@article{LauruschkatPageEtteretal.2021,
  author    = {Lauruschkat, Chris D. and Page, Lukas and Etter, Sonja and Weis, Philipp and Gamon, Florian and Kraus, Sabrina and Einsele, Hermann and Wurster, Sebastian and Loeffler, Juergen},
  title     = {T-Cell Immune Surveillance in Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: Are Whole Blood-Based Assays Ready to Challenge ELISPOT?},
  series = {Open Forum Infectious Diseases},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Open Forum Infectious Diseases},
  doi       = {10.1093/ofid/ofaa547},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363164},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {We compared the feasibility of 4 cytomegalovirus (CMV)- and Aspergillus-reactive T-cell immunoassay protocols in allogenic stem cell transplant recipients. While enzyme-linked immunospot performed best overall, logistically advantageous whole blood-based assays performed comparably in patients with less severe lymphocytopenia. CMV-induced interferon-gamma responses correlated strongly across all protocols and showed high concordance with serology.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HoeniglOraschFaserletal.2019,
  author    = {Hoenigl, Martin and Orasch, Thomas and Faserl, Klaus and Prattes, Juergen and Loeffler, Juergen and Springer, Jan and Gsaller, Fabio and Reischies, Frederike and Duettmann, Wiebke and Raggam, Reinhard B. and Lindner, Herbert and Haas, Hubertus},
  title     = {Triacetylfusarinine C: A urine biomarker for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis},
  series = {Journal of Infection},
  volume    = {78},
  journal   = {Journal of Infection},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jinf.2018.09.006},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-320939},
  pages     = {150-157},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Objectives Early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) remains challenging, with available diagnostics being limited by inadequate sensitivities and specificities. Triacetylfusarinine C, a fungal siderophore that has been shown to accumulate in urine in animal models, is a potential new biomarker for diagnosis of IA. Methods We developed a method allowing absolute and matrix-independent mass spectrometric quantification of TAFC. Urine TAFC, normalized to creatinine, was determined in 44 samples from 24 patients with underlying hematologic malignancies and probable, possible or no IA according to current EORTC/MSG criteria and compared to other established biomarkers measured in urine and same-day blood samples. Results TAFC/creatinine sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio for probable versus no IA (cut-off ≥ 3) were 0.86, 0.88, 6.86, 0.16 per patient. Conclusion For the first time, we provide proof for the occurrence of TAFC in human urine. TAFC/creatinine index determination in urine showed promising results for diagnosis of IA offering the advantages of non-invasive sampling. Sensitivity and specificity were similar as reported for GM determination in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage, the gold standard mycological criterion for IA diagnosis.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DopplerBrockmannSedghietal.2018,
  author    = {Doppler, Kathrin and Brockmann, Kathrin and Sedghi, Annahita and Wurster, Isabel and Volkmann, Jens and Oertel, Wolfgang H. and Sommer, Claudia},
  title     = {Dermal phospho-alpha-synuclein deposition in patients with Parkinson's disease and mutation of the glucocerebrosidase gene},
  series = {Frontiers in Neurology},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Neurology},
  doi       = {10.3389/fneur.2018.01094},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-222828},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Heterozygous mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA1) represent the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) and are histopathologically associated with a widespread load of alpha-synuclein in the brain. Therefore, PD patients with GBA1 mutations are a cohort of high interest for clinical trials on disease-modifying therapies targeting alpha-synuclein. There is evidence that detection of phospho-alpha-synuclein (p-syn) in dermal nerve fibers might be a biomarker for the histopathological identification of PD patients even at premotor or very early stages of disease. It is so far unknown whether dermal p-syn deposition can also be found in PD patients with GBA1 mutations and may serve as a biomarker for PD in these patients. Skin biopsies of 10 PD patients with different GBA1 mutations (six N3705, three E326K, one L444P) were analyzed by double-immunofluorescence labeling with anti-p-syn and anti-protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5, axonal marker) to detect intraaxonal p-syn deposition. Four biopsy sites (distal, proximal leg, paravertebral Th10, and C7) per patient were studied. P-syn was found in six patients (three N370S, three E326K). P-syn deposition was mainly detected in autonomic nerve fibers, but also in somatosensory fibers and was not restricted to a certain GBA1 mutation. In summary, dermal p-syn in PD patients with GBA1 mutations seems to offer a similar distribution and frequency as observed in patients without a known mutation. Skin biopsy may be suitable to study p-syn deposition in these patients or even to identify premotor patients with GBA1 mutations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{NauePfeiferAugustinetal.2021,
  author    = {Naue, Jana and Pfeifer, Manuel and Augustin, Christa and Becker, Julia and Fleckhaus, Jan and Grabm{\"u}ller, Melanie and Han, Yang and Heidorn, Frank and Hollaender, Olivia and Klein-Unseld, Rachel and Kulstein, Galina and Lichtenwald, Julia and Neubauer, Jacqueline and Suarez, Philippe and Haas, Cordula and Schneider, Peter M. and Vennemann, Marielle and B{\"o}hme, Petra},
  title     = {Forensische DNA-Methylierungsanalyse},
  series = {Rechtsmedizin},
  volume    = {31},
  journal   = {Rechtsmedizin},
  number    = {3},
  organization    = {Arbeitsgemeinschaft Molekulare Alterssch{\"a}tzung der Deutschen Gesellschaft f{\"u}r Rechtsmedizin (DGRM)},
  issn      = {0937-9819},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00194-021-00493-6},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-307129},
  pages     = {202-216},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Mit der Entdeckung altersabh{\"a}ngiger epigenetischer Ver{\"a}nderungen, der DNA-Methylierung (DNAm), hat sich eine neue M{\"o}glichkeit aufgezeigt, das Alter eines Individuums zu sch{\"a}tzen. Die Methode wurde intensiv erforscht und ihre Anwendung in der forensischen Fallarbeit durch die Aktualisierung des \S 81e der Strafprozessordnung (StPO) in Deutschland reguliert. Zur Untersuchung des DNAm-Grades m{\"u}ssen neue Techniken etabliert und validiert werden. Dies macht die Pr{\"u}fung der Vergleichbarkeit von Messergebnissen aus verschiedenen forensischen Laboren erforderlich. Hierzu f{\"u}hrte die Arbeitsgruppe „Molekulare Alterssch{\"a}tzung" der Deutschen Gesellschaft f{\"u}r Rechtsmedizin (DGRM) im Winter 2019/2020 den 2. Ringversuch (RV) zur quantitativen DNAm-Analyse mithilfe der Mini- und der Pyrosequenzierung durch. Dieser basierte auf den Erfahrungen des 1. RV 2018/2019, dessen Ergebnisse in dieser Ausgabe ebenfalls vorgestellt werden. Die aktuelle Studie umfasst Analyseergebnisse aus 12 Laboren (ingesamt 14 teilnehmende Labore), von denen einige beide Methoden angewandt haben. Zus{\"a}tzlich f{\"u}hrten 4 Labore eine Alterssch{\"a}tzung an den RV-Proben mit eigenen Markerkombinationen und Modellen durch. Da diese auf unterschiedlichen Referenzdaten und Markerkombinationen beruhen, erfolgte kein qualitativer Vergleich der Modelle, sondern das grunds{\"a}tzliche Potenzial der Methodik wurde verdeutlicht. Ziele des RV waren die Evaluierung der Vergleichbarkeit der DNAm-Messungen und die Bewertung m{\"o}glicher Einflussfaktoren, wie Extraktionsmethode und verwendetes Ger{\"a}t. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die gemessenen DNAm-Werte der untersuchten Marker sowohl zwischen Mini- und Pyrosequenzierung als auch innerhalb der jeweiligen Methode zwischen den Laboren unterscheiden k{\"o}nnen, sodass mit Schwankungen gerechnet werden muss.},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{BohnertTrellaPreissetal.2022,
  author    = {Bohnert, Simone and Trella, Stefanie and Preiß, Ulrich and Heinsen, Helmut and Bohnert, Michael and Zwirner, Johann and Tremblay, Marie-{\`E}ve and Monoranu, Camelia-Maria and Ondruschka, Benjamin},
  title     = {Density of TMEM119-positive microglial cells in postmortem cerebrospinal fluid as a surrogate marker for assessing complex neuropathological processes in the CNS},
  series = {International Journal of Legal Medicine},
  volume    = {136},
  journal   = {International Journal of Legal Medicine},
  number    = {6},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00414-022-02863-5},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-325009},
  pages     = {1841-1850},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Routine coronal paraffin-sections through the dorsal frontal and parieto-occipital cortex of a total of sixty cases with divergent causes of death were immunohistochemically (IHC) stained with an antibody against TMEM119. Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the same cases were collected by suboccipital needle-puncture, subjected to centrifugation and processed as cytospin preparations stained with TMEM119. Both, cytospin preparations and sections were subjected to computer-assisted density measurements. The density of microglial TMEM119-positive cortical profiles correlated with that of cytospin results and with the density of TMEM119-positive microglial profiles in the medullary layer. There was no statistically significant correlation between the density of medullary TMEM119-positive profiles and the cytospin data. Cortical microglial cells were primarily encountered in supragranular layers I, II, and IIIa and in infragranular layers V and VI, the region of U-fibers and in circumscribed foci or spread in a diffuse manner and high density over the white matter. We have evidence that cortical microglia directly migrate into CSF without using the glympathic pathway. Microglia in the medullary layer shows a strong affinity to the adventitia of deep vessels in the myelin layer. Selected rapidly fatal cases including myocardial infarcts and drowning let us conclude that microglia in cortex and myelin layer can react rapidly and its reaction and migration is subject to pre-existing external and internal factors. Cytospin preparations proved to be a simple tool to analyze and assess complex changes in the CNS after rapid fatal damage. There is no statistically significant correlation between cytospin and postmortem interval. Therefore, the quantitative analyses of postmortem cytospins obviously reflect the neuropathology of the complete central nervous system. Cytospins provide forensic pathologists a rather simple and easy to perform method for the global assessment of CNS affliction.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HaarmannVollmuthKollikowskietal.2023,
  author    = {Haarmann, Axel and Vollmuth, Christoph and Kollikowski, Alexander M. and Heuschmann, Peter U. and Pham, Mirko and Stoll, Guido and Neugebauer, Hermann and Schuhmann, Michael K.},
  title     = {Vasoactive soluble endoglin: a novel biomarker indicative of reperfusion after cerebral large-vessel occlusion},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {2},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells12020288},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-304995},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Now that mechanical thrombectomy has substantially improved outcomes after large-vessel occlusion stroke in up to every second patient, futile reperfusion wherein successful recanalization is not followed by a favorable outcome is moving into focus. Unfortunately, blood-based biomarkers, which identify critical stages of hemodynamically compromised yet reperfused tissue, are lacking. We recently reported that hypoxia induces the expression of endoglin, a TGF-β co-receptor, in human brain endothelium in vitro. Subsequent reoxygenation resulted in shedding. Our cell model suggests that soluble endoglin compromises the brain endothelial barrier function. To evaluate soluble endoglin as a potential biomarker of reperfusion (-injury) we analyzed its concentration in 148 blood samples of patients with acute stroke due to large-vessel occlusion. In line with our in vitro data, systemic soluble endoglin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with successful recanalization, whereas hypoxia alone did not induce local endoglin shedding, as analyzed by intra-arterial samples from hypoxic vasculature. In patients with reperfusion, higher concentrations of soluble endoglin additionally indicated larger infarct volumes at admission. In summary, we give translational evidence that the sequence of hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation triggers the release of vasoactive soluble endoglin in large-vessel occlusion stroke and can serve as a biomarker for severe ischemia with ensuing recanalization/reperfusion.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KotlyarKrebsSolimandoetal.2023,
  author    = {Kotlyar, Mischa J. and Krebs, Markus and Solimando, Antonio Giovanni and Marquardt, Andr{\´e} and Burger, Maximilian and K{\"u}bler, Hubert and Bargou, Ralf and Kneitz, Susanne and Otto, Wolfgang and Breyer, Johannes and Vergho, Daniel C. and Kneitz, Burkhard and Kalogirou, Charis},
  title     = {Critical evaluation of a microRNA-based risk classifier predicting cancer-specific survival in renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus of the inferior vena cava},
  series = {Cancers},
  volume    = {15},
  journal   = {Cancers},
  number    = {7},
  issn      = {2072-6694},
  doi       = {10.3390/cancers15071981},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-311040},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {(1) Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma extending into the inferior vena cava (ccRCC\(^{IVC}\)) represents a clinical high-risk setting. However, there is substantial heterogeneity within this patient subgroup regarding survival outcomes. Previously, members of our group developed a microRNA(miR)-based risk classifier — containing miR-21-5p, miR-126-3p and miR-221-3p expression — which significantly predicted the cancer-specific survival (CSS) of ccRCC\(^{IVC}\) patients. (2) Methods: Examining a single-center cohort of tumor tissue from n = 56 patients with ccRCC\(^{IVC}\), we measured the expression levels of miR-21, miR-126, and miR-221 using qRT-PCR. The prognostic impact of clinicopathological parameters and miR expression were investigated via single-variable and multivariable Cox regression. Referring to the previously established risk classifier, we performed Kaplan-Meier analyses for single miR expression levels and the combined risk classifier. Cut-off values and weights within the risk classifier were taken from the previous study. (3) Results: miR-21 and miR-126 expression were significantly associated with lymphonodal status at the time of surgery, the development of metastasis during follow-up, and cancer-related death. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, miR-21 and miR-126 significantly impacted CSS in our cohort. Moreover, applying the miR-based risk classifier significantly stratified ccRCC\(^{IVC}\) according to CSS. (4) Conclusions: In our retrospective analysis, we successfully validated the miR-based risk classifier within an independent ccRCC\(^{IVC}\) cohort.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HussAbdelhakMayeretal.2022,
  author    = {Huss, Andr{\´e} and Abdelhak, Ahmed and Mayer, Benjamin and Tumani, Hayrettin and M{\"u}ller, Hans-Peter and Althaus, Katharina and Kassubek, Jan and Otto, Markus and Ludolph, Albert C. and Yilmazer-Hanke, Deniz and Neugebauer, Hermann},
  title     = {Association of serum GFAP with functional and neurocognitive outcome in sporadic small vessel disease},
  series = {Biomedicines},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Biomedicines},
  number    = {8},
  issn      = {2227-9059},
  doi       = {10.3390/biomedicines10081869},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-285973},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum biomarkers are critical for clinical decision making in neurological diseases. In cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are an important neuroimaging biomarker, but more blood-based biomarkers capturing different aspects of CSVD pathology are needed. In 42 sporadic CSVD patients, we prospectively analysed WMH on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the biomarkers neurofilament light chain (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), chitinase3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), Tau and Aβ1-42 in CSF and NfL and GFAP in serum. GFAP and CHI3L1 expression was studied in post-mortem brain tissue in additional cases. CSVD cases with higher serum NfL and GFAP levels had a higher modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and NIHSS score and lower CSF Aβ1-42 levels, whereas the CSF NfL and CHI3L1 levels were positively correlated with the WMH load. Moreover, the serum GFAP levels significantly correlated with the neurocognitive functions. Pathological analyses in CSVD revealed a high density of GFAP-immunoreactive fibrillary astrocytic processes in the periventricular white matter and clusters of CHI3L1-immunoreactive astrocytes in the basal ganglia and thalamus. Thus, besides NfL, serum GFAP is a highly promising fluid biomarker of sporadic CSVD, because it does not only correlate with the clinical severity but also correlates with the cognitive function in patients.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HeilingKnuttiScherretal.2021,
  author    = {Heiling, Sven and Knutti, Nadine and Scherr, Franziska and Geiger, J{\"o}rg and Weikert, Juliane and Rose, Michael and Jahns, Roland and Ceglarek, Uta and Scherag, Andr{\´e} and Kiehntopf, Michael},
  title     = {Metabolite ratios as quality indicators for pre-analytical variation in serum and EDTA plasma},
  series = {Metabolites},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Metabolites},
  number    = {9},
  issn      = {2218-1989},
  doi       = {10.3390/metabo11090638},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-246261},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {In clinical diagnostics and research, blood samples are one of the most frequently used materials. Nevertheless, exploring the chemical composition of human plasma and serum is challenging due to the highly dynamic influence of pre-analytical variation. A prominent example is the variability in pre-centrifugation delay (time-to-centrifugation; TTC). Quality indicators (QI) reflecting sample TTC are of utmost importance in assessing sample history and resulting sample quality, which is essential for accurate diagnostics and conclusive, reproducible research. In the present study, we subjected human blood to varying TTCs at room temperature prior to processing for plasma or serum preparation. Potential sample QIs were identified by Ultra high pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) based metabolite profiling in samples from healthy volunteers (n = 10). Selected QIs were validated by a targeted MS/MS approach in two independent sets of samples from patients (n = 40 and n = 70). In serum, the hypoxanthine/guanosine (HG) and hypoxanthine/inosine (HI) ratios demonstrated high diagnostic performance (Sensitivity/Specificity > 80\%) for the discrimination of samples with a TTC > 1 h. We identified several eicosanoids, such as 12-HETE, 15-(S)-HETE, 8-(S)-HETE, 12-oxo-HETE, (±)13-HODE and 12-(S)-HEPE as QIs for a pre-centrifugation delay > 2 h. 12-HETE, 12-oxo-HETE, 8-(S)-HETE, and 12-(S)-HEPE, and the HI- and HG-ratios could be validated in patient samples.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LauruschkatEtterSchnacketal.2021,
  author    = {Lauruschkat, Chris D. and Etter, Sonja and Schnack, Elisabeth and Ebel, Frank and Sch{\"a}uble, Sascha and Page, Lukas and R{\"u}mens, Dana and Dragan, Mariola and Schlegel, Nicolas and Panagiotou, Gianni and Kniemeyer, Olaf and Brakhage, Axel A. and Einsele, Hermann and Wurster, Sebastian and Loeffler, Juergen},
  title     = {Chronic occupational mold exposure drives expansion of Aspergillus-reactive type 1 and type 2 T-helper cell responses},
  series = {Journal of Fungi},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {Journal of Fungi},
  number    = {9},
  issn      = {2309-608X},
  doi       = {10.3390/jof7090698},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-245202},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Occupational mold exposure can lead to Aspergillus-associated allergic diseases including asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Elevated IL-17 levels or disbalanced T-helper (Th) cell expansion were previously linked to Aspergillus-associated allergic diseases, whereas alterations to the Th cell repertoire in healthy occupationally exposed subjects are scarcely studied. Therefore, we employed functional immunoassays to compare Th cell responses to A. fumigatus antigens in organic farmers, a cohort frequently exposed to environmental molds, and non-occupationally exposed controls. Organic farmers harbored significantly higher A. fumigatus-specific Th-cell frequencies than controls, with comparable expansion of Th1- and Th2-cell frequencies but only slightly elevated Th17-cell frequencies. Accordingly, Aspergillus antigen-induced Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels were strongly elevated, whereas induction of IL-17A was minimal. Additionally, increased levels of some innate immune cell-derived cytokines were found in samples from organic farmers. Antigen-induced cytokine release combined with Aspergillus-specific Th-cell frequencies resulted in high classification accuracy between organic farmers and controls. Aspf22, CatB, and CipC elicited the strongest differences in Th1 and Th2 responses between the two cohorts, suggesting these antigens as potential candidates for future bio-effect monitoring approaches. Overall, we found that occupationally exposed agricultural workers display a largely balanced co-expansion of Th1 and Th2 immunity with only minor changes in Th17 responses.},
  language  = {en}
}