@article{EnigkWagnerSamapatietal.2014,
  author    = {Enigk, Fabian and Wagner, Antje and Samapati, Rudi and Rittner, Heike and Brack, Alexander and Mousa, Shaaban A. and Sch{\"a}fer, Michael and Habazettl, Helmut and Sch{\"a}per, J{\"o}rn},
  title     = {Thoracic epidural anesthesia decreases endotoxin-induced endothelial injury},
  series = {BMC Anesthesiology},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {BMC Anesthesiology},
  number    = {23},
  doi       = {10.1186/1471-2253-14-23},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-116787},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Background: The sympathetic nervous system is considered to modulate the endotoxin-induced activation of immune cells. Here we investigate whether thoracic epidural anesthesia with its regional symapathetic blocking effect alters endotoxin-induced leukocyte-endothelium activation and interaction with subsequent endothelial injury. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were anesthetized, cannulated and hemodynamically monitored. E. coli lipopolysaccharide (Serotype 0127: B8, 1.5 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1)) or isotonic saline (controls) was infused for 300 minutes. An epidural catheter was inserted for continuous application of lidocaine or normal saline in endotoxemic animals and saline in controls. After 300 minutes we measured catecholamine and cytokine plasma concentrations, adhesion molecule expression, leukocyte adhesion, and intestinal tissue edema. Results: In endotoxemic animals with epidural saline, LPS significantly increased the interleukin-1 beta plasma concentration (48\%), the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules E-selectin (34\%) and ICAM-1 (42\%), and the number of adherent leukocytes (40\%) with an increase in intestinal myeloperoxidase activity (26\%) and tissue edema (75\%) when compared to healthy controls. In endotoxemic animals with epidural infusion of lidocaine the values were similar to those in control animals, while epinephrine plasma concentration was 32\% lower compared to endotoxemic animals with epidural saline. Conclusions: Thoracic epidural anesthesia attenuated the endotoxin-induced increase of IL-1 beta concentration, adhesion molecule expression and leukocyte-adhesion with subsequent endothelial injury. A potential mechanism is the reduction in the plasma concentration of epinephrine.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GarciaFernandezHoefflinRauschetal.2023,
  author    = {Garc{\´i}a-Fern{\´a}ndez, Patricia and H{\"o}fflin, Klemens and Rausch, Antonia and Strommer, Katharina and Neumann, Astrid and Cebulla, Nadine and Reinhold, Ann-Kristin and Rittner, Heike and {\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan and Sommer, Claudia},
  title     = {Systemic inflammatory markers in patients with polyneuropathies},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {14},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2023.1067714},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-304217},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {Introduction In patients with peripheral neuropathies (PNP), neuropathic pain is present in 50\% of the cases, independent of the etiology. The pathophysiology of pain is poorly understood, and inflammatory processes have been found to be involved in neuro-degeneration, -regeneration and pain. While previous studies have found a local upregulation of inflammatory mediators in patients with PNP, there is a high variability described in the cytokines present systemically in sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We hypothesized that the development of PNP and neuropathic pain is associated with enhanced systemic inflammation. Methods To test our hypothesis, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the protein, lipid and gene expression of different pro- and anti-inflammatory markers in blood and CSF from patients with PNP and controls. Results While we found differences between PNP and controls in specific cytokines or lipids, such as CCL2 or oleoylcarnitine, PNP patients and controls did not present major differences in systemic inflammatory markers in general. IL-10 and CCL2 levels were related to measures of axonal damage and neuropathic pain. Lastly, we describe a strong interaction between inflammation and neurodegeneration at the nerve roots in a specific subgroup of PNP patients with blood-CSF barrier dysfunction. Conclusion In patients with PNP systemic inflammatory, markers in blood or CSF do not differ from controls in general, but specific cytokines or lipids do. Our findings further highlight the importance of CSF analysis in patients with peripheral neuropathies.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KressHuettenhoferLandryetal.2013,
  author    = {Kress, Michaela and H{\"u}ttenhofer, Alexander and Landry, Marc and Kuner, Rohini and Favereaux, Alexandre and Greenberg, David and Bednarik, Josef and Heppenstall, Paul and Kronenberg, Florian and Malcangio, Marzia and Rittner, Heike and {\"U}{\c{c}}eyler, Nurcan and Trajanoski, Zlatko and Mouritzen, Peter and Birklein, Frank and Sommer, Claudia and Soreq, Hermona},
  title     = {microRNAs in nociceptive circuits as predictors of future clinical applications},
  series = {Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience},
  volume    = {6},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience},
  number    = {33},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnmol.2013.00033},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-154597},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Neuro-immune alterations in the peripheral and central nervous system play a role in the pathophysiology of chronic pain, and non-coding RNAs - and microRNAs (miRNAs) in particular - regulate both immune and neuronal processes. Specifically, miRNAs control macromolecular complexes in neurons, glia and immune cells and regulate signals used for neuro-immune communication in the pain pathway. Therefore, miRNAs may be hypothesized as critically important master switches modulating chronic pain. In particular, understanding the concerted function of miRNA in the regulation of nociception and endogenous analgesia and defining the importance of miRNAs in the circuitries and cognitive, emotional and behavioral components involved in pain is expected to shed new light on the enigmatic pathophysiology of neuropathic pain, migraine and complex regional pain syndrome. Specific miRNAs may evolve as new druggable molecular targets for pain prevention and relief. Furthermore, predisposing miRNA expression patterns and inter-individual variations and polymorphisms in miRNAs and/or their binding sites may serve as biomarkers for pain and help to predict individual risks for certain types of pain and responsiveness to analgesic drugs. miRNA-based diagnostics are expected to develop into hands-on tools that allow better patient stratification, improved mechanism-based treatment, and targeted prevention strategies for high risk individuals.},
  language  = {en}
}