@article{BoivinBeyersdorfPalmetal.2015, author = {Boivin, Val{\´e}rie and Beyersdorf, Niklas and Palm, Dieter and Nikolaev, Viacheslav O. and Schlipp, Angela and M{\"u}ller, Justus and Schmidt, Doris and Kocoski, Vladimir and Kerkau, Thomas and H{\"u}nig, Thomas and Ertl, Georg and Lohse, Martin J. and Jahns, Roland}, title = {Novel Receptor-Derived Cyclopeptides to Treat Heart Failure Caused by \(Anti-β_1-Adrenoceptor\) Antibodies in a Human-Analogous Rat Model}, series = {PLoS One}, volume = {10}, journal = {PLoS One}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0117589}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-126028}, pages = {e0117589}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Despite recent therapeutic advances the prognosis of heart failure remains poor. Recent research suggests that heart failure is a heterogeneous syndrome and that many patients have stimulating auto-antibodies directed against the second extracellular loop of the \(β_1\) adrenergic receptor \((β_1EC2)\). In a human-analogous rat model such antibodies cause myocyte damage and heart failure. Here we used this model to test a novel antibody-directed strategy aiming to prevent and/or treat antibody-induced cardiomyopathy. To generate heart failure, we immunised n = 76/114 rats with a fusion protein containing the human β1EC2 (amino-acids 195-225) every 4 weeks; n = 38/114 rats were control-injected with 0.9\% NaCl. Intravenous application of a novel cyclic peptide mimicking \(β_1EC2\) (\(β_1EC2-CP\), 1.0 mg/kg every 4 weeks) or administration of the \(β_1-blocker\) bisoprolol (15 mg/kg/day orally) was initiated either 6 weeks (cardiac function still normal, prevention-study, n = 24 (16 treated vs. 8 untreated)) or 8.5 months after the 1st immunisation (onset of cardiomyopathy, therapy-study, n = 52 (40 treated vs. 12 untreated)); n = 8/52 rats from the therapy-study received \(β_1EC2-CP/bisoprolol\) co-treatment. We found that \(β_1EC2-CP\) prevented and (alone or as add-on drug) treated antibody-induced cardiac damage in the rat, and that its efficacy was superior to mono-treatment with bisoprolol, a standard drug in heart failure. While bisoprolol mono-therapy was able to stop disease-progression, \(β_1EC2-CP\) mono-therapy -or as an add-on to bisoprolol- almost fully reversed antibody-induced cardiac damage. The cyclo¬peptide acted both by scavenging free \(anti-β_1EC2-antibodies\) and by targeting \(β_1EC2\)-specific memory B-cells involved in antibody-production. Our model provides the basis for the clinical translation of a novel double-acting therapeutic strategy that scavenges harmful \(anti-β_1EC2-antibodies\) and also selectively depletes memory B-cells involved in the production of such antibodies. Treatment with immuno-modulating cyclopeptides alone or as an add-on to \(β_1\)-blockade represents a promising new therapeutic option in immune-mediated heart failure.}, language = {en} } @article{BeilhackChopraKrausetal.2013, author = {Beilhack, Andreas and Chopra, Martin and Kraus, Sabrina and Schwinn, Stefanie and Ritz, Miriam and Mattenheimer, Katharina and Mottok, Anja and Rosenwald, Andreas and Einsele, Hermann}, title = {Non-Invasive Bioluminescence Imaging to Monitor the Immunological Control of a Plasmablastic Lymphoma-Like B Cell Neoplasia after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0081320}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-111341}, year = {2013}, abstract = {To promote cancer research and to develop innovative therapies, refined pre-clinical mouse tumor models that mimic the actual disease in humans are of dire need. A number of neoplasms along the B cell lineage are commonly initiated by a translocation recombining c-myc with the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene locus. The translocation is modeled in the C.129S1-Ighatm1(Myc)Janz/J mouse which has been previously engineered to express c-myc under the control of the endogenous IgH promoter. This transgenic mouse exhibits B cell hyperplasia and develops diverse B cell tumors. We have isolated tumor cells from the spleen of a C.129S1-Ighatm1(Myc)Janz/J mouse that spontaneously developed a plasmablastic lymphoma-like disease. These cells were cultured, transduced to express eGFP and firefly luciferase, and gave rise to a highly aggressive, transplantable B cell lymphoma cell line, termed IM380. This model bears several advantages over other models as it is genetically induced and mimics the translocation that is detectable in a number of human B cell lymphomas. The growth of the tumor cells, their dissemination, and response to treatment within immunocompetent hosts can be imaged non-invasively in vivo due to their expression of firefly luciferase. IM380 cells are radioresistant in vivo and mice with established tumors can be allogeneically transplanted to analyze graft-versus-tumor effects of transplanted T cells. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation of tumor-bearing mice results in prolonged survival. These traits make the IM380 model very valuable for the study of B cell lymphoma pathophysiology and for the development of innovative cancer therapies.}, language = {en} } @article{AlrefaiMuhammadRudolfetal.2016, author = {Alrefai, Hani and Muhammad, Khalid and Rudolf, Ronald and Pham, Duong Anh Thuy and Klein-Hessling, Stefan and Patra, Amiya K. and Avots, Andris and Bukur, Valesca and Sahin,, Ugur and Tenzer, Stefan and Goebeler, Matthias and Kerstan, Andreas and Serfling, Edgar}, title = {NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {7}, journal = {Nature Communications}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms11724}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-173053}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Epicutaneous application of Aldara cream containing the TLR7 agonist imiquimod (IMQ) to mice induces skin inflammation that exhibits many aspects of psoriasis, an inflammatory human skin disease. Here we show that mice depleted of B cells or bearing interleukin (IL)-10-deficient B cells show a fulminant inflammation upon IMQ exposure, whereas ablation of NFATc1 in B cells results in a suppression of Aldara-induced inflammation. In vitro, IMQ induces the proliferation and IL-10 expression by B cells that is blocked by BCR signals inducing NFATc1. By binding to HDAC1, a transcriptional repressor, and to an intronic site of the Il10 gene, NFATc1 suppresses IL-10 expression that dampens the production of tumour necrosis factor-α and IL-17 by T cells. These data indicate a close link between NFATc1 and IL-10 expression in B cells and suggest NFATc1 and, in particular, its inducible short isoform, NFATc1/αA, as a potential target to treat human psoriasis.}, language = {en} } @article{MuhammadRudolfPhametal.2018, author = {Muhammad, Khalid and Rudolf, Ronald and Pham, Duong Anh Thuy and Klein-Hessling, Stefan and Takata, Katsuyoshi and Matsushita, Nobuko and Ellenrieder, Volker and Kondo, Eisaku and  Serfling, Edgar}, title = {Induction of Short NFATc1/αA Isoform Interferes with Peripheral B Cell Differentiation}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {9}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, number = {32}, issn = {1664-3224}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2018.00032}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-197501}, year = {2018}, abstract = {In lymphocytes, immune receptor signals induce the rapid nuclear translocation of preformed cytosolic NFAT proteins. Along with co-stimulatory signals, persistent immune receptor signals lead to high levels of NFATc1/αA, a short NFATc1 isoform, in effector lymphocytes. Whereas NFATc1 is not expressed in plasma cells, in germinal centers numerous centrocytic B cells express nuclear NFATc1/αA. When overexpressed in chicken DT40 B cells or murine WEHI 231 B cells, NFATc1/αA suppressed their cell death induced by B cell receptor signals and affected the expression of genes controlling the germinal center reaction and plasma cell formation. Among those is the Prdm1 gene encoding Blimp-1, a key factor of plasma cell formation. By binding to a regulatory DNA element within exon 1 of the Prdm1 gene, NFATc1/αA suppresses Blimp-1 expression. Since expression of a constitutive active version of NFATc1/αA interfered with Prdm1 RNA expression, LPS-mediated differentiation of splenic B cells to plasmablasts in vitro and reduced immunoglobulin production in vivo, one may conclude that NFATc1/αA plays an important role in controlling plasmablast/plasma cell formation.}, language = {en} } @article{KaderAzeemJwayedetal.2021, author = {Kader, Hidaya A. and Azeem, Muhammad and Jwayed, Suhib A. and Al-Shehhi, Aaesha and Tabassum, Attia and Ayoub, Mohammed Akli and Hetta, Helal F. and Waheed, Yasir and Iratni, Rabah and Al-Dhaheri, Ahmed and Muhammad, Khalid}, title = {Current insights into immunology and novel therapeutics of atopic dermatitis}, series = {Cells}, volume = {10}, journal = {Cells}, number = {6}, issn = {2073-4409}, doi = {10.3390/cells10061392}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241008}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most prevalent inflammatory disease among non-fatal skin diseases, affecting up to one fifth of the population in developed countries. AD is characterized by recurrent pruritic and localized eczema with seasonal fluctuations. AD initializes the phenomenon of atopic march, during which infant AD patients are predisposed to progressive secondary allergies such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergies. The pathophysiology of AD is complex; onset of the disease is caused by several factors, including strong genetic predisposition, disrupted epidermal barrier, and immune dysregulation. AD was initially characterized by defects in the innate immune system and a vigorous skewed adaptive Th2 response to environmental agents; there are compelling evidences that the disorder involves multiple immune pathways. Symptomatic palliative treatment is the only strategy to manage the disease and restore skin integrity. Researchers are trying to more precisely define the contribution of different AD genotypes and elucidate the role of various immune axes. In this review, we have summarized the current knowledge about the roles of innate and adaptive immune responsive cells in AD. In addition, current and novel treatment strategies for the management of AD are comprehensively described, including some ongoing clinical trials and promising therapeutic agents. This information will provide an asset towards identifying personalized targets for better therapeutic outcomes.}, language = {en} }