@article{GrobHeinigGruebeletal.2021,
  author    = {Grob, Robin and Heinig, Niklas and Gr{\"u}bel, Kornelia and R{\"o}ssler, Wolfgang and Fleischmann, Pauline N.},
  title     = {Sex-specific and caste-specific brain adaptations related to spatial orientation in Cataglyphis ants},
  series = {Journal of Comparative Neurology},
  volume    = {529},
  journal   = {Journal of Comparative Neurology},
  number    = {18},
  doi       = {10.1002/cne.25221},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-257299},
  pages     = {3882-3892},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Cataglyphis desert ants are charismatic central place foragers. After long-ranging foraging trips, individual workers navigate back to their nest relying mostly on visual cues. The reproductive caste faces other orientation challenges, i.e. mate finding and colony foundation. Here we compare brain structures involved in spatial orientation of Cataglyphis nodus males, gynes, and foragers by quantifying relative neuropil volumes associated with two visual pathways, and numbers and volumes of antennal lobe (AL) olfactory glomeruli. Furthermore, we determined absolute numbers of synaptic complexes in visual and olfactory regions of the mushroom bodies (MB) and a major relay station of the sky-compass pathway to the central complex (CX). Both female castes possess enlarged brain centers for sensory integration, learning, and memory, reflected in voluminous MBs containing about twice the numbers of synaptic complexes compared with males. Overall, male brains are smaller compared with both female castes, but the relative volumes of the optic lobes and CX are enlarged indicating the importance of visual guidance during innate behaviors. Male ALs contain greatly enlarged glomeruli, presumably involved in sex-pheromone detection. Adaptations at both the neuropil and synaptic levels clearly reflect differences in sex-specific and caste-specific demands for sensory processing and behavioral plasticity underlying spatial orientation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ShenBialasHechtetal.2021,
  author    = {Shen, Chia-An and Bialas, David and Hecht, Markus and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Sugiyasu, Kazunori and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {Polymorphism in squaraine dye aggregates by self-assembly pathway differentiation: panchromatic tubular dye nanorods versus J-aggregate nanosheets},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  number    = {21},
  edition   = {60},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202102183},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256443},
  pages     = {11949-11958},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {A bis(squaraine) dye equipped with alkyl and oligoethyleneglycol chains was synthesized by connecting two dicyanomethylene substituted squaraine dyes with a phenylene spacer unit. The aggregation behavior of this bis(squaraine) was investigated in non-polar toluene/tetrachloroethane (98:2) solvent mixture, which revealed competing cooperative self-assembly pathways into two supramolecular polymorphs with entirely different packing structures and UV/Vis/NIR absorption properties. The self-assembly pathway can be controlled by the cooling rate from a heated solution of the monomers. For both polymorphs, quasi-equilibrium conditions between monomers and the respective aggregates can be established to derive thermodynamic parameters and insights into the self-assembly mechanisms. AFM measurements revealed a nanosheet structure with a height of 2 nm for the thermodynamically more stable polymorph and a tubular nanorod structure with a helical pitch of 13 nm and a diameter of 5 nm for the kinetically favored polymorph. Together with wide angle X-ray scattering measurements, packing models were derived: the thermodynamic polymorph consists of brick-work type nanosheets that exhibit red-shifted absorption bands as typical for J-aggregates, while the nanorod polymorph consists of eight supramolecular polymer strands of the bis(squaraine) intertwined to form a chimney-type tubular structure. The absorption of this aggregate covers a large spectral range from 550 to 875 nm, which cannot be rationalized by the conventional exciton theory. By applying the Essential States Model and considering intermolecular charge transfer, the aggregate spectrum was adequately reproduced, revealing that the broad absorption spectrum is due to pronounced donor-acceptor overlap within the bis(squaraine) nanorods. The latter is also responsible for the pronounced bathochromic shift observed for the nanosheet structure as a result of the slip-stacked arranged squaraine chromophores.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{JuhaszGondaHullametal.2015,
  author    = {Juhasz, Gabriella and Gonda, Xenia and Hullam, Gabor and Eszlari, Nora and Kovacs, David and Lazary, Judit and Pap, Dorottya and Petschner, Peter and Elliott, Rebecca and Deakin, John Francis William and Muir Anderson, Ian and Antal, Peter and Lesch, Klaus-Peter and Bagdy, Gyorgy},
  title     = {Variability in the effect of 5-HTTLPR on depression in a large European population: the role of age, symptom profile, type and intensity of life stressors},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {3},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0116316},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-143703},
  pages     = {e0116316},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background Although 5-HTTLPR has been shown to influence the risk of life stress-induced depression in the majority of studies, others have produced contradictory results, possibly due to weak effects and/or sample heterogeneity. Methods In the present study we investigated how age, type and intensity of life-stressors modulate the effect of 5-HTTLPR on depression and anxiety in a European population cohort of over 2300 subjects. Recent negative life events (RLE), childhood adversity (CHA), lifetime depression, Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI) depression and anxiety scores were determined in each subject. Besides traditional statistical analysis we calculated Bayesian effect strength and relevance of 5-HTTLPR genotypes in specified models. Results The short (s) low expressing allele showed association with increased risk of depression related phenotypes, but all nominally significant effects would turn to non-significant after correction for multiple testing in the traditional analysis. Bayesian effect strength and relevance analysis, however, confirmed the role of 5-HTTLPR. Regarding current (BSI) and lifetime depression 5-HTTLPR-by-RLE interactions were confirmed. Main effect, with other words direct association, was supported with BSI anxiety. With more frequent RLE the prevalence or symptoms of depression increased in ss carriers. Although CHA failed to show an interaction with 5-HTTLPR, in young subjects CHA sensitized towards the depression promoting effect of even mild RLE. Furthermore, the direct association of anxiety with the s allele was driven by young (\(\leq\)30) individuals. Limitations Our study is cross-sectional and applies self-report questionnaires. Conclusions Albeit 5-HTTLPR has only weak/moderate effects, the s allele is directly associated with anxiety and modulates development of depression in homogeneous subgroups.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BlancoKuchenbaeckerCuadrasetal.2015,
  author    = {Blanco, Ignacio and Kuchenbaecker, Karoline and Cuadras, Daniel and Wang, Xianshu and Barrowdale, Daniel and Ruiz de Garibay, Gorka and Librado, Pablo and Sanchez-Gracia, Alejandro and Rozas, Julio and Bonifaci, N{\´u}ria and McGuffog, Lesley and Pankratz, Vernon S. and Islam, Abul and Mateo, Francesca and Berenguer, Antoni and Petit, Anna and Catal{\`a}, Isabel and Brunet, Joan and Feliubadal{\´o}, Lidia and Tornero, Eva and Ben{\´i}tez, Javier and Osorio, Ana and Ram{\´o}n y Cajal, Teresa and Nevanlinna, Heli and Aittom{\"a}ki, Kristina and Arun, Banu K. and Toland, Amanda E. and Karlan, Beth Y. and Walsh, Christine and Lester, Jenny and Greene, Mark H. and Mai, Phuong L. and Nussbaum, Robert L. and Andrulis, Irene L. and Domchek, Susan M. and Nathanson, Katherine L. and Rebbeck, Timothy R. and Barkardottir, Rosa B. and Jakubowska, Anna and Lubinski, Jan and Durda, Katarzyna and Jaworska-Bieniek, Katarzyna and Claes, Kathleen and Van Maerken, Tom and D{\´i}ez, Orland and Hansen, Thomas V. and J{\o}nson, Lars and Gerdes, Anne-Marie and Ejlertsen, Bent and De la Hoya, Miguel and Cald{\´e}s, Trinidad and Dunning, Alison M. and Oliver, Clare and Fineberg, Elena and Cook, Margaret and Peock, Susan and McCann, Emma and Murray, Alex and Jacobs, Chris and Pichert, Gabriella and Lalloo, Fiona and Chu, Carol and Dorkins, Huw and Paterson, Joan and Ong, Kai-Ren and Teixeira, Manuel R. and Hogervorst, Frans B. L. and Van der Hout, Annemarie H. and Seynaeve, Caroline and Van der Luijt, Rob B. and Ligtenberg, Marjolijn J. L. and Devilee, Peter and Wijnen, Juul T. and Rookus, Matti A. and Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne E. J. and Blok, Marinus J. and Van den Ouweland, Ans M. W. and Aalfs, Cora M. and Rodriguez, Gustavo C. and Phillips, Kelly-Anne A. and Piedmonte, Marion and Nerenstone, Stacy R. and Bae-Jump, Victoria L. and O'Malley, David M. and Schmutzler, Rita K. and Wappenschmidt, Barbara and Rhiem, Kerstin and Engel, Christoph and Meindl, Alfons and Ditsch, Nina and Arnold, Norbert and Plendl, Hansjoerg J. and Niederacher, Dieter and Sutter, Christian and Wang-Gohrke, Shan and Steinemann, Doris and Preisler-Adams, Sabine and Kast, Karin and Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda and Gehrig, Andrea and Bojesen, Anders and Pedersen, Inge Sokilde and Sunde, Lone and Birk Jensen, Uffe and Thomassen, Mads and Kruse, Torben A. and Foretova, Lenka and Peterlongo, Paolo and Bernard, Loris and Peissel, Bernard and Scuvera, Giulietta and Manoukian, Siranoush and Radice, Paolo and Ottini, Laura and Montagna, Marco and Agata, Simona and Maugard, Christine and Simard, Jacques and Soucy, Penny and Berger, Andreas and Fink-Retter, Anneliese and Singer, Christian F. and Rappaport, Christine and Geschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne and Tea, Muy-Kheng and Pfeiler, Georg and John, Esther M. and Miron, Alex and Neuhausen, Susan L. and Terry, Mary Beth and Chung, Wendy K. and Daly, Mary B. and Goldgar, David E. and Janavicius, Ramunas and Dorfling, Cecilia M. and Van Rensburg, Elisabeth J. and Fostira, Florentia and Konstantopoulou, Irene and Garber, Judy and Godwin, Andrew K. and Olah, Edith and Narod, Steven A. and Rennert, Gad and Paluch, Shani Shimon and Laitman, Yael and Friedman, Eitan and Liljegren, Annelie and Rantala, Johanna and Stenmark-Askmalm, Marie and Loman, Niklas and Imyanitov, Evgeny N. and Hamann, Ute and Spurdle, Amanda B. and Healey, Sue and Weitzel, Jeffrey N. and Herzog, Josef and Margileth, David and Gorrini, Chiara and Esteller, Manel and G{\´o}mez, Antonio and Sayols, Sergi and Vidal, Enrique and Heyn, Holger and Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique and L{\´e}on{\´e}, Melanie and Barjhoux, Laure and Fassy-Colcombet, Marion and Pauw, Antoine de and Lasset, Christine and Fert Ferrer, Sandra and Castera, Laurent and Berthet, Pascaline and Cornelis, Fran{\c{c}}ois and Bignon, Yves-Jean and Damiola, Francesca and Mazoyer, Sylvie and Sinilnikova, Olga M. and Maxwell, Christopher A. and Vijai, Joseph and Robson, Mark and Kauff, Noah and Corines, Marina J. and Villano, Danylko and Cunningham, Julie and Lee, Adam and Lindor, Noralane and L{\´a}zaro, Conxi and Easton, Douglas F. and Offit, Kenneth and Chenevix-Trench, Georgia and Couch, Fergus J. and Antoniou, Antonis C. and Pujana, Miguel Angel},
  title     = {Assessing associations between the AURKA-HMMR-TPX2-TUBG1 functional module and breast cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0120020},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-143469},
  pages     = {e0120020},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {While interplay between BRCA1 and AURKA-RHAMM-TPX2-TUBG1 regulates mammary epithelial polarization, common genetic variation in HMMR (gene product RHAMM) may be associated with risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers. Following on these observations, we further assessed the link between the AURKA-HMMR-TPX2-TUBG1 functional module and risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. Forty-one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 15,252 BRCA1 and 8,211 BRCA2 mutation carriers and subsequently analyzed using a retrospective likelihood approach. The association of HMMR rs299290 with breast cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers was confirmed: per-allele hazard ratio (HR) = 1.10, 95\% confidence interval (CI) 1.04 - 1.15, p = 1.9 x 10\(^{-4}\) (false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p = 0.043). Variation in CSTF1, located next to AURKA, was also found to be associated with breast cancer risk in BRCA2 mutation carriers: rs2426618 per-allele HR = 1.10, 95\% CI 1.03 - 1.16, p = 0.005 (FDR-adjusted p = 0.045). Assessment of pairwise interactions provided suggestions (FDR-adjusted p\(_{interaction}\) values > 0.05) for deviations from the multiplicative model for rs299290 and CSTF1 rs6064391, and rs299290 and TUBG1 rs11649877 in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Following these suggestions, the expression of HMMR and AURKA or TUBG1 in sporadic breast tumors was found to potentially interact, influencing patients' survival. Together, the results of this study support the hypothesis of a causative link between altered function of AURKA-HMMR-TPX2-TUBG1 and breast carcinogenesis in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers.},
  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}
}
@article{EberhardtHaasGirschicketal.2015,
  author    = {Eberhardt, Christiane S. and Haas, Johannes-Peter and Girschick, Hermann and Schwarz, Tobias and Morbach, Henner and R{\"o}sen-Wolff, Angela and Foell, Dirk and Dannecker, Guenther and Schepp, Carsten and Ganser, Gerd and Honke, Nora and Eggermann, Thomas and M{\"u}ller-Berghaus, Jan and Wagner, Norbert and Ohl, Kim and Tenbrock, Klaus},
  title     = {No association of IL-12p40 pro1.1 polymorphism with juvenile idiopathic arthritis},
  series = {Pediatric Rheumatology},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Pediatric Rheumatology},
  number    = {61},
  doi       = {10.1186/s12969-015-0059-z},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-136281},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background: IL-12p40 plays an important role in the activation of the T-cell lines like Th17 and Th1-cells. Theses cells are crucial in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. A polymorphism in its promoter region and the genotype IL12p40 pro1.1 leads to a higher production of IL-12p40. We studied whether there is a difference in the distribution of the genotype in patients with JIA and the healthy population. Methods: In 883 patients and 321 healthy controls the IL-12p40 promoter genotype was identified by ARMS-PCR. Results: There is no association of IL-12p40 pro polymorphism neither in patients with JIA compared to controls nor in subtypes of JIA compared to oligoarthritis. We found a non-significant tendency of a higher prevalence of the genotype pro1.1 in systemic arthritis (32.4 \%) and in rheumatoid factor negative polyarthritis (30.5 \%) and a lower pro1.1 genotype in persistent oligoarthritis (20.7 \%) and in enthesitis-related arthritis (17 \%). Likelihood of the occurrence of genotype IL12-p40 pro1.1 in patients with systemic arthritis (OR 1.722, CI 95 \% 1.344-2.615, p 0.0129) and RF-negative polyarthritis (OR 1.576, CI 95 \% 1.046-2.376, p 0.0367) compared to persistent oligoarthritis was significantly higher. This was also true for comparison of their homozygous genotypes IL-12p40 pro 1.1 and 2.2 in systemic arthritis (OR 1.779, CI 95 \% 1.045-3.029, p 0.0338). However, in Bonferroni correction for multiple hypothesis this was not significant. Conclusion: A tendency of a higher prevalence of the genotype IL-12p40 pro1.1 in systemic arthritis and in rheumatoid factor negative polyarthritis was observed but not significant. Further investigations should be done to clarify the role IL-12p40 in the different subtypes of JIA.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{TomeiAdamsUccellinietal.2012,
  author    = {Tomei, Sara and Adams, Sharon and Uccellini, Lorenzo and Bedognetti, Davide and De Giorgi, Valeria and Erdenebileg, Narnygerel and Libera Ascierto, Maria and Reinboth, Jennifer and Liu, Qiuzhen and Bevilacqua, Generoso and Wang, Ena and Mazzanti, Chiara and Marincola, Francesco M.},
  title     = {Association between HRAS rs12628 and rs112587690 polymorphisms with the risk of melanoma in the North American population},
  series = {Medical Oncology},
  volume    = {29},
  journal   = {Medical Oncology},
  number    = {5},
  doi       = {dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12032-012-0255-3},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-126834},
  pages     = {3456-3461},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {HRAS belongs to the RAS genes superfamily. RAS genes are important players in several human tumors and the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs12628 has been shown to contribute to the risk of bladder, colon, gastrointestinal, oral, and thyroid carcinoma. We hypothesized that this SNP may affect the risk of cutaneous melanoma as well. HRAS gene contains a polymorphic region (rs112587690), a repeated hexanucleotide -GGGCCT- located in intron 1. Three alleles of this region, P1, P2, and P3, have been identified that contain two, three, and four repeats of the hexanucleotide, respectively. We investigated the clinical impact of these polymorphisms in a case-control study. A total of 141 melanoma patients and 118 healthy donors from the North America Caucasian population were screened for rs12628 and rs112587690 polymorphisms. Genotypes were assessed by capillary sequencing or fragment analysis, respectively, and rs12628 CC and rs112587690 P1P1 genotypes significantly associated with increased melanoma risk (OR = 3.83, p = 0.003; OR = 11.3, p = 0.033, respectively), while rs112587690 P1P3 frequency resulted significantly higher in the control group (OR = 0.5, p = 0.017). These results suggest that rs12628 C homozygosis may be considered a potential risk factor for melanoma development in the North American population possibly through the linkage to rs112587690.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HornSchellerduPlessisetal.2013,
  author    = {Horn, Anne and Scheller, Carsten and du Plessis, Stefan and Arendt, Gabriele and Nolting, Thorsten and Joska, John and Sopper, Sieghart and Maschke, Matthias and Obermann, Mark and Husstedt, Ingo W. and Hain, Johannes and Maponga, Tongai and Riederer, Peter and Koutsilieri, Eleni},
  title     = {Increases in CSF dopamine in HIV patients are due to the dopamine transporter 10/10-repeat allele which is more frequent in HIV-infected individuals},
  series = {Journal of Neural Transmission},
  volume    = {120},
  journal   = {Journal of Neural Transmission},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00702-013-1086-x},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-132385},
  pages     = {1411-1419},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Dysfunction of dopaminergic neurotransmission has been implicated in HIV infection. We showed previously increased dopamine (DA) levels in CSF of therapy-na{\"i}ve HIV patients and an inverse correlation between CSF DA and CD4 counts in the periphery, suggesting adverse effects of high levels of DA on HIV infection. In the current study including a total of 167 HIV-positive and negative donors from Germany and South Africa (SA), we investigated the mechanistic background for the increase of CSF DA in HIV individuals. Interestingly, we found that the DAT 10/10-repeat allele is present more frequently within HIV individuals than in uninfected subjects. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender and ethnicity showed an odds ratio for HIV infection in DAT 10/10 allele carriers of 3.93 (95 \% CI 1.72-8.96; p = 0.001, Fishers exact test). 42.6 \% HIV-infected patients harbored the DAT 10/10 allele compared to only 10.5 \% uninfected DAT 10/10 carriers in SA (odds ratio 6.31), whereas 68.1 versus 40.9 \%, respectively, in Germany (odds ratio 3.08). Subjects homozygous for the 10-repeat allele had higher amounts of CSF DA and reduced DAT mRNA expression but similar disease severity compared with those carrying other DAT genotypes. These intriguing and novel findings show the mutual interaction between DA and HIV, suggesting caution in the interpretation of CNS DA alterations in HIV infection solely as a secondary phenomenon to the virus and open the door for larger studies investigating consequences of the DAT functional polymorphism on HIV epidemiology and progression of disease.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MitchellMacarthurGanetal.2014,
  author    = {Mitchell, Anna L. and Macarthur, Katie D. R. and Gan, Earn H. and Baggott, Lucy E. and Wolff, Anette S. B. and Skinningsrud, Beate and Platt, Hazel and Short, Andrea and Lobell, Anna and Kampe, Olle and Bensing, Sophie and Betterle, Corrado and Kasperlik-Zaluska, Anna and Zurawek, Magdalena and Fichna, Marta and Kockum, Ingrid and Eriksson, Gabriel Nordling and Ekwall, Olov and Wahlberg, Jeanette and Dahlqvist, Per and Hulting, Anna-Lena and Penna-Martinez, Marissa and Meyer, Gesine and Kahles, Heinrich and Badenhoop, Klaus and Hahner, Stephanie and Quinkler, Marcus and Falorni, Alberto and Phipps-Green, Amanda and Merriman, Tony R. and Ollier, William and Cordell, Heather J. and Undlien, Dag and Czarnocka, Barbara and Husebye, Eystein and Pearce, Simon H. S.},
  title     = {Association of Autoimmune Addison's Disease with Alleles of STAT4 and GATA3 in European Cohorts},
  series = {PLOS ONE},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {PLOS ONE},
  number    = {3},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0088991},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117105},
  pages     = {e88991},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Background: Gene variants known to contribute to Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) susceptibility include those at the MHC, MICA, CIITA, CTLA4, PTPN22, CYP27B1, NLRP-1 and CD274 loci. The majority of the genetic component to disease susceptibility has yet to be accounted for. Aim: To investigate the role of 19 candidate genes in AAD susceptibility in six European case-control cohorts. Methods: A sequential association study design was employed with genotyping using Sequenom iPlex technology. In phase one, 85 SNPs in 19 genes were genotyped in UK and Norwegian AAD cohorts (691 AAD, 715 controls). In phase two, 21 SNPs in 11 genes were genotyped in German, Swedish, Italian and Polish cohorts (1264 AAD, 1221 controls). In phase three, to explore association of GATA3 polymorphisms with AAD and to determine if this association extended to other autoimmune conditions, 15 SNPs in GATA3 were studied in UK and Norwegian AAD cohorts, 1195 type 1 diabetes patients from Norway, 650 rheumatoid arthritis patients from New Zealand and in 283 UK Graves' disease patients. Meta-analysis was used to compare genotype frequencies between the participating centres, allowing for heterogeneity. Results: We report significant association with alleles of two STAT4 markers in AAD cohorts (rs4274624: P = 0.00016; rs10931481: P = 0.0007). In addition, nominal association of AAD with alleles at GATA3 was found in 3 patient cohorts and supported by meta-analysis. Association of AAD with CYP27B1 alleles was also confirmed, which replicates previous published data. Finally, nominal association was found at SNPs in both the NF-kappa B1 and IL23A genes in the UK and Italian cohorts respectively. Conclusions: Variants in the STAT4 gene, previously associated with other autoimmune conditions, confer susceptibility to AAD. Additionally, we report association of GATA3 variants with AAD: this adds to the recent report of association of GATA3 variants with rheumatoid arthritis.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Kelber2009,
  author    = {Kelber, Christina},
  title     = {The olfactory system of leafcutting ants: neuroanatomy and the correlation to social organization},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-47769},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2009},
  abstract  = {In leaf-cutting ants (genera Atta and Acromyrmex), the worker caste exhibits a pronounced size-polymorphism, and division of labor is largely dependent on worker size (alloethism). Behavioral studies have shown a rich diversity of olfactory-guided behaviors, and the olfactory system seems to be highly developed and very sensitive. To allow fine-tuned behavioral responses to different tasks, adaptations within the olfactory system of different sized workers are expected. In a recent study, two different phenotypes of the antennal lobe of Atta vollenweideri workers were found: MG- and RG-phenotype (with and without a macroglomerulus, MG). The existence of the macroglomerulus is correlated to the body size of workers, with small workers showing the RG-phenotype and large workers showing the MG-phenotype. In the MG, the information about the releaser component of the trail-pheromone is processed. In the first part of my PhD-project, I focus on quantifying behavioral differences between different sized workers in Atta vollenweideri. The study analyzes the trail following behavior; which can be generally performed by all workers. An artificial trail consisting of the releaser component of the trail-pheromone in decreasing concentration was used to test the trail-following performance of individual workers. The trail-following performance of the polymorphic workers is depended of the existence of the MG in the antennal lobe. Workers possessing the MG-phenotype were significantly better in following a decreasing trail then workers showing the RG-phenotype. In the second part I address the question if there are more structural differences, besides the MG, in the olfactory system of different sized workers. Therefore I analyze whether the glomerular numbers are related to worker size. The antennal lobes of small workers contain ~390 glomeruli (low-number; LN-phenotype), and in large workers I found a substantially higher number of ~440 glomeruli (high-number; HN-phenotype). All LN-phenotype workers and some of the small HN-phenotype workers do not possess an MG (LN-RG-phenotype and HN-RG-phenotype) at all, whereas the remaining majority of HN-phenotype workers do possess an MG (HN-MG-phenotype). Mass-stainings of antennal olfactory receptor neurons revealed that the sensory tracts divide the antennal lobe into six clusters of glomeruli (T1-T6). In the T4-cluster ~50 glomeruli are missing in the LN-phenotype workers. Selective staining of single sensilla and their associated receptor neurons showed that T4-glomeruli are innervated by receptor neurons from the main type of olfactory sensilla, the Sensilla trichodea curvata which are also projecting to glomeruli in all other clusters. The other type of olfactory sensilla, the Sensilla basiconica, exclusively innervates T6-glomeruli. Quantitative analyses revealed a correlation between the number of Sensilla basiconica and the volume of T6 glomeruli in different sized workers. The results of both behavioral and neuroanatomical studies in Atta vollenweideri suggest that developmental plasticity of antennal-lobe phenotypes promotes differences in olfactory-guided behavior which may underlie task specialization within ant colonies. The last part of my project focuses on the evolutionary origin of the macroglomerulus and the number of glomeruli in the antennal lobe. I compared the number, volumes and position of the glomeruli of the antennal lobe of 25 different species from all three major Attini groups (lower, higher and leaf-cutting Attini). The antennal lobes of all investigated Attini comprise a high number of glomeruli (257-630). The highest number was found in Apterostigma cf. mayri. This species is at a basal position within the Attini phylogeny, and a high number of glomeruli might have been advantageous in the evolution of the advanced olfactory systems of this Taxa. The macroglomerulus can be found in all investigated leaf-cutting Attini, but in none of the lower and higher Attini species. It is found only in large workers, and is located close to the entrance of the antennal nerve in all investigated species. The results indicate that the presence of a macroglomerulus in large workers of leaf-cutting Attini is a derived overexpression of a trait in the polymorphic leaf-cutting species. It presumably represents an olfactory adaptation to elaborate foraging and mass recruitment systems, and adds to the complexity of division of labor and social organization known for this group.},
  subject      = {Gehirn},
  language  = {en}
}