@phdthesis{Aumann2018,
  author    = {Aumann, Ralf},
  title     = {Vorkommen und Expression des opcA Gens in Meningokokkenst{\"a}mmen von Erkrankten und asymptomatischen Tr{\"a}gern},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-157278},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Das Opc-Protein ist ein Außenmembranprotein von Meningokokken, das {\"u}ber extrazellul{\"a}re Matrixproteine mit Integrinen der Wirtszelle interagiert. Opc ist in Menschen immunogen und induziert bakterizide Antik{\"o}rper. Das Opc-Protein wurde daher als aussichtsreicher Impfstoff-Kandidat angesehen, da es außerdem relativ gut konserviert ist. Allerdings wird das Opc-Protein nicht von allen Meningokokkenst{\"a}mmen exprimiert. Einerseits fehlt das opc-Gen in einigen klonalen Komplexen (z.B. ST-8, ST-11, ST-53), andererseits ist die Opc-Expression nicht konstitutiv wegen einer phasenvariablen Transkription, die auf einem Poly-Cytidin-Bereich im Promotor des opc-Gens beruht. In dieser Arbeit wurde die Pr{\"a}senz des opc-Gens und die Opc-Expression in zwei großen Sammlungen deutscher Meningokokkenisolate von invasiven Erkrankungen (n=1141) und gesunden Tr{\"a}gern (n=792) untersucht. Das opc-Gen war bei 71\% der invasiven und 77\% der Tr{\"a}gerst{\"a}mme nachweisbar. Der gr{\"o}ßte Teil der opc-Gen negativen St{\"a}mme geh{\"o}rte zu den klonalen Komplexen ST-8, ST-11, ST-213, ST-231, ST-334 und ST-53. Der Anteil opc-positiver St{\"a}mme, die Opc in vitro exprimieren, war bei den invasiven St{\"a}mmen kleiner als bei den Tr{\"a}gerst{\"a}mmen (13\% vs. 29\%, p<0,001, Chi-square-Test). Der gr{\"o}ßere Anteil Opc-exprimierender Tr{\"a}gerst{\"a}mme ist u.a. am ehesten mit der {\"U}berrepr{\"a}sentation von wenig pathogenen klonalen Komplexen (ST-23, ST-35, ST-198) mit einer hohen Opc-Expressionsrate zu erkl{\"a}ren. 24 von den 176 invasiven St{\"a}mmen mit einer Anzahl von 11 - 14 Cs in der Promotor-Region, die die Opc-Expression beg{\"u}nstigt, zeigten weder im ELISA noch im Westernblot eine Opc-Expression. Bei 14 dieser 24 St{\"a}mme wurde als Ursache ein phasenvariabler, intragenischer Poly-Adenin-Bereich identifiziert, der zu einer Leserasterverschiebung f{\"u}hrte. Die Vermutung mehrerer Autoren, dass die Opc-Expression mit dem klinischen Bild der Meningitis verkn{\"u}pft ist, konnte mit der hier genutzten großen Stammsammlung nicht best{\"a}tigt werden. Invasive St{\"a}mme, die das Opc-Protein exprimierten, wurden genauso h{\"a}ufig von Patienten mit dem klinischen Bild der Meningitis isoliert wie St{\"a}mme, die das Opc-Protein nicht exprimierten (46\% vs. 47\%, Chi-square-Test: p<0,9). Allerdings gibt es eine starke Assoziation der Gegenwart des opc-Gens mit dem klinischen Merkmal Meningitis. Dieser Befund gibt Anlass zu der Hypothese, dass in vitro und in vivo Expression von Opc sich unterscheiden. Zusammenfassend l{\"a}sst sich festhalten, dass das Opc-Protein nur in 19,8\% aller Isolate (invasive und Tr{\"a}gerst{\"a}mme zusammengenommen) exprimiert wurde. Es zeigte sich eine Tendenz zu h{\"a}ufigerer Opc-Expression in apathogenen Tr{\"a}gerisolaten. Das Vorhandensein des opc-Gens, nicht aber die in vitro Expression konnten mit dem klinischen Merkmal Meningitis assoziiert werden. Zus{\"a}tzlich wurde ein weiterer Mechanismus der intragenischen Phasenvariation beschrieben.},
  subject      = {Neisseria meningitidis},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{HerrmannMuenstermannStrobeletal.2018,
  author    = {Herrmann, Johannes and Muenstermann, Marcel and Strobel, Lea and Schubert-Unkmeir, Alexandra and Woodruff, Trent M. and Gray-Owen, Scott D. and Klos, Andreas and Johswich, Kay O.},
  title     = {Complement C5a receptor 1 exacerbates the pathophysiology of N. meningitidis sepsis and is a potential target for disease treatment},
  series = {mBio},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {mBio},
  number    = {1},
  doi       = {10.1128/mBio.01755-17},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-175792},
  pages     = {e01755-17},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Sepsis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening disease. Because its initial symptoms are rather unspecific, medical attention is often sought too late, i.e., when the systemic inflammatory response is already unleashed. This in turn limits the success of antibiotic treatment. The complement system is generally accepted as the most important innate immune determinant against invasive meningococcal disease since it protects the host through the bactericidal membrane attack complex. However, complement activation concomitantly liberates the C5a peptide, and it remains unclear whether this potent anaphylatoxin contributes to protection and/or drives the rapidly progressing immunopathogenesis associated with meningococcal disease. Here, we dissected the specific contribution of C5a receptor 1 (C5aR1), the canonical receptor for C5a, using a mouse model of meningococcal sepsis. Mice lacking C3 or C5 displayed susceptibility that was enhanced by >1,000-fold or 100-fold, respectively, consistent with the contribution of these components to protection. In clear contrast, C5ar1\(^{-/-}\) mice resisted invasive meningococcal infection and cleared N. meningitidis more rapidly than wild-type (WT) animals. This favorable outcome stemmed from an ameliorated inflammatory cytokine response to N. meningitidis in C5ar1\(^{-/-}\) mice in both in vivo and ex vivo whole-blood infections. In addition, inhibition of C5aR1 signaling without interference with the complement bactericidal activity reduced the inflammatory response also in human whole blood. Enticingly, pharmacologic C5aR1 blockade enhanced mouse survival and lowered meningococcal burden even when the treatment was administered after sepsis induction. Together, our findings demonstrate that C5aR1 drives the pathophysiology associated with meningococcal sepsis and provides a promising target for adjunctive therapy. Importance: The devastating consequences of N. meningitidis sepsis arise due to the rapidly arising and self-propagating inflammatory response that mobilizes antibacterial defenses but also drives the immunopathology associated with meningococcemia. The complement cascade provides innate broad-spectrum protection against infection by directly damaging the envelope of pathogenic microbes through the membrane attack complex and triggers an inflammatory response via the C5a peptide and its receptor C5aR1 aimed at mobilizing cellular effectors of immunity. Here, we consider the potential of separating the bactericidal activities of the complement cascade from its immune activating function to improve outcome of N. meningitidis sepsis. Our findings demonstrate that the specific genetic or pharmacological disruption of C5aR1 rapidly ameliorates disease by suppressing the pathogenic inflammatory response and, surprisingly, allows faster clearance of the bacterial infection. This outcome provides a clear demonstration of the therapeutic benefit of the use of C5aR1-specific inhibitors to improve the outcome of invasive meningococcal disease.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SilwedelSpeerHaarmannetal.2018,
  author    = {Silwedel, Christine and Speer, Christian P. and Haarmann, Axel and Fehrholz, Markus and Claus, Heike and Buttmann, Mathias and Glaser, Kirsten},
  title     = {Novel insights into neuroinflammation: bacterial lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor α, and Ureaplasma species differentially modulate atypical chemokine receptor 3 responses in human brain microvascular endothelial cells},
  series = {Journal of Neuroinflammation},
  volume    = {15},
  journal   = {Journal of Neuroinflammation},
  number    = {156},
  doi       = {10.1186/s12974-018-1170-0},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-175952},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Background: Atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3, synonym CXCR7) is increasingly considered relevant in neuroinflammatory conditions, in which its upregulation contributes to compromised endothelial barrier function and may ultimately allow inflammatory brain injury. While an impact of ACKR3 has been recognized in several neurological autoimmune diseases, neuroinflammation may also result from infectious agents, including Ureaplasma species (spp.). Although commonly regarded as commensals of the adult urogenital tract, Ureaplasma spp. may cause invasive infections in immunocompromised adults as well as in neonates and appear to be relevant pathogens in neonatal meningitis. Nonetheless, clinical and in vitro data on Ureaplasma-induced inflammation are scarce. Methods: We established a cell culture model of Ureaplasma meningitis, aiming to analyze ACKR3 variances as a possible pathomechanism in Ureaplasma-associated neuroinflammation. Non-immortalized human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) were exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and native as well as LPS-primed HBMEC were cultured with Ureaplasma urealyticum serovar 8 (Uu8) and U. parvum serovar 3 (Up3). ACKR3 responses were assessed via qRT-PCR, RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and immunocytochemistry. Results: LPS, TNF-α, and Ureaplasma spp. influenced ACKR3 expression in HBMEC. LPS and TNF-α significantly induced ACKR3 mRNA expression (p < 0.001, vs. control), whereas Ureaplasma spp. enhanced ACKR3 protein expression in HBMEC (p < 0.01, vs. broth control). Co-stimulation with LPS and either Ureaplasma isolate intensified ACKR3 responses (p < 0.05, vs. LPS). Furthermore, stimulation wielded a differential influence on the receptor's ligands. Conclusions: We introduce an in vitro model of Ureaplasma meningitis. We are able to demonstrate a pro-inflammatory capacity of Ureaplasma spp. in native and, even more so, in LPS-primed HBMEC, underlining their clinical relevance particularly in a setting of co-infection. Furthermore, our data may indicate a novel role for ACKR3, with an impact not limited to auto-inflammatory diseases, but extending to infection-related neuroinflammation as well. AKCR3-induced blood-brain barrier breakdown might constitute a potential common pathomechanism.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StrobelJohswich2018,
  author    = {Strobel, Lea and Johswich, Kay O.},
  title     = {Anticoagulants impact on innate immune responses and bacterial survival in whole blood models of Neisseria meningitidis infection},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  number    = {10225},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-018-28583-8},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-176226},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) causes invasive diseases such as meningitis or septicaemia. Ex vivo infection of human whole blood is a valuable tool to study meningococcal virulence factors and the host innate immune responses. In order to consider effects of cellular mediators, the coagulation cascade must be inhibited to avoid clotting. There is considerable variation in the anticoagulants used among studies of N. meningitidis whole blood infections, featuring citrate, heparin or derivatives of hirudin, a polypeptide from leech saliva. Here, we compare the influence of these three different anticoagulants, and additionally Mg/EGTA, on host innate immune responses as well as on viability of N. meningitidis strains isolated from healthy carriers and disease cases, reflecting different sequence types and capsule phenotypes. We found that the anticoagulants significantly impact on cellular responses and, strain-dependently, also on bacterial survival. Hirudin does not inhibit complement and is therefore superior over the other anticoagulants; indeed hirudin-plasma most closely reflects the characteristics of serum during N. meningitidis infection. We further demonstrate the impact of heparin on complement activation on N. meningitidis and its consequences on meningococcal survival in immune sera, which appears to be independent of the heparin binding antigens Opc and NHBA.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RufBrantlWagener2018,
  author    = {Ruf, Dominik and Brantl, Victor and Wagener, Johannes},
  title     = {Mitochondrial Fragmentation in \(Aspergillus\) \(fumigatus\) as Early Marker of Granulocyte Killing Activity},
  series = {Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology},
  number    = {128},
  doi       = {10.3389/fcimb.2018.00128},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227133},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {The host's defense against invasive mold infections relies on diverse antimicrobial activities of innate immune cells. However, studying these mechanisms in vitro is complicated by the filamentous nature of such pathogens that typically form long, branched, multinucleated and compartmentalized hyphae. Here we describe a novel method that allows for the visualization and quantification of the antifungal killing activity exerted by human granulocytes against hyphae of the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The approach relies on the distinct impact of fungal cell death on the morphology of mitochondria that were visualized with green fluorescent protein (GFP). We show that oxidative stress induces complete fragmentation of the tubular mitochondrial network which correlates with cell death of affected hyphae. Live cell microscopy revealed a similar and non-reversible disruption of the mitochondrial morphology followed by fading of fluorescence in Aspergillus hyphae that were killed by human granulocytes. Quantitative microscopic analysis of fixed samples was subsequently used to estimate the antifungal activity. By utilizing this assay, we demonstrate that lipopolysaccharides as well as human serum significantly increase the killing efficacy of the granulocytes. Our results demonstrate that evaluation of the mitochondrial morphology can be utilized to assess the fungicidal activity of granulocytes against A. fumigatus hyphae.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PrausseLehnertTimmeetal.2018,
  author    = {Prauße, Maria T. E. and Lehnert, Teresa and Timme, Sandra and H{\"u}nniger, Kerstin and Leonhardt, Ines and Kurzai, Oliver and Figge, Marc Thilo},
  title     = {Predictive Virtual Infection Modeling of Fungal Immune Evasion in Human Whole Blood},
  series = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Immunology},
  number    = {560},
  issn      = {1664-3224},
  doi       = {10.3389/fimmu.2018.00560},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-197493},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Bloodstream infections by the human-pathogenic fungi Candida albicans and Candida glabrata increasingly occur in hospitalized patients and are associated with high mortality rates. The early immune response against these fungi in human blood comprises a concerted action of humoral and cellular components of the innate immune system. Upon entering the blood, the majority of fungal cells will be eliminated by innate immune cells, i.e., neutrophils and monocytes. However, recent studies identified a population of fungal cells that can evade the immune response and thereby may disseminate and cause organ dissemination, which is frequently observed during candidemia. In this study, we investigate the so far unresolved mechanism of fungal immune evasion in human whole blood by testing hypotheses with the help of mathematical modeling. We use a previously established state-based virtual infection model for whole-blood infection with C. albicans to quantify the immune response and identified the fungal immune-evasion mechanism. While this process was assumed to be spontaneous in the previous model, we now hypothesize that the immune-evasion process is mediated by host factors and incorporate such a mechanism in the model. In particular, we propose, based on previous studies that the fungal immune-evasion mechanism could possibly arise through modification of the fungal surface by as of yet unknown proteins that are assumed to be secreted by activated neutrophils. To validate or reject any of the immune-evasion mechanisms, we compared the simulation of both immune-evasion models for different infection scenarios, i.e., infection of whole blood with either C. albicans or C. glabrata under non-neutropenic and neutropenic conditions. We found that under non-neutropenic conditions, both immune-evasion models fit the experimental data from whole-blood infection with C. albicans and C. glabrata. However, differences between the immune-evasion models could be observed for the infection outcome under neutropenic conditions with respect to the distribution of fungal cells across the immune cells. Based on these predictions, we suggested specific experimental studies that might allow for the validation or rejection of the proposed immune-evasion mechanism.},
  language  = {en}
}