@phdthesis{Mueller2010,
  author    = {Mueller, Felicitas},
  title     = {Analysis of the factor XII-driven contact system activation in vivo},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-46071},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Platelets play a central role in thrombosis, hemostasis, and inflammation. Here, we show that activated platelets release inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), a polymer of 60- 100 phosphate residues that directly bound to and activated the plasma protease factor XII. PolyP-driven factor XII-activation triggered release of the inflammatory mediator bradykinin by plasma kallikrein-mediated kininogen processing. PolyP increased vascular permeability and induced fluid extravasation in skin microvessels of mice. Mice deficient in factor XII or bradykinin receptors were resistant to polyP-induced leakage. PolyP initiated clotting of plasma via the contact pathway. Ablation of intrinsic coagulation pathway proteases factor XII and factor XI protected mice from polyPtriggered lethal pulmonary embolism. Targeting polyP with phosphatases interfered with procoagulant activity of activated platelets and blocked platelet-induced thrombosis in mice. Infusion of polyP restored defective plasma clotting of Hermansky- Pudlak Syndrome patients, which lack platelet polyP. The data identify polyP as a new class of mediator having fundamental roles in platelet-driven proinflammatory and procoagulant disorders.},
  subject      = {Blutstillung},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Abdelmohsen2010,
  author    = {Abdelmohsen, Usama Ramadan},
  title     = {Antimicrobial Activities from Plant Cell Cultures and Marine Sponge-Associated Actinomycetes},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-51483},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {This thesis is divided into three parts with the main goal allocating novel antimicrobial compounds that could be used as future antibiotics. The first part aimed to evaluate the potential of plant suspension cultures for the production of antimicrobial proteins. The extracellular, intracellular and cell wall bound fractions of seven heterotrophic and photomixotrophic plant cell suspension cultures treated with nine different elicitors were tested for the elicitor dependent production of antimicrobial proteins. Bioactivities were tested against a selected panel of human isolates including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as fungi using the disc diffusion assay. The intracellular fractions of elicited cell cultures were more active than extracellular fractions while the cell wall bound fractions showed lowest activities. Among the 21 fractions tested, the intracellular fraction of Lavendula angustifolia elicited with DC3000 was most active against Candida maltosa. The second most active fraction was the intracellular fraction of Arabidopsis thaliana elicited with salicylic acid which was moreover active against all test strains. The antimicrobial activity of elicited Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures was tested by bioautography to locate the antimicrobial proteins in the crude extract. The intracellular fraction of photomixotrophic Arabidopsis thaliana cells elicited with salicylic acid was selected for further gel filtration chromatography on S-200 column leading to the purification of one 19 kDa antimicrobially active protein, designated, AtAMP. Our findings suggest that elicited plant cell cultures may present a new promising alternative source of antimicrobial proteins. The second part comprises the isolation of actinomycetes associated with marine sponges and testing the bioactivities of new species for further investigations. Actinobacterial communities of eleven taxonomically different sponges that had been collected from offshore Ras Mohamed (Egypt) and from Rovinj (Croatia) were investigated by a culture-based approach using different standard media for isolation of actinomycetes and media enriched with aqueous sponge extract to target rare and new actinomycete species. Phylogenetic characterization of 52 representative isolates out of 90 based on almost complete sequences of genes encoding 16S rRNA supported their assignment to 18 different actinomycete genera. Altogether 14 putatively new species were identified based on sequence similarity values below 98.2\% to other strains in the NCBI database. The use of M1 agar amended with aqueous sponge extract yielded a putative new genus related to Rubrobacter which highlighting the need for innovative cultivation protocols. Biological activity testing showed that five isolates were active against Gram-positives only, one isolate was active against Candida albicans only and one isolate showed activity against both groups of pathogens. Moreover, the antiparasistic activity was documented for four isolates. These results showed a high diversity of actinomycetes associated with marine sponges as well as highlighted their potential to produce anti-infective agents. The third part of the thesis focused on the isolation and structure elucidation of new bioactive compounds. Streptomyces strain RV15 recovered from sponge Dysidea tupha, was selected for further chemical analysis by virtue of the fact that it exhibited the greatest antimicrobial potential against Staphylococcus aureus as well as Candida albicans among the all tested strains. Moreover, members of the genus Streptomyces are well known as prolific producers of interesting pharmacologically active metabolites. Chemical analysis of the methanolic crude extract using different chromatographic tools yielded four new compounds. The structures of the new compounds were spectroscopically elucidated to be four new cyclic peptides, namely, cyclodysidins A-D. Their bioactivity was tested against different proteases, bacteria and Candida as well as tumor cell lines. The compounds did not show any significant activities at this point.},
  subject      = {Antimikrobieller Wirkstoff},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{MaierPeuschel2010,
  author    = {Maier-Peuschel, Monika},
  title     = {Characterization of allosteric mechanisms on the M2 and M4 mACh receptor using the FRET-technique},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-49237},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Allosteric modulators have been proposed as promising new compounds to modify protein function. Allosteric binding sites have been discovered for several G-protein-coupled receptors, including M1-5 muscarinic receptors. Since these receptors play a pivotal role in the regulation of a plethora of organ functions, it is particularly important to investigate the mechanisms of allosteric modulation. To study molecular mechanisms of allosteric modulation in the M2 muscarinic receptor, a new FRET-based sensor was designed. CFP fused to the C-terminus of the receptor and a small fluorescent compound FlAsH, which labels a specific binding sequence in the third intracellular loop, were used as donor and acceptor fluorophores, respectively. The first part of the study was to design a functional FRET receptor sensor. After several optimization steps the constructs FLAG-M2-sl3-FlAsH-GSGEG-CFP and HA-FLAG-M2-sl3-FlAsH-GSGEG-CFP were generated which showed good cell-surface expression, robust changes in FRET and the ability to deliver reproducible data. The second part of this thesis sought to elucidate the mechanisms of the allosteric ligand binding and their effects on the receptor conformation. The described modifications, which were introduced in the wild type M2 mAChR to create the FRET sensor can alter receptor functionality and influence receptor expression. Radioligand binding studies revealed that the used transfection method provided sufficient receptor expression but, unfortunately, about 60 \% of the FLAG-M2-sl3-FlAsH-GSGEG-CFP receptor remains in the cytosol. However, this was sufficient to perform FRET experiments. Patch clamp GIRK-measurements with acetylcholine evinced that the new M2-sensor was able to activate Gi-proteins. Also, radioligand-binding assays with the second construct HA-FLAG-M2-sl3-FlAsH-GSGEG-CFP showed ligand affinity comparable to the wildtype receptor. Furthermore inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production was indistinguishable from the behaviour of the wildtype receptor. According to that, the full functionality of both receptor constructs could be confirmed. FRET measurements with the full muscarinic receptor agonists carbachol and acetylcholine confirmed that the FLAG-M2-sl3-FlAsH-GSGEG-CFP receptor construct showed rapid changes in FRET upon addition of both ligands, which were concentration-dependent. Concentration response curves and the resulting EC50 values of both agonists were similar to those already published in literature. In addition, the orthosteric antagonists atropine and methoctramine inhibited the FRET changes induced by the agonists. This inhibition was significantly faster than the washout kinetics, pointing to an active displacement of the agonists by the antagonists. Allosteric ligands gallamine, tacrine and dimethyl-W84 did not alter receptor conformation when added without an orthosteric ligand. However, when applied in addition to muscarinic agonists, all three substances inhibited the FRET-signal. The extent of this inhibition was dependent on the used concentration of the allosteric ligands. These results reveal that conformational changes brought about by allosteric ligands can be measured with the FRET technique. Furthermore real-time FRET-based kinetic measurements could be performed in living cells and showed that the allosteric ligands gallamine and dimethyl-W84 alter receptor conformation significantly faster than the antagonists atropine and methoctramine. This data indicate that allosteric ligands actively induce the conformational changes in the receptor.},
  subject      = {Allosterie},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Matuschek2010,
  author    = {Matuschek, Anja},
  title     = {Characterization of tolerogenic rat bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and regulatory T cells},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-51708},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Tolerogene Dendritische Zellen (DZ) und regulatorische T-Lymphozyten (Treg) verf{\"u}gen {\"u}ber die F{\"a}higkeit, destruktive Immunantworten zu verhindern. Die Hoffnung besteht, solche Zellen in naher Zukunft f{\"u}r therapeutische Zwecke einzusetzen, um z. B. Immunantworten nach Transplantation, aber auch bei Autoimmunit{\"a}t und Allergie antigenspezifisch zu supprimieren. Zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt ist die Generierung solcher Zellen aufwendig und noch nicht f{\"u}r die klinische Routine geeignet. Zudem sind die Mechanismen noch wenig verstanden, wie diese Zellen eine gew{\"u}nschte Immunhemmung in vivo auszul{\"o}sen und wie der m{\"o}glichen Gefahr einer zu starken Immunhemmung zu begegnen ist. Das Kleinnagermodell Ratte ist f{\"u}r die biomedizinische Forschung noch immer von großer Bedeutung, umso {\"u}berraschender ist es, dass insbesondere tolerogene DZ und Treg in diesem Modell bisher nur unzureichend untersucht wurden. Das Ziel der Arbeit war deshalb, diese Immunzellen umfassend zu charakterisieren und ihre Funktion auf das Immunsystem zu untersuchen. Tolerogene DZ wurden mit GM-CSF und IL-4 aus Knochenmarkvorl{\"a}uferzellen generiert (= IL-4 DC). Der Anteil an nat{\"u}rlich vorkommenden Treg mit einem Ph{\"a}notyp CD4posCD25posFoxp3pos umfasst ca. 5-8\% der peripheren naiven CD4pos TLymphozyten. Die Charakterisierung der IL-4 DC zeigte im Vergleich zu reifen DZ der Milz eine bis zu 26-fach geringere Expression von Oberfl{\"a}chenmolek{\"u}len wie MHC-Klasse II Molek{\"u}l, CD80, CD86, ICAM-1 und CD25. Diese geringe Expression {\"a}nderte sich auch nicht, wenn die Zellen verschiedensten Reifungssignalen wie das Replattieren,LPS, TNF-α und CD40L ausgesetzt wurden. IL-4 DC verf{\"u}gen somit {\"u}ber einen robusten und gegen{\"u}ber Reifungssignalen {\"u}beraus resistenten Ph{\"a}notyp. IL-4 DC nehmen Antigene durch Endozytose auf und sind unf{\"a}hig, sowohl naive TLymphozyten zu aktivieren, als auch antigenspezifische T-Lymphozyten zu restimulieren. Zudem sind sie in der Lage, die Aktivierung naiver T-Lymphozyten und die Restimulierung antigenspezifischer T-Lymphozyten durch reife Milz-DZ zu bzw. zu verz{\"o}gern. Dabei verringerte sich die Proliferation der TLymphozyten um bis zu 95\%. Diese Beeinflussung der Proliferation ist nach Zugabe der IL-4 DC bereits innerhalb von 24 Stunden zu messen. Die verringerte Aktivierung geht zu dem mit einer verringerten Zytokinaussch{\"u}ttung (IL-2 um 49\% und IFN-γ um 92\%) einher. Die inhibitorischen Eigenschaften der IL-4 DC scheinen aber nicht ausschließlich auf der verringerten Expression kostimulatorischer Molek{\"u}le zu beruhen. Der Nachweis der beiden inhibitorischen Oberfl{\"a}chenmolek{\"u}le PD-L1 und PD-L2 auf IL-4 DC l{\"a}sst ebenfalls eine Bedeutung dieser Molek{\"u}le bei der Vermittlung inhibierender Signale vermuten. Auch die suppressive Wirkung l{\"o}slicher Faktoren wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit gezeigt. {\"U}berst{\"a}nde einer 24-st{\"u}ndigen Kultur mit einer Million IL-4 DC hemmten die Aktivierung naiver T-Lymphozyten durch reife Milz-DZ um etwa 90\%. F{\"u}r diese Immunhemmung scheint das in diesen {\"U}berst{\"a}nden nachgewiesene Zytokin TGF-β (bis 300 pg/ml) verantwortlich zu sein. Im Vergleich dazu wiesen {\"U}berst{\"a}nde reifer Milz-DZ, die nicht die Aktivierung von T-Lymphozyten hemmten, eine TGF-β Konzentrationen von bis 100 pg/ml auf. Im Gegensatz dazu scheint zelltoxisches Stickstoffmonoxid nur eine geringe Rolle bei der Inhibierung der T-Zellproliferation zu spielen. Die Zugabe des NO Synthase-Inhibitors NMMA verringerte zwar den Anteil an NO um ca. 50\%, doch f{\"u}hrte dies nicht zu einer Steigerung der Proliferation von T-Lymphozyten. IL-4 DC sind zwar nicht in der Lage, T-Lymphozyten zur Proliferation zu bringen, doch bedeutet dies nicht, dass keinerlei Ver{\"a}nderungen auf molekularer Ebene festzustellen w{\"a}ren. So sind T-Lymphozyten nach ihrer Inkubation mit IL-4 DC nicht in der Lage, in Gegenwart von reifen Milz-DZ zu proliferieren. Dieser anergische Zustand wurde nach Zugabe von IL-2 aufgehoben. Zudem k{\"o}nnen diese TLymphozyten nach ihrer Inkubation mit IL-4 DC die Aktivierung na{\"i}ver TLymphozyten hemmen. Na{\"i}ve und aktivierte T-Lymphozyten k{\"o}nnen dies nicht. Diese Beobachtung, die auf eine Induktion von Treg schließen l{\"a}sst, wurde genauer untersucht. In der Tat zeigten durchflusszytometrische Analysen eine 1,6-fach verst{\"a}rkte Expansion von CD4posCD25posFoxp3pos T-Lymphozyten aus nat{\"u}rlich vorkommenden Treg in Gegenwart von IL-4 DC. Dabei erfolgte die Expansion von CD4posCD25posFoxp3pos T-Lymphozyten unabh{\"a}ngig vom Reifegrad der DZ. So waren auch reife Milz-DZ dazu in der Lage, die Zahl der nat{\"u}rlich vorkommenden Treg zu erh{\"o}hen. Doch wiesen diese mit Milz-DZ inkubierten Treg einen verminderten inhibitorischen Effekt auf. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die mit IL-4 DC inkubierten Treg in der Lage die Aktivierung naiver T-Lymphozyten zu hemmen. In dieser Arbeit wurde gezeigt, dass sich das regulatorische Potential von DZ nicht ausschließlich vom Ph{\"a}notyp bzw. ihrem Reifegrad ableiten l{\"a}sst, sondern dass hierzu auch ihre funktionellen Eigenschaften zu untersuchen sind. Die Induktion von Treg mit suppressiven Eigenschaften durch in vitro generierte tolerogene IL-4 DC k{\"o}nnte ein wichtiger Mechanismus zur Aufrechterhaltung der peripheren Toleranz darstellen. Vor einer klinischen Umsetzung sind aber noch weitergehende Untersuchungen notwendig, um das Zusammenspiel zwischen tolerogenen DZ und Treg zu verstehen, aber auch um die Auswirkungen eines Transfers großer Mengen regulatorischer Zellen auf das Immunsystem des Empf{\"a}ngers zu untersuchen.},
  subject      = {Dendritische Zelle},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Obier2010,
  author    = {Obier, Nadine},
  title     = {Defining the end of pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-53722},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Stammzellen mit ihrer besonderen F{\"a}higkeit sich selbst zu erneuern und zu differenzieren stellen einen faszinierenden Zelltyp f{\"u}r Grundlagenforschung und angewandte Wissenschaften dar. Pluripotente embryonale Stammzellen (ES Zellen), die aus Zellen der inneren Zellmasse von Pr{\"a}implantationsembryonen etabliert werden, k{\"o}nnen ekto-, meso- und endodermale Zelltypen sowie Keimzellen hervorbringen. Im Gegensatz dazu sind multipotente adulte Stammzellen in ihrem Entwicklungspotential eingeschr{\"a}nkt, sie differenzieren sich zu allen Zelltypen ihres Gewebes. Zum Beispiel h{\"a}matopoetische Stammzellen (HSZs), die sich in Blut-bildenden Geweben wie dem Knochenmark befinden, verm{\"o}gen sich in alle Blutzellen zu differenzieren. W{\"a}hrend der Differenzierung von Stammzellen {\"a}ndert sich nicht deren Genom, sondern ihre epigenetische Regulation. Durch epigenetische Mechanismen werden Zelltypen mit verschiedensten Ph{\"a}notypen und Funktionen generiert. F{\"u}r Stammzelltherapien ist ein tieferes Verst{\"a}ndnis des Zusammenhangs von Epigenom und zellul{\"a}rer Funktion wichtig. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation war es mein Ziel, differenzierende Stammzellkulturen auf ihre Genexpression, ihre Chromatinregulation und ihr Differenzierungspotiential hin zu analysieren. Um Histonmodifikationen, die einen m{\"o}glichen Mechanismus epigenetischer Regulation darstellen, global untersuchen zu k{\"o}nnen, sind zun{\"a}chst, durchusszytometrische Protokolle etabliert worden, die die Analyse einzelner Zellen erm{\"o}glichen sollten. Mit dieser Methode konnten reduzierte Levels von Histonazetylierung in differenzierten ES Zellen gezeigt werden. Im Gegensatz dazu beobachtete ich vergleichbare Levels von Histonazetylierung in unreifen und reifen Knochenmarkzellen. Zus{\"a}tzlich untersuchte ich die Wirkung des Histondeazetylase-Inhibitors (HDI) Trichostatin A (TSA) auf Knochenmarkzellkulturen, in denen auch HSZs enhalten sind. Nach Behandlung mit TSA erh{\"o}hte sich der Anteil von Zellen mit in vitro und in vivo h{\"a}matopoetischer Aktivit{\"a}t, w{\"a}hrend vor allem differenzierte Zellen in Apoptose gingen. Außerdem wurde der Verlust der Pluripotenz in differenzierenden ES Zellkulturen untersucht. Marker-basierte Analysen und funktionelle Tests wurden mit ES Zellen durchgef{\"u}hrt, die kurzfristig in vitro differenziert wurden. Es stellte sich heraus, dass nach funktionellen Gesichtspunkten die Pluripotenz bereits nach 2 Tagen Differenzierung deutlich reduziert war, beurteilt anhand der F{\"a}higkeit Kolonien zu bilden, embryoide K{\"o}rperchen (EK) zu formieren und zu kontrahierenden Herzmuskelzelltypen zu differenzieren. Im Gegensatz dazu verringerte sich die Expression von Pluripotenzmarkern erst zu sp{\"a}teren Zeitpunkten. Ich habe weiterhin beobachten k{\"o}nnen, dass die Wahl des Differenzierungssystems (Aggregations-EK, klonale EKs oder als adh{\"a}rente Einzelzellschicht) einen Einfluss auf den Fortschritt und die Homogenit{\"a}t der Differenzierung hatte. Um das Ende der Pluripotenz genauer zu untersuchen, wurden differenzierte ES Zellen zur{\"u}ck in ES Zellkulturbedingungen gebracht. Die Ergebnisse deuten an, dass 3 Tage differenzierte ES Zellen einen Punkt {\"u}berschritten haben, an dem eine R{\"u}ckkehr zur Pluripotenz allein durch Kulturbedingungen noch m{\"o}glich ist. Durch die Behandlung mit HDIs starben selektiv differenzierte ES Zellen. Des Weiteren war es Ziel dieser Arbeit, den Einuss von EED - einer essentiellen Untereinheit des Histon-methylierenden Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) - auf das Chromatin und die Funktion von ES Zellen hin zu analysieren. ES Zellen ohne EED wiesen neben dem bereits bekannten Verlust der Trimethylierung von Histon 3 an Lysin 27 (H3K27me3), global reduzierte H3K9me3 Levels sowie erh{\"o}hte Histonazetylierung auf. Trotz typischer ES Zell-Morphologie und normaler Expression von Pluripotenzgenen, besaßen EED knockout (KO)ES Zellen eine ver{\"a}nderte Organisation der Heterochromatinstruktur im Zellkern, eine verlangsamte Chromatinmobilit{\"a}t und Probleme bei der Differenzierung. Zusammenfassend gew{\"a}hren meine Daten Einblick in die epigenetische Regulation von Stammzellen. Im Besonderen konnte ich zeigen, dass die Behandlung mit HDIs f{\"u}r differenzierende Knochenmarkzellen und differenzierende ES Zellen nachteilig war und zu deren selektivem Zelltod f{\"u}hrte. Die hier durchgef{\"u}hrten Analysen ergaben, dass ES Zellen nach 3 Tagen Differenzierung das Ende der Pluripotenz erreicht hatten. Schließlich zeigten die Versuche mit EED KO ES Zellen, dass sie sich zwar selbst erneuerten und morphologisch identisch mit wildtypischen ES Zellen waren, jedoch Defekte bei der Differenzierung besaßen. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass EED nicht nur f{\"u}r undifferenzierte ES Zellen wichtig ist, sondern auch w{\"a}hrend der Differenzierung von Bedeutung ist.},
  subject      = {Stammzelle},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Heisig2010,
  author    = {Heisig, Martin},
  title     = {Development of novel Listeria monocytogenes strains as therapeutic agents for targeted tumor therapy},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-48628},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Despite marked progress in development and improvement of cancer therapies the rate of cancer related death remained stable over the last years. Especially in treating metastases alternative approaches supporting current therapies are required. Bacterial and viral vectors have been advanced from crude tools into highly sophisticated therapeutic agents detecting and treating neoplastic leasions. They might be potent enough to fill in this therapeutic demand. In this thesis Listeria monocytogenes was investigated as carrier for targeted bacterial cancer therapy. One part of the study focussed on modification of a functional bacterial mRNA delivery system. Genomic integration of T7 RNA polymerase driving mRNA production allowed reduction to an one-plasmid-system and thereby partially relieved the growth retardation exerted by mRNA delivery. Importantly the integration allowed metabolic attenuation of the mRNA delivery mutant potentially enabling in vivo applications. Further expansion of the bacterial RNA delivery system for transfer of shRNAs was examined. Bacterial mutants producing high amounts of RNA containing shRNA sequences were constructed, however a functional proof of gene silencing on delivery in eukaryotic cell lines was not achieved. The second part of this thesis focussed on increasing tumor colonization by Listeria monocytogenes in vivo. Coating bacteria with antibodies against receptors overexpressed on distinct tumor cell lines enabled specific bacterial internalization into these cells in vitro. Optimization of the bacterial antibody coating process resulted in an up to 104-fold increase of intracellular bacteria. Combination of this antibody-mediated targeting with the delivery of prodrug-converting enzymes showed a cytotoxic effect in cell lines treated with the corresponding prodrug. Since incubation in murine serum completely abrogated antibodymediated bacterial internalization the antibodies were covalently linked to the bacteria for application in xenografted tumor mice. Bacteria coated and crosslinked in this manner showed enhanced tumor targeting in a murine tumor model demonstrating antibodymediated bacterial tumor targeting in vivo. Independent of antibody-mediated tumor targeting the intrinsic tumor colonization of different Listeria monocytogenes mutants was examined. Listeria monocytogenes \&\#916;aroA \&\#916;inlGHE colonized murine melanoma xenografts highly efficient, reaching up to 108 CFU per gram of tumor mass 7 days post infection. Taken together the presented data shows highly promising aspects for potential bacterial application in future tumor therapies. Combination of the delivery systems with antibodymediated- and intrinsic bacterial tumor targeting might open novel dimensions utilizing Listeria monocytogenes as therapeutic vector in targeted tumor therapy.},
  subject      = {Krebs <Medizin>},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Weiland2010,
  author    = {Weiland, Romy},
  title     = {Facial reactions in response to gustatory and olfactory stimuli in healthy adults, patients with eating disorders, and patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-51759},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {The aim of this project was to investigate whether reflex-like innate facial reactions to tastes and odors are altered in patients with eating disorders. Qualitatively different tastes and odors have been found to elicit specific facial expressions in newborns. This specificity in newborns is characterized by positive facial reactions in response to pleasant stimuli and by negative facial reactions in response to unpleasant stimuli. It is, however, unclear, whether these specific facial displays remain stable during ontogeny (1). Despite the fact that several studies had shown that taste-and odor-elicited facial reactions remain quite stable across a human's life-span, the specificity of research questions, as well as different research methods, allow only limited comparisons between studies. Moreover, the gustofacial response patterns might be altered in pathological eating behavior (2). To date, however, the question of whether dysfunctional eating behavior might alter facial activity in response to tastes and odors has not been addressed. Furthermore, changes in facial activity might be linked to deficient inhibitory facial control (3). To investigate these three research questions, facial reactions in response to tastes and odors were assessed. Facial reactions were analyzed using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS, Ekman \& Friesen, 1978; Ekman, Friesen, \& Hager, 2002) and electromyography.},
  subject      = {Mimik},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Hahn2010,
  author    = {Hahn, Tim},
  title     = {Integrating neurobiological markers of depression: an fMRI-based pattern classification approach},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-49962},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {While depressive disorders are, to date, diagnosed based on behavioral symptoms and course of illness, the interest in neurobiological markers of psychiatric disorders has grown substantially in recent years. However, current classification approaches are mainly based on data from a single biomarker, making it difficult to predict diseases such as depression which are characterized by a complex pattern of symptoms. Accordingly, none of the previously investigated single biomarkers has shown sufficient predictive power for practical application. In this work, we therefore propose an algorithm which integrates neuroimaging data associated with multiple, symptom-related neural processes relevant in depression to improve classification accuracy. First, we identified the core-symptoms of depression from standard classification systems. Then, we designed and conducted three experimental paradigms probing psychological processes known to be related to these symptoms using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. In order to integrate the resulting 12 high-dimensional biomarkers, we developed a multi-source pattern recognition algorithm based on a combination of Gaussian Process Classifiers and decision trees. Applying this approach to a group of 30 healthy controls and 30 depressive in-patients who were on a variety of medications and displayed varying degrees of symptom-severity allowed for high-accuracy single-subject classification. Specifically, integrating biomarkers yielded an accuracy of 83\% while the best of the 12 single biomarkers alone classified a significantly lower number of subjects (72\%) correctly. Thus, integrated biomarker-based classification of a heterogeneous, real-life sample resulted in accuracy comparable to the highest ever achieved in previous single biomarker research. Furthermore, investigation of the final prediction model revealed that neural activation during the processing of neutral facial expressions, large rewards, and safety cues is most relevant for over-all classification. We conclude that combining brain activation related to the core-symptoms of depression using the multi-source pattern classification approach developed in this work substantially increases classification accuracy while providing a sparse relational biomarker-model for future prediction.},
  subject      = {Patientenklassifikation},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Li2010,
  author    = {Li, Jian-Qiang},
  title     = {Modulating the expression of enzymes of isoprenoid synthesis: effects on Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cell activation and tumor cell growth},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-46388},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {This study focuses on phosphoantigen specific Vg9Vd2 T cells which only exist in human and non-human primates. This population accounts for 1\%-5\% of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes but their frequency can rise to 50\% of total blood T cells upon infection. Vg9Vd2 T cells can be activated by nonpeptide compounds with critical phosphate moieties which are termed as phosphoantigens. These include isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), a key compound of isoprenoid synthesis in all organisms, and (E)-4-Hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), a direct precursor of IPP in DOXP pathway which only exist in eubacteria, plants, apicomplexaen parasites. Its activity as phosphoantigen is at least 1000 fold higher than that of IPP. However, direct structural evidence of phosphoantigen binding to the TCR is missing so far. Moreover, Vg9Vd2 T cells have potent anti-tumor activity e.g. against the B-cell lymphoma Daudi, whose Vg9Vd2 T cell activating properties have been suggested to result from sensing of abnormal intracellular IPP levels by the Vg9Vd2 TCR or Vg9Vd2 TCR binding to other postulated ligands such as an ectopically expressed F1-ATPase or UL-16 binding protein 4 (ULBP4). Aminobisphosphonates and alkymines were hypothesized to activate Vg9Vd2 T cells indirectly by inhibiting the IPP consuming enzyme farnysyl pyrophosphates synthesis (FPPS) although off target effects of these drugs or a direct interaction with the Vg9Vd2 TCR could not be excluded. This thesis presents new approaches for the mechanistic analysis of Vg9Vd2 T cell activation. By employing retroviral transduction of FPPS specific shRNA, it shows that specific shRNA reduces expression of FPPS and is sufficient to convert hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tumor cell lines into Vg9Vd2 T cell activators. FPPS knockdown cells activated Vg9Vd2 T cells as measured by increased levels of CD69 and CD107a, kill of FPPS knockdown cells and induction of IFN-\&\#947; secretion. The IPP-synthesis-inhibiting drug mevastatin reduced Vg9Vd2 T cell activation by FPPS knockdown cells or aminobisphosphonate treated cells but not activation by the phosphoantigen bromohydrin pyrophosphate (BrHPP). A reduced growth of the FPPS knockdown cells has not been observed which is different to what has been reported for aminobisphosphonate treated cells. Finally, the human B-cell lymphoma RAJI has been transduced with Tetracyclin-inducible FPPS specific shRNA and proven to gain and loose the capacity to activate Vg9Vd2 TCR transductants upon doxycylin provision or removal. Another approach for the analysis of Vg9Vd2 T cell activation is Vg9Vd2 TCR transduced mouse cell lines with specificity for phosphoantigens. In contrast to the previously used Vg9Vd2 TCR transduced Jurkat cells, these cells do not present phosphoantigens, and are therefore specially suited for analysis of phosphoantigen presentation. The response of the new TCR transductants to presumed Vg9Vd2 TCR ligands/activators such as phosphoantigens, aminobisphosphonates or FPPS knockdown cells, depended strongly on the expression of a rat/mouse CD28 molecule by the transductants and its ligation by the (CD80) counter receptor on the ligand-presenting cell. The response is likely to reflect recognition of cognate Vg9Vd2 TCR antigens since mutations in the TCR-\&\#948; chain CDR2 and 3 abolished this response but activation by TCR or CD3 specific antibodies. A major difference between TCR transductants and primary gd T cells, was the lacking response of TCR transductants to Daudi or IPP. In addition their sensitivity to other soluble phosphoantigens was about 100 fold weaker than that of primary cells, stimulation of both cell type to CD80 expressing FPPS knock down or aminobisphosphonates was similar. Finally, the transductants have also been used to analyze effects of over-expression or knockdown of enzymes of isoprenoid synthesis such as 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase or HMGR), mevalonate-5-pyrophosphate decarboxylase (MVD), isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase (IDI), geranyl-geranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS) but no clear effects have been found. In conclusion, this thesis supports the concept of Vg9Vd2 T cells being sensors of a dysregulated isoprenoid metabolism and established new tools to study ligand recognition and TCR mediated activation of this T cell population. These tools will be most useful to address following questions: 1) How does the dysregulation of isoprenoid metabolism affect tumor growth? 2) What is the correlation between the modulation of IPP levels and the Vg9Vd2 TCR binding or expression of other postulated ligands? 3) Are there any mevalonate pathway enzymes other than FPPS and HMGR, which play an important role in Vg9Vd2 T cells activation? 4) What is/are the putative phosphoantigen-presenting molecule(s)?},
  subject      = {Primaten},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Brandstaetter2010,
  author    = {Brandstaetter, Andreas Simon},
  title     = {Neuronal correlates of nestmate recognition in the carpenter ant, Camponotus floridanus},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-55963},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Cooperation is beneficial for social groups and is exemplified in its most sophisticated form in social insects. In particular, eusocial Hymenoptera, like ants and honey bees, exhibit a level of cooperation only rarely matched by other animals. To assure effective defense of group members, foes need to be recognized reliably. Ants use low-volatile, colony-specific profiles of cuticular hydrocarbons (colony odor) to discriminate colony members (nestmates) from foreign workers (non-nestmates). For colony recognition, it is assumed that multi-component colony odors are compared to a neuronal template, located in a so far unidentified part of the nervous system, where a mismatch results in aggression. Alternatively, a sensory filter in the periphery of the nervous system has been suggested to act as a template, causing specific anosmia to nestmate colony odor due to sensory adaptation and effectively blocking perception of nestmates. Colony odors are not stable, but change over time due to environmental influences. To adjust for this, the recognition system has to be constantly updated (template reformation). In this thesis, I provide evidence that template reformation can be induced artificially, by modifying the sensory experience of carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus; Chapter 1). The results of the experiments showed that template reformation is a relatively slow process taking several hours and this contradicts the adaptation-based sensory filter hypothesis. This finding is supported by first in-vivo measurements describing the neuronal processes underlying template reformation (Chapter 5). Neurophysiological measurements were impeded at the beginning of this study by the lack of adequate technical means to present colony odors. In a behavioral assay, I showed that tactile interaction is not necessary for colony recognition, although colony odors are of very low volatility (Chapter 2). I developed a novel stimulation technique (dummy-delivered stimulation) and tested its suitability for neurophysiological experiments (Chapter 3). My experiments showed that dummy-delivered stimulation is especially advantageous for presentation of low-volatile odors. Colony odor concentration in headspace was further increased by moderately heating the dummies, and this allowed me to measure neuronal correlates of colony odors in the peripheral and the central nervous system using electroantennography and calcium imaging, respectively (Chapter 4). Nestmate and non-nestmate colony odor elicited strong neuronal responses in olfactory receptor neurons of the antenna and in the functional units of the first olfactory neuropile of the ant brain, the glomeruli of the antennal lobe (AL). My results show that ants are not anosmic to nestmate colony odor and this clearly invalidates the previously suggested sensory filter hypothesis. Advanced two-photon microscopy allowed me to investigate the neuronal representation of colony odors in different neuroanatomical compartments of the AL (Chapter 5). Although neuronal activity was distributed inhomogeneously, I did not find exclusive representation restricted to a single AL compartment. This result indicates that information about colony odors is processed in parallel, using the computational power of the whole AL network. In the AL, the patterns of glomerular activity (spatial activity patterns) were variable, even in response to repeated stimulation with the same colony odor (Chapter 4\&5). This finding is surprising, as earlier studies indicated that spatial activity patterns in the AL reflect how an odor is perceived by an animal (odor quality). Under natural conditions, multi-component odors constitute varying and fluctuating stimuli, and most probably animals are generally faced with the problem that these elicit variable neuronal responses. Two-photon microscopy revealed that variability was higher in response to nestmate than to non-nestmate colony odor (Chapter 5), possibly reflecting plasticity of the AL network, which allows template reformation. Due to their high variability, spatial activity patterns in response to different colony odors were not sufficiently distinct to allow attribution of odor qualities like 'friend' or 'foe'. This finding challenges our current notion of how odor quality of complex, multi-component odors is coded. Additional neuronal parameters, e.g. precise timing of neuronal activity, are most likely necessary to allow discrimination. The lower variability of activity patterns elicited by non-nestmate compared to nestmate colony odor might facilitate recognition of non-nestmates at the next level of the olfactory pathway. My research efforts made the colony recognition system accessible for direct neurophysiological investigations. My results show that ants can perceive their own nestmates. The neuronal representation of colony odors is distributed across AL compartments, indicating parallel processing. Surprisingly, the spatial activity patterns in response to colony are highly variable, raising the question how odor quality is coded in this system. The experimental advance presented in this thesis will be useful to gain further insights into how social insects discriminate friends and foes. Furthermore, my work will be beneficial for the research field of insect olfaction as colony recognition in social insects is an excellent model system to study the coding of odor quality and long-term memory mechanisms underlying recognition of complex, multi-component odors.},
  subject      = {Neuroethologie},
  language  = {en}
}