@article{UeceylerUrlaubMayeretal.2019, author = {{\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan and Urlaub, Daniela and Mayer, Christine and Uehlein, Sabrina and Held, Melissa and Sommer, Claudia}, title = {Tumor necrosis factor-α links heat and inflammation with Fabry pain}, series = {Molecular Genetics and Metabolism}, volume = {127}, journal = {Molecular Genetics and Metabolism}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymgme.2019.05.009}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-229190}, pages = {200-206}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder associated with pain triggered by heat or febrile infections. We modelled this condition by measuring the cytokine expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from FD patients in vitro upon stimulation with heat and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We enrolled 67 FD patients and 37 healthy controls. We isolated PBMC, assessed their gene expression of selected pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, incubated them with heat, LPS, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF), and measured TNF secretion in the supernatant and intracellular Gb3 accumulation, respectively. We found increased TNF, interleukin (IL-)1β, and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene expression in FD men (p < .05 to p < .01). TNF and IL-10 were higher, and IL-4 was lower in the subgroup of FD men with pain compared to controls (p < .05 to p < .01). Hereby, TNF was only increased in FD men with pain and classical mutations (p < .05) compared to those without pain. PBMC from FD patients secreted more TNF upon stimulation with LPS (p < .01) than control PBMC. Incubation with Gb3 and an additional α-galactosidase A inhibitor did not further increase TNF secretion, but incubation with TNF greatly increased the Gb3 load in FD PBMC compared to controls (p < .01). Also, LPS incubation and heat challenge (40 °C) increased Gb3 accumulation in PBMC of patients compared to baseline (p < .05 each), while no alterations were observed in control PBMC. Our data show that TNF holds a crucial role in the pathophysiology of FD associated pain, which may open a novel perspective for analgesic treatment in FD pain.}, language = {en} } @article{GraystonCzannerElhaddetal.2019, author = {Grayston, Rebecca and Czanner, Gabriela and Elhadd, Kareim and Goebel, Andreas and Frank, Bernhard and {\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan and Malik, Rayaz A and Alam, Uazman}, title = {A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of small fiber pathology in fibromyalgia: Implications for a new paradigm in fibromyalgia etiopathogenesis}, series = {Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism}, volume = {48}, journal = {Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism}, doi = {10.1016/j.semarthrit.2018.08.003}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227566}, pages = {933-940}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Objectives Fibromyalgia is a condition which exhibits chronic widespread pain with neuropathic pain features and has a major impact on health-related quality of life. The pathophysiology remains unclear, however, there is increasing evidence for involvement of the peripheral nervous system with a high prevalence of small fiber pathology (SFP). The aim of this systematic literature review is to establish the prevalence of SFP in fibromyalgia. Methods An electronic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases. Published full-text, English language articles that provide SFP prevalence data in studies of fibromyalgia of patients over 18years old were included. All articles were screened by two independent reviewers using a priori criteria. Methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated using the critical appraisal tool by Munn et al. Overall and subgroup pooled prevalence were calculated by random-effects meta-analysis with 95\% CI. Results Database searches found 935 studies; 45 articles were screened of which 8 full text articles satisfied the inclusion criteria, providing data from 222 participants. The meta-analysis demonstrated the pooled prevalence of SFP in fibromyalgia is 49\% (95\% CI: 38-60\%) with a moderate degree of heterogeneity, (I2= 68\%). The prevalence estimate attained by a skin biopsy was 45\% (95\% CI: 32-59\%, I2= 70\%) and for corneal confocal microscopy it was 59\% (95\% CI: 40-78\%, I2= 51\%). Conclusion There is a high prevalence of SFP in fibromyalgia. This study provides compelling evidence of a distinct phenotype involving SFP in fibromyalgia. Identifying SFP will aid in determining its relationship to pain and potentially facilitate the development of future interventions and pharmacotherapy.}, language = {en} } @article{KarlNandiniColacoSchulteetal.2019, author = {Karl, Franziska and Nandini Cola{\c{c}}o, Maria B. and Schulte, Annemarie and Sommer, Claudia and {\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan}, title = {Affective and cognitive behavior is not altered by chronic constriction injury in B7-H1 deficient and wildtype mice}, series = {BMC Neuroscience}, volume = {20}, journal = {BMC Neuroscience}, doi = {10.1186/s12868-019-0498-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200540}, pages = {16}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Background Chronic neuropathic pain is often associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cognitive impairment with relevant impact on patients` health related quality of life. To investigate the influence of a pro-inflammatory phenotype on affective and cognitive behavior under neuropathic pain conditions, we assessed mice deficient of the B7 homolog 1 (B7-H1), a major inhibitor of inflammatory response. Results Adult B7-H1 ko mice and wildtype littermates (WT) received a chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, and we assessed mechanical and thermal sensitivity at selected time points. Both genotypes developed mechanical (p < 0.001) and heat hypersensitivity (p < 0.01) 7, 14, and 20 days after surgery. We performed three tests for anxiety-like behavior: the light-dark box, the elevated plus maze, and the open field. As supported by the results of these tests for anxiety-like behavior, no relevant differences were found between genotypes after CCI. Depression-like behavior was assessed using the forced swim test. Also, CCI had no effect on depression like behavior. For cognitive behavior, we applied the Morris water maze for spatial learning and memory and the novel object recognition test for object recognition, long-, and short-term memory. Learning and memory did not differ in B7-H1 ko and WT mice after CCI. Conclusions Our study reveals that the impact of B7-H1 on affective-, depression-like- and learning-behavior, and memory performance might play a subordinate role in mice after nerve lesion.}, language = {en} } @article{KarlWussmannKressetal.2019, author = {Karl, Franziska and Wußmann, Maximiliane and Kreß, Luisa and Malzacher, Tobias and Fey, Phillip and Groeber-Becker, Florian and {\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan}, title = {Patient-derived in vitro skin models for investigation of small fiber pathology}, series = {Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology}, volume = {6}, journal = {Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology}, number = {9}, doi = {10.1002/acn3.50871}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201649}, pages = {1797-1806}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Objective To establish individually expandable primary fibroblast and keratinocyte cultures from 3-mm skin punch biopsies for patient-derived in vitro skin models to investigate of small fiber pathology. Methods We obtained 6-mm skin punch biopsies from the calf of two patients with small fiber neuropathy (SFN) and two healthy controls. One half (3 mm) was used for diagnostic intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD). From the second half, we isolated and cultured fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Cells were used to generate patient-derived full-thickness three-dimensional (3D) skin models containing a dermal and epidermal component. Cells and skin models were characterized morphologically, immunocyto- and -histochemically (vimentin, cytokeratin (CK)-10, CK 14, ki67, collagen1, and procollagen), and by electrical impedance. Results Distal IENFD was reduced in the SFN patients (2 fibers/mm each), while IENFD was normal in the controls (8 fibers/mm, 7 fibers/mm). Two-dimensional (2D) cultured skin cells showed normal morphology, adequate viability, and proliferation, and expressed cell-specific markers without relevant difference between SFN patient and healthy control. Using 2D cultured fibroblasts and keratinocytes, we obtained subject-derived 3D skin models. Morphology of the 3D model was analogous to the respective skin biopsy specimens. Both, the dermal and the epidermal layer carried cell-specific markers and showed a homogenous expression of extracellular matrix proteins. Interpretation Our protocol allows the generation of disease-specific 2D and 3D skin models, which can be used to investigate the cross-talk between skin cells and sensory neurons in small fiber pathology.}, language = {en} }