@article{SpringerHeldMengolietal.2021, author = {Springer, Jan and Held, J{\"u}rgen and Mengoli, Carlo and Schlegel, Paul Gerhardt and Gamon, Florian and Tr{\"a}ger, Johannes and Kurzai, Oliver and Einsele, Hermann and Loeffler, Juergen and Eyrich, Matthias}, title = {Diagnostic performance of (1→3)-β-D-glucan alone and in combination with aspergillus PCR and galactomannan in serum of pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation}, series = {Journal of Fungi}, volume = {7}, journal = {Journal of Fungi}, number = {3}, issn = {2309-608X}, doi = {10.3390/jof7030238}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-234179}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Data on biomarker-assisted diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in pediatric patients is scarce. Therefore, we conducted a cohort study over two years including 404 serum specimens of 26 pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Sera were tested prospectively twice weekly for Aspergillus-specific DNA, galactomannan (GM), and retrospectively for (1→3)-β-D-glucan (BDG). Three probable IA and two possible invasive fungal disease (IFD) cases were identified using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSGERC) 2019 consensus definitions. Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of probable IA and possible IFD was 80\% (95\% confidential interval (CI): 28-99\%) and 55\% (95\% CI: 32-77\%) for BDG, 40\% (95\% CI: 5-85\%) and 100\% (95\% CI: 83-100\%) for GM, and 60\% (95\% CI: 15-95\%) and 95\% (95\% CI: 75-100\%) for Aspergillus-specific real-time PCR. However, sensitivities have to be interpreted with great caution due to the limited number of IA cases. Interestingly, the low specificity of BDG was largely caused by false-positive BDG results that clustered around the date of alloSCT. The following strategies were able to increase BDG specificity: two consecutive positive BDG tests for diagnosis (specificity 80\% (95\% CI: 56-94\%)); using an optimized cutoff value of 306 pg/mL (specificity 90\% (95\% CI: 68-99\%)) and testing BDG only after the acute posttransplant phase. In summary, BDG can help to diagnose IA in pediatric alloSCT recipients. However, due to the poor specificity either an increased cutoff value should be utilized or BDG results should be confirmed by an alternative Aspergillus assay.}, language = {en} } @article{TappeLauruschkatStrobeletal.2022, author = {Tappe, Beeke and Lauruschkat, Chris D. and Strobel, Lea and Pantale{\´o}n Garc{\´i}a, Jezreel and Kurzai, Oliver and Rebhan, Silke and Kraus, Sabrina and Pfeuffer-Jovic, Elena and Bussemer, Lydia and Possler, Lotte and Held, Matthias and H{\"u}nniger, Kerstin and Kniemeyer, Olaf and Sch{\"a}uble, Sascha and Brakhage, Axel A. and Panagiotou, Gianni and White, P. Lewis and Einsele, Hermann and L{\"o}ffler, J{\"u}rgen and Wurster, Sebastian}, title = {COVID-19 patients share common, corticosteroid-independent features of impaired host immunity to pathogenic molds}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {13}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, issn = {1664-3224}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2022.954985}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-283558}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Patients suffering from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are susceptible to deadly secondary fungal infections such as COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis. Despite this clinical observation, direct experimental evidence for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-driven alterations of antifungal immunity is scarce. Using an ex-vivo whole blood stimulation assay, we challenged blood from twelve COVID-19 patients with Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus arrhizus antigens and studied the expression of activation, maturation, and exhaustion markers, as well as cytokine secretion. Compared to healthy controls, T-helper cells from COVID-19 patients displayed increased expression levels of the exhaustion marker PD-1 and weakened A. fumigatus- and R. arrhizus-induced activation. While baseline secretion of proinflammatory cytokines was massively elevated, whole blood from COVID-19 patients elicited diminished release of T-cellular (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-2) and innate immune cell-derived (e.g., CXCL9, CXCL10) cytokines in response to A. fumigatus and R. arrhizus antigens. Additionally, samples from COVID-19 patients showed deficient granulocyte activation by mold antigens and reduced fungal killing capacity of neutrophils. These features of weakened anti-mold immune responses were largely decoupled from COVID-19 severity, the time elapsed since diagnosis of COVID-19, and recent corticosteroid uptake, suggesting that impaired anti-mold defense is a common denominator of the underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection. Taken together, these results expand our understanding of the immune predisposition to post-viral mold infections and could inform future studies of immunotherapeutic strategies to prevent and treat fungal superinfections in COVID-19 patients.}, language = {en} } @article{EinseleBorghaeiOrlowskietal.2020, author = {Einsele, Hermann and Borghaei, Hossein and Orlowski, Robert Z. and Subklewe, Marion and Roboz, Gail J. and Zugmaier, Gerhard and Kufer, Peter and Iskander, Karim and Kantarjian, Hagop M.}, title = {The BiTE (Bispecific T-Cell Engager) Platform: Development and Future Potential of a Targeted Immuno-Oncology Therapy Across Tumor Types}, series = {Cancer}, volume = {126}, journal = {Cancer}, number = {14}, doi = {10.1002/cncr.32909}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-215426}, pages = {3192 -- 3201}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Immuno-oncology therapies engage the immune system to treat cancer. BiTE (bispecific T-cell engager) technology is a targeted immuno-oncology platform that connects patients' own T cells to malignant cells. The modular nature of BiTE technology facilitates the generation of molecules against tumor-specific antigens, allowing off-the-shelf immuno-oncotherapy. Blinatumomab was the first approved canonical BiTE molecule and targets CD19 surface antigens on B cells, making blinatumomab largely independent of genetic alterations or intracellular escape mechanisms. Additional BiTE molecules in development target other hematologic malignancies (eg, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and solid tumors (eg, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, gastric cancer, and small-cell lung cancer). BiTE molecules with an extended half-life relative to the canonical BiTE molecules are also being developed. Advances in immuno-oncology made with BiTE technology could substantially improve the treatment of hematologic and solid tumors and offer enhanced activity in combination with other treatments.}, language = {en} } @article{WeissbachHerediaGuerreroBarnsteineretal.2020, author = {Weißbach, Susann and Heredia-Guerrero, Sofia Catalina and Barnsteiner, Stefanie and Großhans, Lukas and Bodem, Jochen and Starz, Hanna and Langer, Christian and Appenzeller, Silke and Knop, Stefan and Steinbrunn, Torsten and Rost, Simone and Einsele, Hermann and Bargou, Ralf Christian and Rosenwald, Andreas and St{\"u}hmer, Thorsten and Leich, Ellen}, title = {Exon-4 Mutations in KRAS Affect MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT Signaling in Human Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines}, series = {Cancers}, volume = {12}, journal = {Cancers}, number = {2}, issn = {2072-6694}, doi = {10.3390/cancers12020455}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200617}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Approximately 20\% of multiple myeloma (MM) cases harbor a point mutation in KRAS. However, there is still no final consent on whether KRAS-mutations are associated with disease outcome. Specifically, no data exist on whether KRAS-mutations have an impact on survival of MM patients at diagnosis in the era of novel agents. Direct blockade of KRAS for therapeutic purposes is mostly impossible, but recently a mutation-specific covalent inhibitor targeting KRAS\(^{p.G12C}\) entered into clinical trials. However, other KRAS hotspot-mutations exist in MM patients, including the less common exon-4 mutations. For the current study, the coding regions of KRAS were deep-sequenced in 80 newly diagnosed MM patients, uniformely treated with three cycles of bortezomib plus dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide (VCD)-induction, followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Moreover, the functional impact of KRAS\(^{p.G12A}\) and the exon-4 mutations p.A146T and p.A146V on different survival pathways was investigated. Specifically, KRAS\(^{WT}\), KRAS\(^{p.G12A}\), KRAS\(^{p.A146T}\), and KRAS\(^{p.A146V}\) were overexpressed in HEK293 cells and the KRAS\(^{WT}\) MM cell lines JJN3 and OPM2 using lentiviral transduction and the Sleeping Beauty vector system. Even though KRAS-mutations were not correlated with survival, all KRAS-mutants were found capable of potentially activating MEK/ERK- and sustaining PI3K/AKT-signaling in MM cells.}, language = {en} } @article{SpringerWaltherRickertsetal.2019, author = {Springer, Jan and Walther, Grit and Rickerts, Volker and Hamprecht, Axel and Willinger, Birgit and Teschner, Daniel and Einsele, Hermann and Kurzai, Oliver and Loeffler, Juergen}, title = {Detection of Fusarium Species in Clinical Specimens by Probe-Based Real-Time PCR}, series = {Journal of Fungi}, volume = {5}, journal = {Journal of Fungi}, number = {4}, issn = {2309-608X}, doi = {10.3390/jof5040105}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193111}, pages = {105}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The mold Fusarium is a ubiquitous fungus causing plant, animal and human infections. In humans, Fusarium spp. are the major cause of eye infections in patients wearing contact lenses or after local trauma. Systemic infections by Fusarium spp. mainly occur in immunosuppressed patients and can disseminate throughout the human body. Due to high levels of resistance to antifungals a fast identification of the causative agent is an urgent need. By using a probe-based real-time PCR assay specific for the genus Fusarium we analysed several different clinical specimens detecting Fusarium spp. commonly found in clinical samples in Germany. Also, a large collection of lung fluid samples of haematological patients was analysed (n = 243). In these, two samples (0.8\%) were reproducibly positive, but only one could be confirmed by sequencing. For this case of probable invasive fungal disease (IFD) culture was positive for Fusarium species. Here we describe a rapid, probe-based real-time PCR assay to specifically detect DNA from a broad range of Fusarium species and its application to clinically relevant specimens.}, language = {en} } @article{MarischenEnglertSchmittetal.2018, author = {Marischen, Lothar and Englert, Anne and Schmitt, Anna-Lena and Einsele, Hermann and Loeffler, Juergen}, title = {Human NK cells adapt their immune response towards increasing multiplicities of infection of Aspergillus fumigatus}, series = {BMC Immunology}, volume = {19}, journal = {BMC Immunology}, number = {39}, doi = {10.1186/s12865-018-0276-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-176331}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Background: The saprophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus reproduces by generation of conidia, which are spread by airflow throughout nature. Since humans are inhaling certain amounts of spores every day, the (innate) immune system is constantly challenged. Even though macrophages and neutrophils carry the main burden, also NK cells are regarded to contribute to the antifungal immune response. While NK cells reveal a low frequency, expression and release of immunomodulatory molecules seem to be a natural way of their involvement. Results: In this study we show, that NK cells secrete chemokines such as CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1β and CCL5/RANTES early on after stimulation with Aspergillus fumigatus and, in addition, adjust the concentration of chemokines released to the multiplicity of infection of Aspergillus fumigatus. Conclusions: These results further corroborate the relevance of NK cells within the antifungal immune response, which is regarded to be more and more important in the development and outcome of invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Additionally, the correlation between the multiplicity of infection and the expression and release of chemokines shown here may be useful in further studies for the quantification and/or surveillance of the NK cell involvement in antifungal immune responses.}, language = {en} } @article{HoseSchrederHefneretal.2021, author = {Hose, Dorothea and Schreder, Martin and Hefner, Jochen and Bittrich, Max and Danhof, Sophia and Strifler, Susanne and Krauth, Maria-Theresa and Schoder, Renate and Gisslinger, Bettina and Einsele, Hermann and Gisslinger, Heinz and Knop, Stefan}, title = {Elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone is a very well tolerated regimen associated with durable remission even in very advanced myeloma: a retrospective study from two academic centers}, series = {Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology}, volume = {147}, journal = {Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology}, issn = {0171-5216}, doi = {10.1007/s00432-020-03323-6}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-235762}, pages = {205-212}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Background The anti-SLAMF7 monoclonal antibody, elotuzumab (elo), plus lenalidomide (len) and dexamethasone (dex) is approved for relapsed/refractory MM in the U.S. and Europe. Recently, a small phase 2 study demonstrated an advantage in progression-free survival (PFS) for elo plus pomalidomide (pom)/dex compared to pom/dex alone and resulted in licensing of this novel triplet combination, but clinical experience is still limited. Purpose To analyze the efficacy and safety of elo/pom/dex in a "real world" cohort of patients with advanced MM, we queried the databases of the university hospitals of W{\"u}rzburg and Vienna. Findings We identified 22 patients with a median number of five prior lines of therapy who received elo/pom/dex prior to licensing within an early access program. Patients received a median number of 5 four-week treatment cycles. Median PFS was 6.4 months with 12-month and 18-month PFS rates of 35\% and 28\%, respectively. The overall response rate was 50\% and 64\% of responding patients who achieved a longer PFS with elo/pom/dex compared to their most recent line of therapy. Objective responses were also seen in five patients who had been pretreated with pomalidomide. Low tumor burden was associated with improved PFS (13.5 months for patients with ISS stage I/II at study entry v 6.4 months for ISS III), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. No infusion-related reactions were reported. The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia and pneumonia. Conclusion Elo/pom/dex is an active and well-tolerated regimen in highly advanced MM even after pretreatment with pomalidomide.}, language = {en} } @article{LapaGarciaVellosoLueckerathetal.2017, author = {Lapa, Constantin and Garcia-Velloso, Maria J. and L{\"u}ckerath, Katharina and Samnick, Samuel and Schreder, Martin and Otero, Paula Rodriguez and Schmid, Jan-Stefan and Herrmann, Ken and Knop, Stefan and Buck, Andreas K. and Einsele, Hermann and San-Miguel, Jesus and Kort{\"u}m, Klaus Martin}, title = {\(^{11}\)C-methionine-PET in multiple myeloma: a combined study from two different institutions}, series = {Theranostics}, volume = {7}, journal = {Theranostics}, number = {11}, doi = {10.7150/thno.20491}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-172038}, pages = {2956-2964}, year = {2017}, abstract = {\(^{11}\)C-methionine (MET) has recently emerged as an accurate marker of tumor burden and disease activity in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). This dual-center study aimed at further corroboration of the superiority of MET as positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for staging and re-staging MM, as compared to \(^{18}\)F-2`-deoxy-2`-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG). 78 patients with a history of solitary plasmacytoma (n=4), smoldering MM (SMM, n=5), and symptomatic MM (n=69) underwent both MET- and FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) at the University Centers of W{\"u}rzburg, Germany and Navarra, Spain. Scans were compared on a patient and on a lesion basis. Inter-reader agreement was also evaluated. In 2 patients, tumor biopsies for verification of discordant imaging results were available. MET-PET detected focal lesions (FL) in 59/78 subjects (75.6\%), whereas FDG-PET/CT showed lesions in only 47 patients (60.3\%; p<0.01), accordingly disease activity would have been missed in 12 patients. Directed biopsies of discordant results confirmed MET-PET/CT results in both cases. MET depicted more FL in 44 patients (56.4\%; p<0.01), whereas in two patients (2/78), FDG proved superior. In the remainder (41.0\%, 32/78), both tracers yielded comparable results. Inter-reader agreement for MET was higher than for FDG (κ = 0.82 vs κ = 0.72). This study demonstrates higher sensitivity of MET in comparison to standard FDG to detect intra- and extramedullary MM including histologic evidence of FDG-negative, viable disease exclusively detectable by MET-PET/CT. MET holds the potential to replace FDG as functional imaging standard for staging and re-staging of MM.}, language = {en} } @article{SanchezMaldonadoMonizDiezterHorstetal.2020, author = {S{\´a}nchez-Maldonado, Jose Manuel and Mo{\~n}iz-D{\´i}ez, Ana and ter Horst, Rob and Campa, Daniele and Cabrera-Serrano, Antonio Jos{\´e} and Mart{\´i}nez-Bueno, Manuel and Garrido-Collado, Mar{\´i}a del Pilar and Hern{\´a}ndez-Mohedo, Francisca and Fern{\´a}ndez-Puerta, Laura and L{\´o}pez-Nevot, Miguel {\´A}ngel and Cunha, Cristina and Gonz{\´a}lez-Sierra, Pedro Antonio and Springer, Jan and Lackner, Michaela and Alcazar-Fuoli, Laura and Fianchi, Luana and Aguado, Jos{\´e} Mar{\´i}a and Pagano, Livio and L{\´o}pez-Fern{\´a}ndez, Elisa and Clavero, Esther and Potenza, Leonardo and Luppi, Mario and Moratalla, Lucia and Solano, Carlos and Sampedro, Antonio and Cuenca-Estrella, Manuel and Lass-Fl{\"o}rl, Cornelia and Canzian, Federico and Loeffler, Juergen and Li, Yang and Einsele, Hermann and Netea, Mihai G. and V{\´a}zquez, Lourdes and Carvalho, Agostinho and Jurado, Manuel and Sainz, Juan}, title = {Polymorphisms within the TNFSF4 and MAPKAPK2 loci influence the risk of developing invasive aspergillosis: a two-stage case control study in the context of the aspBIOmics consortium}, series = {Journal of Fungi}, volume = {7}, journal = {Journal of Fungi}, number = {1}, issn = {2309-608X}, doi = {10.3390/jof7010004}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-220107}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Here, we assessed whether 36 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the TNFSF4 and MAPKAPK2 loci influence the risk of developing invasive aspergillosis (IA). We conducted a two-stage case control study including 911 high-risk patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies that were ascertained through the aspBIOmics consortium. The meta-analysis of the discovery and replication populations revealed that carriers of the TNFSF4\(_{rs7526628T/T}\) genotype had a significantly increased risk of developing IA (p = 0.00022). We also found that carriers of the TNFSF4\(_{rs7526628T}\) allele showed decreased serum levels of TNFSF14 protein (p = 0.0027), and that their macrophages had a decreased fungicidal activity (p = 0.048). In addition, we observed that each copy of the MAPKAPK2\(_{rs12137965G}\) allele increased the risk of IA by 60\% (p = 0.0017), whereas each copy of the MAPKAPK2\(_{rs17013271T}\) allele was estimated to decrease the risk of developing the disease (p = 0.0029). Mechanistically, we found that carriers of the risk MAPKAPK2\(_{rs12137965G}\) allele showed increased numbers of CD38+IgM-IgD- plasmablasts in blood (p = 0.00086), whereas those harboring two copies of the allele had decreased serum concentrations of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (p = 0.00097). Finally, we also found that carriers of the protective MAPKAPK2\(_{rs17013271T}\) allele had decreased numbers of CD27-IgM-IgD- B cells (p = 0.00087) and significantly lower numbers of CD14+ and CD14+CD16- cells (p = 0.00018 and 0.00023). Altogether, these results suggest a role of the TNFSF4 and MAPKAPK2 genes in determining IA risk.}, language = {en} } @article{SanMiguelEinseleMoreau2016, author = {San-Miguel, Jesus F. and Einsele, Hermann and Moreau, Philippe}, title = {The Role of Panobinostat Plus Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Treating Relapsed or Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A European Perspective}, series = {Advances in Therapy}, volume = {33}, journal = {Advances in Therapy}, number = {11}, doi = {10.1007/s12325-016-0413-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-186840}, pages = {1896-1920}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Panobinostat is an oral pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor developed by Novartis. Panobinostat acts via epigenetic modification and inhibition of the aggresome pathway. In August 2015, the European Commission authorized panobinostat for use in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (MM) in patients who have received aeyen2 prior regimens including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory drug. In January 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended panobinostat for use in the same combination and patient population. The authorization and recommendation were based on results from the pivotal phase 3 PANORAMA 1 (NCT01023308) clinical trial, which demonstrated an improvement in median progression-free survival of 7.8 months for the three-drug combination compared with placebo plus bortezomib and dexamethasone in this patient population. This review will discuss the current treatment landscape for relapsed/refractory MM, the mechanism of action of panobinostat, clinical data supporting the European authorization, concerns about safety and strategies for mitigating toxicity, and how panobinostat fits into the current MM landscape in Europe.}, language = {en} } @article{LuberLutzThiedeetal.2020, author = {Luber, Verena and Lutz, Mathias and Thiede, Christian and Haferlach, Claudia and D{\"u}rk, Heinz Albert and Einsele, Hermann and Grigoleit, G{\"o}tz Ulrich and Mielke, Stephan}, title = {Donor-cell leukemia with novel genetic features 2 years after sex-mismatched T cell-depleted haploidentical stem cell transplantation}, series = {Annals of Hematology}, volume = {99}, journal = {Annals of Hematology}, issn = {0939-5555}, doi = {10.1007/s00277-020-03905-x}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-232596}, pages = {899-901}, year = {2020}, abstract = {No abstract available.}, language = {en} } @article{WeissSchlegelTerpitzetal.2020, author = {Weiss, Esther and Schlegel, Jan and Terpitz, Ulrich and Weber, Michael and Linde, J{\"o}rg and Schmitt, Anna-Lena and H{\"u}nniger, Kerstin and Marischen, Lothar and Gamon, Florian and Bauer, Joachim and L{\"o}ffler, Claudia and Kurzai, Oliver and Morton, Charles Oliver and Sauer, Markus and Einsele, Hermann and Loeffler, Juergen}, title = {Reconstituting NK Cells After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Show Impaired Response to the Fungal Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {11}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, issn = {1664-3224}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2020.02117}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-212581}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Delayed natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is associated with a higher risk of developing invasive aspergillosis. The interaction of NK cells with the human pathogen Aspergillus (A.) fumigatus is mediated by the fungal recognition receptor CD56, which is relocated to the fungal interface after contact. Blocking of CD56 signaling inhibits the fungal mediated chemokine secretion of MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES and reduces cell activation, indicating a functional role of CD56 in fungal recognition. We collected peripheral blood from recipients of an allograft at defined time points after alloSCT (day 60, 90, 120, 180). NK cells were isolated, directly challenged with live A. fumigatus germ tubes, and cell function was analyzed and compared to healthy age and gender-matched individuals. After alloSCT, NK cells displayed a higher percentage of CD56\(^{bright}\)CD16\(^{dim}\) cells throughout the time of blood collection. However, CD56 binding and relocalization to the fungal contact side were decreased. We were able to correlate this deficiency to the administration of corticosteroid therapy that further negatively influenced the secretion of MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES. As a consequence, the treatment of healthy NK cells ex vivo with corticosteroids abrogated chemokine secretion measured by multiplex immunoassay. Furthermore, we analyzed NK cells regarding their actin cytoskeleton by Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) and flow cytometry and demonstrate an actin dysfunction of NK cells shown by reduced F-actin content after fungal co-cultivation early after alloSCT. This dysfunction remains until 180 days post-alloSCT, concluding that further actin-dependent cellular processes may be negatively influenced after alloSCT. To investigate the molecular pathomechansism, we compared CD56 receptor mobility on the plasma membrane of healthy and alloSCT primary NK cells by single-molecule tracking. The results were very robust and reproducible between tested conditions which point to a different molecular mechanism and emphasize the importance of proper CD56 mobility.}, language = {en} } @article{KouhestaniGeisAlsourietal.2021, author = {Kouhestani, Dina and Geis, Maria and Alsouri, Saed and Bumm, Thomas G. P. and Einsele, Hermann and Sauer, Markus and Stuhler, Gernot}, title = {Variant signaling topology at the cancer cell-T-cell interface induced by a two-component T-cell engager}, series = {Cellular \& Molecular Immunology}, volume = {18}, journal = {Cellular \& Molecular Immunology}, doi = {10.1038/s41423-020-0507-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241189}, pages = {1568-1570}, year = {2021}, abstract = {No abstract available.}, language = {en} } @article{RobindeWreedeWolschkeetal.2019, author = {Robin, Marie and de Wreede, Liesbeth C. and Wolschke, Christine and Schetelig, Johannes and Eikema, Diderik-Jan and Van Lint, Maria Teresa and Knelange, Nina Simone and Beelen, Dietrich and Brecht, Arne and Niederwieser, Dietger and Vitek, Antonin and Bethge, Wolfgang and Arnold, Renate and Finke, J{\"u}rgen and Volin, Liisa and Yakoub-Agha, Ibrahim and Nagler, Arnon and Poir{\´e}, Xavier and Einsele, Hermann and Chevallier, Patrice and Holler, Ernst and Ljungman, Per and Robinson, Stephen and Radujkovic, Alekxandar and McLornan, Donal and Chalandon, Yves and Kr{\"o}ger, Nicolaus}, title = {Long-term outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for myelofibrosis}, series = {Haematologica}, volume = {104}, journal = {Haematologica}, number = {9}, doi = {10.3324/haematol.2018.205211}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-226386}, pages = {1782-1788}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant remains the only curative treatment for myelofibrosis. Most post-transplantation events Aoccur during the first two years and hence we aimed to analyze the outcome of 2-year disease-free survivors. A total of 1055 patients with myelofibrosis transplanted between 1995 and 2014 and registered in the registry of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation were included. Survival was compared to the matched general population to determine excess mortality and the risk factors that are associated. In the 2-year survivors, disease-free survival was 64\% (60-68\%) and overall survival was 74\% (71-78\%) at ten years; results were better in younger individuals and in women. Excess mortality was 14\% (8-21\%) in patients aged <45 years and 33\% (13-53\%) in patients aged >= 65 years. The main cause of death was relapse of the primary disease. Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) before two years decreased the risk of relapse. Multivariable analysis of excess mortality showed that age, male sex recipient, secondary myelofibrosis and no GvHD disease prior to the 2-year landmark increased the risk of excess mortality. This is the largest study to date analyzing long-term outcome in patients with myelofibrosis undergoing transplant. Overall it shows a good survival in patients alive and in remission at two years. However, the occurrence of late complications, including late relapses, infectious complications and secondary malignancies, highlights the importance of screening and monitoring of long-term survivors.}, subject = {Midollo-Osseo}, language = {en} } @article{ZoranSeelbinderWhiteetal.2022, author = {Zoran, Tamara and Seelbinder, Bastian and White, Philip Lewis and Price, Jessica Sarah and Kraus, Sabrina and Kurzai, Oliver and Linde, Joerg and H{\"a}der, Antje and Loeffler, Claudia and Grigoleit, Goetz Ulrich and Einsele, Hermann and Panagiotou, Gianni and Loeffler, Juergen and Sch{\"a}uble, Sascha}, title = {Molecular profiling reveals characteristic and decisive signatures in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation suffering from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis}, series = {Journal of Fungi}, volume = {8}, journal = {Journal of Fungi}, number = {2}, issn = {2309-608X}, doi = {10.3390/jof8020171}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-262105}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Despite available diagnostic tests and recent advances, diagnosis of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis (IPA) remains challenging. We performed a longitudinal case-control pilot study to identify host-specific, novel, and immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in patients post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Supported by differential gene expression analysis of six relevant in vitro studies, we conducted RNA sequencing of three alloSCT patients categorized as probable IPA cases and their matched controls without Aspergillus infection (66 samples in total). We additionally performed immunoassay analysis for all patient samples to gain a multi-omics perspective. Profiling analysis suggested LGALS2, MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 as potential host molecular candidates indicating IPA in investigated alloSCT patients. MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 were evaluated further in alloSCT patients for their potential to differentiate possible IPA cases and patients suffering from COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and appropriate control patients. Possible IPA cases showed differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 serum levels compared with matched controls. Furthermore, we observed significant differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 levels among CAPA patients compared with control patients. With our conceptual work, we demonstrate the potential value of considering the human immune response during Aspergillus infection to identify immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in alloSCT patients. These human host candidates together with already established fungal biomarkers might improve the accuracy of IPA diagnostic tools.}, language = {en} } @article{SausseleHehlmannFabariusetal.2018, author = {Saussele, Susanne and Hehlmann, Ruediger and Fabarius, Alice and Jeromin, Sabine and Proetel, Ulrike and Rinaldetti, Sebastien and Kohlbrenner, Katharina and Einsele, Hermann and Falge, Christine and Kanz, Lothar and Neubauer, Andreas and Kneba, Michael and Stegelmann, Frank and Pfreundschuh, Michael and Waller, Cornelius F. and Oppliger Leibundgut, Elisabeth and Heim, Dominik and Krause, Stefan W. and Hofmann, Wolf-Karsten and Hasford, Joerg and Pfirrmann, Markus and M{\"u}ller, Martin C. and Hochhaus, Andreas and Lauseker, Michael}, title = {Defining therapy goals for major molecular remission in chronic myeloid leukemia: results of the randomized CML Study IV}, series = {Leukemia}, volume = {32}, journal = {Leukemia}, number = {5}, doi = {10.1038/s41375-018-0055-7}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227528}, pages = {1222-1228}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Major molecular remission (MMR) is an important therapy goal in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). So far, MMR is not a failure criterion according to ELN management recommendation leading to uncertainties when to change therapy in CML patients not reaching MMR after 12 months. At monthly landmarks, for different molecular remission status Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated for patients registered to CML study IV who were divided in a learning and a validation sample. The minimum HR for MMR was found at 2.5 years with 0.28 (compared to patients without remission). In the validation sample, a significant advantage for progression-free survival (PFS) for patients in MMR could be detected (p-value 0.007). The optimal time to predict PFS in patients with MMR could be validated in an independent sample at 2.5 years. With our model we provide a suggestion when to define lack of MMR as therapy failure and thus treatment change should be considered. The optimal response time for 1\% BCR-ABL at about 12-15 months was confirmed and for deep molecular remission no specific time point was detected. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that the earlier the MMR is achieved the higher is the chance to attain deep molecular response later.}, language = {en} } @article{UllmannSchmidtHieberBertzetal.2016, author = {Ullmann, Andrew J. and Schmidt-Hieber, Martin and Bertz, Hartmut and Heinz, Werner J. and Kiehl, Michael and Kr{\"u}ger, William and Mousset, Sabine and Neuburger, Stefan and Neumann, Silke and Penack, Olaf and Silling, Gerda and Vehreschild, J{\"o}rg Janne and Einsele, Hermann and Maschmeyer, Georg}, title = {Infectious diseases in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: prevention and prophylaxis strategy guidelines 2016}, series = {Annals of Hematology}, volume = {95}, journal = {Annals of Hematology}, number = {9}, organization = {Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology (AGIHO/DGHO) and the DAG-KBT (German Working Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation)}, doi = {10.1007/s00277-016-2711-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187587}, pages = {1435-1455}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Infectious complications after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remain a clinical challenge. This is a guideline provided by the AGIHO (Infectious Diseases Working Group) of the DGHO (German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology). A core group of experts prepared a preliminary guideline, which was discussed, reviewed, and approved by the entire working group. The guideline provides clinical recommendations for the preventive management including prophylactic treatment of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal diseases. The guideline focuses on antimicrobial agents but includes recommendations on the use of vaccinations. This is the updated version of the AGHIO guideline in the field of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation utilizing methods according to evidence-based medicine criteria.}, language = {en} } @article{EckardtStasikKrameretal.2021, author = {Eckardt, Jan-Niklas and Stasik, Sebastian and Kramer, Michael and R{\"o}llig, Christoph and Kr{\"a}mer, Alwin and Scholl, Sebastian and Hochhaus, Andreas and Crysandt, Martina and Br{\"u}mmendorf, Tim H. and Naumann, Ralph and Steffen, Bj{\"o}rn and Kunzmann, Volker and Einsele, Hermann and Schaich, Markus and Burchert, Andreas and Neubauer, Andreas and Sch{\"a}fer-Eckart, Kerstin and Schliemann, Christoph and Krause, Stefan W. and Herbst, Regina and H{\"a}nel, Mathias and Frickhofen, Norbert and Noppeney, Richard and Kaiser, Ulrich and Baldus, Claudia D. and Kaufmann, Martin and R{\´a}cil, Zdenek and Platzbecker, Uwe and Berdel, Wolfgang E. and Mayer, Jiř{\´i} and Serve, Hubert and M{\"u}ller-Tidow, Carsten and Ehninger, Gerhard and St{\"o}lzel, Friedrich and Kroschinsky, Frank and Schetelig, Johannes and Bornh{\"a}user, Martin and Thiede, Christian and Middeke, Jan Moritz}, title = {Loss-of-function mutations of BCOR are an independent marker of adverse outcomes in intensively treated patients with acute myeloid leukemia}, series = {Cancers}, volume = {13}, journal = {Cancers}, number = {9}, issn = {2072-6694}, doi = {10.3390/cancers13092095}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236735}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by recurrent genetic events. The BCL6 corepressor (BCOR) and its homolog, the BCL6 corepressor-like 1 (BCORL1), have been reported to be rare but recurrent mutations in AML. Previously, smaller studies have reported conflicting results regarding impacts on outcomes. Here, we retrospectively analyzed a large cohort of 1529 patients with newly diagnosed and intensively treated AML. BCOR and BCORL1 mutations were found in 71 (4.6\%) and 53 patients (3.5\%), respectively. Frequently co-mutated genes were DNTM3A, TET2 and RUNX1. Mutated BCORL1 and loss-of-function mutations of BCOR were significantly more common in the ELN2017 intermediate-risk group. Patients harboring loss-of-function mutations of BCOR had a significantly reduced median event-free survival (HR = 1.464 (95\%-Confidence Interval (CI): 1.005-2.134), p = 0.047), relapse-free survival (HR = 1.904 (95\%-CI: 1.163-3.117), p = 0.01), and trend for reduced overall survival (HR = 1.495 (95\%-CI: 0.990-2.258), p = 0.056) in multivariable analysis. Our study establishes a novel role for loss-of-function mutations of BCOR regarding risk stratification in AML, which may influence treatment allocation.}, language = {en} } @article{ConstantinescuPascaZimtaetal.2020, author = {Constantinescu, Catalin and Pasca, Sergiu and Zimta, Alina-Andreea and Tat, Tiberiu and Rus, Ioana and Teodorescu, Patric and Iluta, Sabina and Tanase, Alina and Colita, Anca and Sigurjonsson, Olafur and Einsele, Hermann and Tomuleasa, Ciprian}, title = {Overview of the side-effects of FDA- and/or EMA-approved targeted therapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies}, series = {Journal of Clinical Medicine}, volume = {9}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine}, number = {9}, issn = {2077-0383}, doi = {10.3390/jcm9092903}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-213020}, year = {2020}, abstract = {In the last decade there has been tremendous effort in offering better therapeutic management strategies to patients with hematologic malignancies. These efforts have ranged from biological to clinical approaches and resulted in the rapid development of new approaches. The main "problem" that comes with the high influx of newly approved drugs, which not only influences hematologists that frequently work with these drugs but also affects other healthcare professionals that work with hematologists in patient management, including intensive care unit (ICU) physicians, is they have to keep up within their specialty and, in addition, with the side-effects that can occur when encountering hematology-specific therapies. Nonetheless, there are few people that have an in-depth understanding of a specialty outside theirs. Thus, this manuscript offers an overview of the most common side-effects caused by therapies used in hematology nowadays, or that are currently being investigated in clinical trials, with the purpose to serve as an aid to other specialties. Nevertheless, because of the high amount of information on this subject, each chapter will offer an overview of the side-effects of a drug class with each reference of the section being intended as further reading.}, language = {en} } @article{SeifEinseleLoeffler2019, author = {Seif, Michelle and Einsele, Hermann and L{\"o}ffler, J{\"u}rgen}, title = {CAR T cells beyond cancer: hope for immunomodulatory therapy of infectious diseases}, series = {Frontiers in Immunology}, volume = {10}, journal = {Frontiers in Immunology}, number = {2711}, issn = {1664-3224}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2019.02711}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-195596}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Infectious diseases are still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the progress in drug development, the occurrence of microbial resistance is still a significant concern. Alternative therapeutic strategies are required for non-responding or relapsing patients. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy, providing a potential therapeutic option for patients who are unresponsive to standard treatments. Recently two CAR T cell therapies, Yescarta® (Kite Pharma/Gilead) and Kymriah® (Novartis) were approved by the FDA for the treatments of certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, respectively. The success of adoptive CAR T cell therapy for cancer has inspired researchers to develop CARs for the treatment of infectious diseases. Here, we review the main achievements in CAR T cell therapy targeting viral infections, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Human Cytomegalovirus, and opportunistic fungal infections such as invasive aspergillosis.}, language = {en} }