. All patients underwent extensive neuropsychological testing. We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis of the cognitive domains, such as intensity of attention, visual/verbal memory, and executive function. Generated clusters were compared exploratively with respect to the results of cardiological, neurological, and neuroradiological examinations without correction for multiple testing. Results Dendrogram and the scree plot suggested three distinct cognitive profiles: In the first cluster, 42 patients (28.6\%) performed without any deficits in all domains. Exclusively, the intensity of attention deficits was seen in the second cluster, including 55 patients (37.4\%). A third cluster with 50 patients (34.0\%) was characterized by deficits in all cognitive domains. Age (p = 0.163) and typical clinical markers of chronic HF, such as ejection fraction (p = 0.222), 6-min walking test distance (p = 0.138), NT-proBNP (p = 0.364), and New York Heart Association class (p = 0.868) did not differ between clusters. However, we observed that women (p = 0.012) and patients with previous cardiac valve surgery (p = 0.005) prevailed in the "global deficits" cluster and the "no deficits" group had a lower prevalence of underlying arterial hypertension (p = 0.029). Total brain volume (p = 0.017) was smaller in the global deficit cluster, and serum levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein were increased (p = 0.048). Conclusion Apart from cognitively healthy and globally impaired HF patients, we identified a group with deficits only in the intensity of attention. Women and patients with previous cardiac valve surgery are at risk for global cognitive impairment when suffering HF and could benefit from special multimodal treatment addressing the psychosocial condition.}, language = {en} } @article{FroehlichZahnerSchmalzingetal.2023, author = {Froehlich, Matthias and Zahner, Antonia and Schmalzing, Marc and Gernert, Michael and Strunz, Patrick-Pascal and Hueper, Sebastian and Portegys, Jan and Schwaneck, Eva Christina and Gadeholt, Ottar and K{\"u}bler, Andrea and Hewig, Johannes and Ziebell, Philipp}, title = {Patient-reported outcomes provide evidence for increased depressive symptoms and increased mental impairment in giant cell arteritis}, series = {Frontiers in Medicine}, volume = {10}, journal = {Frontiers in Medicine}, doi = {10.3389/fmed.2023.1146815}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-319761}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Objectives The spectrum of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) represents highly inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Patients mostly report severe physical impairment. Possible consequences for mental health have been scarcely studied. The aim of this study was to investigate psychological well-being in the context of GCA and PMR. Methods Cross-sectional study with N = 100 patients with GCA and/or PMR (GCA-PMR). Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were measured using the Short Form 36 Version 2 (SF-36v2) and visual analog scale (VAS) assessment. Moreover, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used in 35 of 100 patients to detect depression. To compare PROs with physician assessment, VAS was also rated from physician perspective. To assess a possible association with inflammation itself, serological parameters of inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) were included. Results In all scales of the SF-36v2 except General Health (GH) and in the physical and mental sum score (PCS, MCS), a significant impairment compared to the German reference collective was evident (MCS: d = 0.533, p < 0.001). In the PHQ-9 categorization, 14 of the 35 (40\%) showed evidence of major depression disorder. VAS Patient correlated significantly with PHQ-9 and SF-36 in all categories, while VAS Physician showed only correlations to physical categories and not in the mental dimensions. Regarding inflammatory parameters, linear regression showed CRP to be a complementary significant positive predictor of mental health subscale score, independent of pain. Conclusion PRO show a relevant impairment of mental health up to symptoms of major depression disorder. The degree of depressive symptoms is also distinctly associated with the serological inflammatory marker CRP.}, language = {en} } @article{ElgheznawyOefteringEnglertetal.2023, author = {Elgheznawy, Amro and {\"O}ftering, Patricia and Englert, Maximilian and Mott, Kristina and Kaiser, Friederike and Kusch, Charly and Gbureck, Uwe and B{\"o}sl, Michael R. and Schulze, Harald and Nieswandt, Bernhard and V{\"o}gtle, Timo and Hermanns, Heike M.}, title = {Loss of zinc transporters ZIP1 and ZIP3 augments platelet reactivity in response to thrombin and accelerates thrombus formation in vivo}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {14}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2023.1197894}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-320154}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Zinc (Zn2+) is considered as important mediator of immune cell function, thrombosis and haemostasis. However, our understanding of the transport mechanisms that regulate Zn2+ homeostasis in platelets is limited. Zn2+ transporters, ZIPs and ZnTs, are widely expressed in eukaryotic cells. Using mice globally lacking ZIP1 and ZIP3 (ZIP1/3 DKO), our aim was to explore the potential role of these Zn2+ transporters in maintaining platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and in the regulation of platelet function. While ICP-MS measurements indicated unaltered overall Zn2+ concentrations in platelets of ZIP1/3 DKO mice, we observed a significantly increased content of FluoZin3-stainable free Zn2+, which, however, appears to be released less efficiently upon thrombin-stimulated platelet activation. On the functional level, ZIP1/3 DKO platelets exhibited a hyperactive response towards threshold concentrations of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists, while immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-coupled receptor agonist signalling was unaffected. This resulted in enhanced platelet aggregation towards thrombin, bigger thrombus volume under flow ex vivo and faster in vivo thrombus formation in ZIP1/3 DKO mice. Molecularly, augmented GPCR responses were accompanied by enhanced Ca2+ and PKC, CamKII and ERK1/2 signalling. The current study thereby identifies ZIP1 and ZIP3 as important regulators for the maintenance of platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and function.}, language = {en} } @article{ZaitsevaHoffmannLoestetal.2023, author = {Zaitseva, Olena and Hoffmann, Annett and L{\"o}st, Margaretha and Anany, Mohamed A. and Zhang, Tengyu and Kucka, Kirstin and Wiegering, Armin and Otto, Christoph and Wajant, Harald}, title = {Antibody-based soluble and membrane-bound TWEAK mimicking agonists with FcγR-independent activity}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {14}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2023.1194610}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-323116}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-inducible 14 (Fn14) activates the classical and alternative NFκB (nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells) signaling pathway but also enhances tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced cell death. Fn14 expression is upregulated in non-hematopoietic cells during tissue injury and is also often highly expressed in solid cancers. In view of the latter, there were and are considerable preclinical efforts to target Fn14 for tumor therapy, either by exploiting Fn14 as a target for antibodies with cytotoxic activity (e.g. antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-inducing IgG variants, antibody drug conjugates) or by blocking antibodies with the aim to interfere with protumoral Fn14 activities. Noteworthy, there are yet no attempts to target Fn14 with agonistic Fc effector function silenced antibodies to unleash the proinflammatory and cell death-enhancing activities of this receptor for tumor therapy. This is certainly not at least due to the fact that anti-Fn14 antibodies only act as effective agonists when they are presented bound to Fcγ receptors (FcγR). Thus, there are so far no antibodies that robustly and selectively engage Fn14 signaling without triggering unwanted FcγR-mediated activities. In this study, we investigated a panel of variants of the anti-Fn14 antibody 18D1 of different valencies and domain architectures with respect to their inherent FcγR-independent ability to trigger Fn14-associated signaling pathways. In contrast to conventional 18D1, the majority of 18D1 antibody variants with four or more Fn14 binding sites displayed a strong ability to trigger the alternative NFκB pathway and to enhance TNF-induced cell death and therefore resemble in their activity soluble (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), one form of the natural occurring ligand of Fn14. Noteworthy, activation of the classical NFκB pathway, which naturally is predominately triggered by membrane-bound TWEAK but not soluble TWEAK, was preferentially observed with a subset of constructs containing Fn14 binding sites at opposing sites of the IgG scaffold, e.g. IgG1-scFv fusion proteins. A superior ability of IgG1-scFv fusion proteins to trigger classical NFκB signaling was also observed with the anti-Fn14 antibody PDL192 suggesting that we identified generic structures for Fn14 antibody variants mimicking soluble and membrane-bound TWEAK.}, language = {en} }