@article{WajantBeilhack2019,
  author    = {Wajant, Harald and Beilhack, Andreas},
  title     = {Targeting regulatory T cells by addressing tumor necrosis factor and its receptors in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and cancer},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  number    = {2040},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2019.02040},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201578},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {An intricate network of molecular and cellular actors orchestrates the delicate balance between effector immune responses and immune tolerance. The pleiotropic cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) proves as a pivotal protagonist promoting but also suppressing immune responses. These opposite actions are accomplished through specialist cell types responding to TNF via TNF receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. Recent findings highlight the importance of TNFR2 as a key regulator of activated natural FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in inflammatory conditions, such as acute graft-vs.-host disease (GvHD) and the tumor microenvironment. Here we review recent advances in our understanding of TNFR2 signaling in T cells and discuss how these can reconcile seemingly conflicting observations when manipulating TNF and TNFRs. As TNFR2 emerges as a new and attractive target we furthermore pinpoint strategies and potential pitfalls for therapeutic targeting of TNFR2 for cancer treatment and immune tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{Wajant2019,
  author    = {Wajant, Harald},
  title     = {Molecular mode of action of TRAIL receptor agonists—common principles and their translational exploitation},
  series = {Cancers},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Cancers},
  number    = {7},
  doi       = {10.3390/cancers11070954},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-202416},
  pages     = {954},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptors TRAILR1/death receptor 4 (DR4) and TRAILR2/DR5 trigger cell death in many cancer cells but rarely exert cytotoxic activity on non-transformed cells. Against this background, a variety of recombinant TRAIL variants and anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies have been developed and tested in preclinical and clinical studies. Despite promising results from mice tumor models, TRAIL death receptor targeting has failed so far in clinical studies to show satisfying anti-tumor efficacy. These disappointing results can largely be explained by two issues: First, tumor cells can acquire TRAIL resistance by several mechanisms defining a need for combination therapies with appropriate sensitizing drugs. Second, there is now growing preclinical evidence that soluble TRAIL variants but also bivalent anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies typically require oligomerization or plasma membrane anchoring to achieve maximum activity. This review discusses the need for oligomerization and plasma membrane attachment for the activity of TRAIL death receptor agonists in view of what is known about the molecular mechanisms of how TRAIL death receptors trigger intracellular cell death signaling. In particular, it will be highlighted which consequences this has for the development of next generation TRAIL death receptor agonists and their potential clinical application.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{Wajant2019,
  author    = {Wajant, Harald},
  title     = {Molecular mode of action of TRAIL receptor agonists—common principles and their translational exploitation},
  series = {Cancers},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Cancers},
  number    = {7},
  doi       = {10.3390/cancers11070954},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201833},
  pages     = {954},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its death receptors TRAILR1/death receptor 4 (DR4) and TRAILR2/DR5 trigger cell death in many cancer cells but rarely exert cytotoxic activity on non-transformed cells. Against this background, a variety of recombinant TRAIL variants and anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies have been developed and tested in preclinical and clinical studies. Despite promising results from mice tumor models, TRAIL death receptor targeting has failed so far in clinical studies to show satisfying anti-tumor efficacy. These disappointing results can largely be explained by two issues: First, tumor cells can acquire TRAIL resistance by several mechanisms defining a need for combination therapies with appropriate sensitizing drugs. Second, there is now growing preclinical evidence that soluble TRAIL variants but also bivalent anti-TRAIL death receptor antibodies typically require oligomerization or plasma membrane anchoring to achieve maximum activity. This review discusses the need for oligomerization and plasma membrane attachment for the activity of TRAIL death receptor agonists in view of what is known about the molecular mechanisms of how TRAIL death receptors trigger intracellular cell death signaling. In particular, it will be highlighted which consequences this has for the development of next generation TRAIL death receptor agonists and their potential clinical application.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KreckelAnanySiegmundetal.2019,
  author    = {Kreckel, Jennifer and Anany, Mohammed A. and Siegmund, Daniela and Wajant, Harald},
  title     = {TRAF2 controls death receptor-induced caspase-8 processing and facilitates proinflammatory signaling},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  number    = {2024},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2019.02024},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201822},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor-2 (TRAF2) knockout (KO) cells were generated to investigate the role of TRAF2 in signaling by TNFR1 and the CD95-type death receptors (DRs) TRAILR1/2 and CD95. To prevent negative selection effects arising from the increased cell death sensitivity of TRAF2-deficient cells, cell lines were used for the generation of the TRAF2 KO variants that were protected from DR-induced apoptosis downstream of caspase-8 activation. As already described in the literature, TRAF2 KO cells displayed enhanced constitutive alternative NFκB signaling and reduced TNFR1-induced activation of the classical NFκB pathway. There was furthermore a significant but only partial reduction in CD95-type DR-induced upregulation of the proinflammatory NFκB-regulated cytokine interleukin-8 (IL8), which could be reversed by reexpression of TRAF2. In contrast, expression of the TRAF2-related TRAF1 protein failed to functionally restore TRAF2 deficiency. TRAF2 deficiency resulted furthermore in enhanced procaspase-8 processing by DRs, but this surprisingly came along with a reduction in net caspase-8 activity. In sum, our data argue for (i) a non-obligate promoting function of TRAF2 in proinflammatory DR signaling and (ii) a yet unrecognized stabilizing effect of TRAF2 on caspase-8 activity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{WajantSiegmund2019,
  author    = {Wajant, Harald and Siegmund, Daniela},
  title     = {TNFR1 and TNFR2 in the control of the life and death balance of macrophages},
  series = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology},
  number    = {91},
  doi       = {10.3389/fcell.2019.00091},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201551},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Macrophages stand in the first line of defense against a variety of pathogens but are also involved in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. To fulfill their functions macrophages sense a broad range of pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/DAMPs) by plasma membrane and intracellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Intriguingly, the overwhelming majority of PPRs trigger the production of the pleiotropic cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF). TNF affects almost any type of cell including macrophages themselves. TNF promotes the inflammatory activity of macrophages but also controls macrophage survival and death. TNF exerts its activities by stimulation of two different types of receptors, TNF receptor-1 (TNFR1) and TNFR2, which are both expressed by macrophages. The two TNF receptor types trigger distinct and common signaling pathways that can work in an interconnected manner. Based on a brief general description of major TNF receptor-associated signaling pathways, we focus in this review on research of recent years that revealed insights into the molecular mechanisms how the TNFR1-TNFR2 signaling network controls the life and death balance of macrophages. In particular, we discuss how the TNFR1-TNFR2 signaling network is integrated into PRR signaling.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ElHawarySayedMohammedetal.2019,
  author    = {El-Hawary, Seham S. and Sayed, Ahmed M. and Mohammed, Rabab and Hassan, Hossam M. and Rateb, Mostafa E. and Amin, Elham and Mohammed, Tarek A. and El-Mesery, Mohamed and Bin Muhsinah, Abdullatif and Alsayari, Abdulrhman and Wajant, Harald and Anany, Mohamed A. and Abdelmohsen, Usama Ramadan},
  title     = {Bioactive brominated oxindole alkaloids from the Red Sea sponge Callyspongia siphonella},
  series = {Marine Drugs},
  volume    = {17},
  journal   = {Marine Drugs},
  number    = {8},
  doi       = {10.3390/md17080465},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201485},
  pages     = {465},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {In the present study, LC-HRESIMS-assisted dereplication along with bioactivity-guided isolation led to targeting two brominated oxindole alkaloids (compounds 1 and 2) which probably play a key role in the previously reported antibacterial, antibiofilm, and cytotoxicity of Callyspongia siphonella crude extracts. Both metabolites showed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 8 and 4 µg/mL) and Bacillus subtilis (MIC = 16 and 4 µg/mL), respectively. Furthermore, they displayed moderate biofilm inhibitory activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (49.32\% and 41.76\% inhibition, respectively), and moderate in vitro antitrypanosomal activity (13.47 and 10.27 µM, respectively). In addition, they revealed a strong cytotoxic effect toward different human cancer cell lines, supposedly through induction of necrosis. This study sheds light on the possible role of these metabolites (compounds 1 and 2) in keeping fouling organisms away from the sponge outer surface, and the possible applications of these defensive molecules in the development of new anti-infective agents.},
  language  = {en}
}