@phdthesis{Klein2021,
  author    = {Klein, Thomas},
  title     = {Establishing an in vitro disease model for Fabry Disease using patient specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-19970},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-199705},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of the α-galactosidase A (GLA), leading to intracellular accumulations of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). Acral burning pain, which can be triggered by heat, fever or physical activity is an early hallmark of FD and greatly reduces patients' quality of life. The pathophysiology of FD pain is unknown and research is hindered by the limited in vivo availability of suitable human biomaterial. To overcome this obstacle, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from one female and two male patients with a differing pain phenotype, and developed a refined differentiation protocol for sensory neurons to increase reliability and survival of these neurons, serving as an in vitro disease model. Neurons were characterized for the correct neuronal subtype using immunocytochemistry, gene expression analysis, and for their functionality using electrophysiological measurements. iPSC and sensory neurons from the male patients showed Gb3 accumulations mimicking the disease phenotype, whereas no Gb3 depositions were detected in sensory neurons derived from the female cell line, likely caused by a skewed X-chromosomal inactivation in favor of healthy GLA. Using super-resolution imaging techniques we showed that Gb3 is localized in neuronal lysosomes of male patients and in a first experiment using dSTORM microscopy we were able to visualize the neuronal membrane in great detail. To test our disease model, we treated the neurons with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and analyzed its effect on the cellular Gb3 load, which was reduced in the male FD-lines, compared to non-treated cells. We also identified time-dependent differences of Gb3 accumulations, of which some seemed to be resistant to ERT. We also used confocal Ca2+ imaging to investigate spontaneous neuronal network activity, but analysis of the dataset proofed to be difficult, nonetheless showing a high potential for further investigations. We revealed that neurons from a patient with pain pain are more easily excitable, compared to cells from a patient without pain and a healthy control. We provide evidence for the potential of patient-specific iPSC to generate a neuronal in vitro disease model, showing the typical molecular FD phenotype, responding to treatment, and pointing towards underlying electrophysiological mechanisms causing different pain phenotypes. Our sensory neurons are suitable for state-of-the-art microscopy techniques, opening new possibilities for an in-depth analysis of cellular changes, caused by pathological Gb3 accumulations. Taken together, our system can easily be used to investigate the effect of the different mutations of GLA on a functional and a molecular level in affected neurons.},
  subject      = {Induzierte pluripotente Stammzelle},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Geiger2021,
  author    = {Geiger, Ute},
  title     = {Erfassung der intraoperativen Ankopplungseffizienz mittels evozierten Potentialen bei mit Mittelohrimplantat versorgten Patienten},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-20106},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201068},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Patienten mit leicht bis hochgradigen Schallleitungs-, Schallempfindungs- und kombinierten Schwerh{\"o}rigkeiten werden routinem{\"a}ßig nach erfolglosem H{\"o}rger{\"a}tetrageversuch mit aktiven Mittelohrimplantaten versorgt. Aktive Mittelohrimplantate k{\"o}nnen an verschiedene Strukturen des Mittelohrs angekoppelt werden. Der Ort der Ankopplung ist abh{\"a}ngig vom H{\"o}rverlust und der individuellen Physiologie des Mittelohres. Die H{\"o}rverbesserung ist dabei stark von der Kopplungseffizienz des Implantatwandlers an die Mittelohrstruktur abh{\"a}ngig. Aktuell gibt es keine zufriedenstellende M{\"o}glichkeit die Kopplungseffizienz intraoperativ zu bestimmen. Daher wird eine objektive Methode eingef{\"u}hrt, um intraoperativ auditorische Hirnstammantworten (BERAs) bei Stimulation {\"u}ber das Implantat abzuleiten. Die Vibrant Soundbrigde® (VSB) wird dabei mit einem Drahtlos{\"u}bertr{\"a}ger (miniTEK, Signia GmbH, Erlangen) und der Carina®-Aktuator {\"u}ber ein Audiokabel mit der BERA-Anlage verbunden. Die BERA-Anlage {\"u}bertr{\"a}gt die Stimuli direkt an das Implantat, welches an die Mittelohrstruktur angekoppelt ist. Die BERA-Antworten werden bei der VSB durch einen optimierten VSB-CE-Chirp und beim Carina®-System durch den Standard CE-Chirp evoziert, beginnend bei Pegeln oberhalb der Knochenleitungsh{\"o}rschwelle bis unter die Registrierungsschwelle. Diese Methode kann die intraoperative Integrit{\"a}t des Implantats sowie die Kopplungseffizienz bestimmen, um eine Aussage {\"u}ber den zu erwartenden H{\"o}rerfolg treffen zu k{\"o}nnen. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus kann die versorgte H{\"o}rschwelle verwendet werden, um die Anpassung bei Kindern oder schwierigen F{\"a}llen zu unterst{\"u}tzen und um eine H{\"o}rverschlechterung {\"u}ber die Zeit zu erfassen. Zusammenfassend, konnte eine Methode zur Bestimmung der intraoperativen Kopplungseffizienz w{\"a}hrend der Implantation von VSBs und Carinas® etabliert werden. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus werden intraoperative BERA-Daten von 30 VSB- und 10-Carina®-Patienten sowie deren H{\"o}rergebnisse gezeigt.},
  subject      = {Mittelohrimplantat},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Gruendl2021,
  author    = {Gr{\"u}ndl, Marco},
  title     = {Biochemical characterization of the MMB-Hippo crosstalk and its physiological relevance for heart development},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-21332},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-213328},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The Myb-MuvB (MMB) complex plays an essential role in the time-dependent transcriptional activation of mitotic genes. Recently, our laboratory identified a novel crosstalk between the MMB-complex and YAP, the transcriptional coactivator of the Hippo pathway, to coregulate a subset of mitotic genes (Pattschull et al., 2019). Several genetic studies have shown that the Hippo-YAP pathway is essential to drive cardiomyocyte proliferation during cardiac development (von Gise et al., 2012; Heallen et al., 2011; Xin et al., 2011). However, the exact mechanisms of how YAP activates proliferation of cardiomyocytes is not known. This doctoral thesis addresses the physiological role of the MMB-Hippo crosstalk within the heart and characterizes the YAP-B-MYB interaction with the overall aim to identify a potent inhibitor of YAP. The results reported in this thesis indicate that complete loss of the MMB scaffold protein LIN9 in heart progenitor cells results in thinning of ventricular walls, reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation and early embryonic lethality. Moreover, genetic experiments using mice deficient in SAV1, a core component of the Hippo pathway, and LIN9-deficient mice revealed that the correct function of the MMB complex is critical for proliferation of cardiomyocytes due to Hippo-deficiency. Whole genome transcriptome profiling as well as genome wide binding studies identified a subset of Hippo-regulated cell cycle genes as direct targets of MMB. By proximity ligation assay (PLA), YAP and B-MYB were discovered to interact in embryonal cardiomyocytes. Biochemical approaches, such as co-immunoprecipitation assays, GST-pulldown assays, and µSPOT-based peptide arrays were employed to characterize the YAP-B-MYB interaction. Here, a PY motif within the N-terminus of B-MYB was found to directly interact with the YAP WW-domains. Consequently, the YAP WW-domains were important for the ability of YAP to drive proliferation in cardiomyocytes and to activate MMB target genes in differentiated C2C12 cells. The biochemical information obtained from the interaction studies was utilized to develop a novel competitive inhibitor of YAP called MY-COMP (Myb-YAP competition). In MY-COMP, the protein fragment of B-MYB containing the YAP binding domain is fused to a nuclear localization signal. Co-immunoprecipitation studies as well as PLA revealed that the YAP-B-MYB interaction is robustly blocked by expression of MY-COMP. Adenoviral overexpression of MY-COMP in embryonal cardiomyocytes suppressed entry into mitosis and blocked the pro-proliferative function of YAP. Strikingly, characterization of the cellular phenotype showed that ectopic expression of MY-COMP led to growth defects, nuclear abnormalities and polyploidization in HeLa cells. Taken together, the results of this thesis reveal the mechanism of the crosstalk between the Hippo signaling pathway and the MMB complex in the heart and form the basis for interference with the oncogenic activity of the Hippo coactivator YAP.},
  subject      = {Zellzyklus},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Weigand2021,
  author    = {Weigand, Isabel},
  title     = {Consequences of Protein Kinase A mutations in adrenocortical cells and tumours},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-16064},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-160646},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Adrenal Cushing's Syndrome (CS) is a rare but life-threatening disease and therefore it is of great importance to understand the pathogenesis leading to adrenal CS. It is well accepted that Protein Kinase A (PKA) signalling mediates steroid secretion in adrenocortical cells. PKA is an inactive heterotetramer, consisting of two catalytic and two regulatory subunits. Upon cAMP binding to the regulatory subunits, the catalytic subunits are released and are able to phosphorylate their target proteins. Recently, activating somatic mutations affecting the catalytic subunit a of PKA have been identified in a sub-population of cortisol-producing adenomas (CPAs) associated with overt CS. Interestingly, the PKA regulatory subunit IIb has long been known to have significantly lower protein levels in a sub-group of CPAs compared to other adrenocortical tumours. Yet, it is unknown, why these CPAs lack the regulatory subunit IIb, neither are any functional consequences nor are the underlying regulation mechanisms leading to reduced RIIb levels known. The results obtained in this thesis show a clear connection between Ca mutations and reduced RIIb protein levels in CPAs but not in other adrenocortical tumours. Furthermore, a specific pattern of PKA subunit expression in the different zones of the normal adrenal gland is demonstrated. In addition, a Ca L206R mutation-mediated degradation of RIIb was observed in adrenocortical cells in vitro. RIIb degradation was found to be mediated by caspases and by performing mutagenesis experiments of the regulatory subunits IIb and Ia, S114 phosphorylation of RIIb was identified to make RIIb susceptible for degradation. LC-MS/MS revealed RIIb interaction partners to differ in the presence of either Ca WT and Ca L206R. These newly identified interaction partners are possibly involved in targeting RIIb to subcellular compartments or bringing it into spatial proximity of degrading enzymes. Furthermore, reducing RIIb protein levels in an in vitro system were shown to correlate with increased cortisol secretion also in the absence of PRKACA mutations. The inhibiting role of RIIb in cortisol secretion demonstrates a new function of this regulatory PKA subunit, improving the understanding of the complex regulation of PKA as key regulator in many cells.},
  subject      = {Cushing-Syndrom},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Thomas2021,
  author    = {Thomas, Sarah Katharina},
  title     = {Design of novel IL-4 antagonists employing site-specific chemical and biosynthetic glycosylation},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-17517},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-175172},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The cytokines interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13 are important mediators in the humoral immune response and play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, allergies, and atopic dermatitis. Hence, IL-4 and IL-13 are key targets for treatment of such atopic diseases. For cell signalling IL-4 can use two transmembrane receptor assemblies, the type I receptor consisting of receptors IL-4R and γc, and type II receptor consisting of receptors IL-4R and IL-13R1. The type II receptor is also the functional receptor of IL-13, receptor sharing being the molecular basis for the partially overlapping effects of IL-4 and IL-13. Since both cytokines require the IL-4R receptor for signal transduction, this allows the dual inhibition of both IL-4 and IL-13 by specifically blocking the receptor IL-4R. This study describes the design and synthesis of novel antagonistic variants of human IL-4. Chemical modification was used to target positions localized in IL-4 binding sites for γc and IL-13R1 but outside of the binding epitope for IL-4R. In contrast to existing studies, which used synthetic chemical compounds like polyethylene glycol for modification of IL-4, we employed glycan molecules as a natural alternative. Since glycosylation can improve important pharmacological parameters of protein therapeutics, such as immunogenicity and serum half-life, the introduced glycan molecules thus would not only confer a steric hindrance based inhibitory effect but simultaneously might improve the pharmacokinetic profile of the IL-4 antagonist. For chemical conjugation of glycan molecules, IL-4 variants containing additional cysteine residues were produced employing prokaryotic, as well as eukaryotic expression systems. The thiol-groups of the engineered cysteines thereby allow highly specific modification. Different strategies were developed enabling site-directed coupling of amine- or thiol- functionalized monosaccharides to introduced cysteine residues in IL-4. A linker-based coupling procedure and an approach requiring phenylselenyl bromide activation of IL-4 thiol-groups were hampered by several drawbacks, limiting their feasibility. Surprisingly, a third strategy, which involved refolding of IL-4 cysteine variants in the presence of thiol- glycans, readily allowed synthesis of IL-4 glycoconjugates in form of mixed disulphides in milligram amount. This approach, therefore, has the potential for large-scale synthesis of IL-4 antagonists with highly defined glycosylation. Obtaining a homogenous glycoconjugate with exactly defined glycan pattern would allow using the attached glycan structures for fine-tuning of pharmacokinetic properties of the IL-4 antagonist, such as absorption and metabolic stability. The IL-4 glycoconjugates generated in this work proved to be highly effective antagonists inhibiting IL-4 and/or IL-13 dependent responses in cell-based experiments and in in vitro binding studies. Glycoengineered IL-4 antagonists thus present valuable alternatives to IL-4 inhibitors used for treatment of atopic diseases such as the neutralizing anti-IL-4R antibody Dupilumab.},
  subject      = {Glykosylierung},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{RuedtvonCollenberg2021,
  author    = {R{\"u}dt von Collenberg, Cora Freifrau},
  title     = {The role of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and learning},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-20664},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-206646},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor (Cntf) acts as a differentiation and survival factor for different types of neurons and glial cells. It is expressed by peripheral Schwann cells and astrocytes in the central nervous system and mediates its effects via a receptor complex involving CntfRα, LifRß and gp130, leading to downstream activation of Stat3. Recent studies by our group have shown that Cntf modulates neuronal microtubule dynamics via Stat3/stathmin interaction. In a mouse model for motor neuron disease, i.e. pmn, Cntf is able to rescue axonal degeneration through Stat3/stathmin signaling. While these findings suggest a role of Cntf in controlling axonal functions in the neuromuscular system, additional data indicate that Cntf might also play a role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. Electrophysiological recordings in hippocampal organotypic cultures and acute slices revealed a deficit in long-term potentiation (LTP) in Cntf -/- mice. This deficit was rescued by 24 h stimulation with Cntf, combined with an acute application of Cntf during LTP-measurements indicating that Cntf is both necessary and sufficient for hippocampal LTP, and possibly synaptic plasticity. Therefore, Cntf knockout mice were investigated to elucidate this possible role of Cntf in hippocampal LTP and synaptic plasticity. First, we validated the presence of Cntf in the target tissue: in the hippocampus, Cntf was localized in Gfap-positive astrocytes surrounding small blood vessels in the fissure and in meningeal areas close to the dentate gyrus. Laser micro-dissection and qPCR analysis showed a similar distribution of Cntf-coding mRNA validating the obtained immunofluorescent results. Despite the strong LTP deficit in organotypic cultures, in vivo behavior of Cntf -/- mice regarding hippocampus-dependent learning and anxiety-related paradigms was largely inconspicuous. However, western blot analysis of hippocampal organotypic cultures revealed a significant reduction of pStat3 levels in Cntf -/- cultures under baseline conditions, which in turn were elevated upon Cntf stimulation. In order to resolve and examine synaptic structures we turned to in vitro analysis of cultured hippocampal neurons which indicated that pStat3 is predominantly located in the presynapse. In line with these findings, presynapses of Cntf -/- cultures were reduced in size and when in contact to astrocytes, contained less pStat3 immunoreactivity compared to presynapses in wildtype cultures. In conclusion, our findings hypothesize that despite of a largely inconspicuous behavioral phenotype of Cntf -/- mice, Cntf appears to have an influence on pStat3 levels at hippocampal synapses. In a next step these two key questions need to be addressed experimentally: 1) is there a compensatory mechanism by members of the Cntf family, possibly downstream of pStat3, which explains the in vivo behavioral results of Cntf -/- mice and can likewise account for the largely inconspicuous phenotype in CNTF-deficient humans? 2) How exactly does Cntf influence LTP through Stat3 signaling? To unravel the underlying mechanism further experiments should therefore investigate whether microtubule dynamics downstream of Stat3 and stathmin signaling are involved in the Cntf-induced modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, similar to as it was shown in motoneurons.},
  subject      = {Hippocampus},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Reich2021,
  author    = {Reich, Sebastian},
  title     = {Computergest{\"u}tztes Auffinden obliterierter Wurzelkan{\"a}le mit Hilfe der Planungssoftware SicatEndo und CDX - eine In-vitro-Vergleichsstudie},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-20687},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-206875},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Ziel der Untersuchung: Verglichen wurden die r{\"a}umlichen Abweichungen der Bohrpfade nach virtueller Planung von Schablonen gef{\"u}hrten Trepanationen mit Hilfe der Softwaresysteme SicatEndo (SE) und coDiagnostiX (CDX) und der ben{\"o}tigte Arbeitsaufwand. Material und Methode: Basierend auf µCT-Datens{\"a}tzen von humanen obliterierten Frontz{\"a}hnen wurden identische Kunststoffz{\"a}hne und acht Zahnmodelle (4 Ober-, 4 Unterkiefer) hergestellt. Es wurde jeweils ein DVT und ein Oberfl{\"a}chenscan angefertigt. Diese Datens{\"a}tze (DICOM; STL) wurden in die Softwaresysteme importiert und fusioniert. Anschließend wurden die Bohrpfade f{\"u}r je 16 Probenz{\"a}hne pro Software geplant. Mit Hilfe der erstellten Schablonen wurden alle Trepanationen an den im Phantomkopf fixierten Modellen von einem Behandler durchgef{\"u}hrt. Nach Erschließung des apikalen Wurzelkanalanteils wurde ein DVT angefertigt und mit dem pr{\"a}operativen DVT {\"u}berlagert. Die r{\"a}umliche drei-dimensionale (3D) Abweichung zwischen virtuell geplantem und tats{\"a}chlichem Bohrpfad wurde {\"u}ber die Vektorl{\"a}nge bestimmt und der Arbeitsaufwand anhand der Planungszeit und der Anzahl der Mausklicks pro Kiefer erfasst. Ergebnisse: F{\"u}r die Trepanationen mit SE zeigten sich signifikant geringe Abweichungen an der Bohrerspitze vestibul{\"a}r-oral [CDX 0,54mm ± 0,32mm; SE 0,12mm ± 0,11mm; p < 0.05], 3D [CDX 0,74mm ± 0,26 mm; SE 0,35mm ± 0,17mm; p < 0.05] und hinsichtlich des Winkels [CDX 1,57° ± 0,76°; SE 0,68° ± 0,41°; p < 0.05] als mit CDX. F{\"u}r CDX war der Planungsaufwand signifikant geringer als f{\"u}r SE hinsichtlich Planungszeit [CDX {\O} 10min 50sec; SE {\O} 20min 28sec] und hinsichtlich der Anzahl der Klicks pro Kiefer [CDX {\O} 107; SE {\O} 341]. Zusammenfassung: Beide Planungssysteme erm{\"o}glichen ausreichend pr{\"a}zise Schablonen gef{\"u}hrte Bohrungen zur Erschließung apikaler Wurzelkanalanteile.},
  subject      = {Wurzelkanalbehandlung},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Tylek2021,
  author    = {Tylek, Tina},
  title     = {Establishment of a Co-culture System of human Macrophages and hMSCs to Evaluate the Immunomodulatory Properties of Biomaterials},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-20357},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-203570},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The outcome of the innate immune response to biomaterials mainly determines whether the material will be incorporated in the body to fulfill its desired function or, when it gets encapsulated, will be rejected in the worst case. Macrophages are key players in this process, and their polarization state with either pro- (M1), anti-inflammatory (M2), or intermediate characteristics is crucial for deciding on the biomaterial's fate. While a transient initial pro-inflammatory state is helpful, a prolonged inflammation deteriorates the proper healing and subsequent regeneration. Therefore, biomaterial-based polarization may aid in driving macrophages in the desired direction. However, the in vivo process is highly complex, and a mono-culture of macrophages in vitro displays only one part of the cellular system, but, to this date, there is a lack of established co-cultures to assess the immune response to biomaterials. Thus, this thesis aimed to establish a functional co-culture system of human macrophages and human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) to improve the assessment of the immune response to biomaterials in vitro. Together with macrophages, hMSCs are involved in tissue regeneration and inflammatory reactions and can modulate the immune response. In particular, endogenously derived hMSCs considerably contribute to the successful engrafting of biomaterials. This thesis focused on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fiber-based scaffolds produced by the technique of melt electrowriting (MEW) as biomaterial constructs. Via this fabrication technique, uniform, precisely ordered scaffolds varying in geometry and pore size have been created in-house. To determine the impact of scaffold geometries and pore sizes on macrophages, mono-cultures incubated on scaffolds were conducted. As a pre-requisite to achieve a functional co-culture system on scaffolds, setups for direct and indirect systems in 2D have initially been established. These setups were analyzed for the capability of cell-cell communication. In parallel, a co-culture medium suitable for both cell types was defined, prior to the establishment of a step-by-step procedure for the co-cultivation of human macrophages and hMSCs on fiber-based scaffolds. Regarding the scaffold morphologies tested within this thesis to improve M2-like polarization, box-shaped scaffolds outperformed triangular-, round- or disordered-shaped ones. Upon further investigation of scaffolds with box-shaped pores and precise inter-fiber spacing from 100 µm down to only 40 µm, decreasing pore sizes facilitated primary human macrophage elongation accompanied by their differentiation towards the M2 type, which was most pronounced for the smallest pore size of 40 µm. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time that the elongation of human macrophages in a 3D environment has been correlated to their M2-like polarization. Thus, these results may set the stage for the design, the assessment, and the selection of new biomaterials, which can positively affect the tissue regeneration. The cell communication of both cell types, detected via mitochondria exchange in direct and indirect co-cultures systems, took place in both directions, i.e., from hMSCs to macrophages and vice versa. Thereby, in direct co-culture, tunneling nanotubes enabled the transfer from one cell type to the respective other, while in indirect co-culture, a non-directional transfer through extracellular vesicles (EVs) released into the medium seemed likely. Moreover, the phagocytic activity of macrophages after 2D co-cultivation and hence immunomodulation by hMSCs increased with the highest phagocytic rate after 48 h being most pronounced in direct co-cultivation. As the commonly used serum supplements for macrophages and hMSCs, i.e., human serum (hS) and fetal calf serum (FCS), respectively, failed to support the respective other cell type during prolonged cultivation, these sera were replaced by human platelet lysate (hPL), which has been proven to be the optimal supplement for the co-cultivation of human macrophages with hMSCs within this thesis. Thereby, the phenotype of both cell types, the distribution of both cell populations, the phagocytic activity of macrophages, and the gene expression profiles were maintained and comparable to the respective standard mono-culture conditions. This was even true when hPL was applied without the anticoagulant heparin in all cultures with macrophages, and therefore, heparin was omitted for further experiments comprising hPL and macrophages. Accordingly, a step-by-step operating procedure for the co-cultivation on fiber-based scaffolds has been established comprising the setup for 3D cultivation as well as the description of methods for the analysis of phenotypical and molecular changes upon contact with the biomaterial. The evaluation of the macrophage response depending on the cultivation with or without hMSCs and either on scaffolds or on plastic surfaces has been successfully achieved and confirmed the functionality of the suggested procedures. In conclusion, the functional co-culture system of human macrophages and hMSCs established here can now be employed to assess biomaterials in terms of the immune response in a more in vivo-related way. Moreover, specifically designed scaffolds used within the present thesis showed auspicious design criteria positively influencing the macrophage polarization towards the anti-inflammatory, pro-healing type and might be adaptable to other biomaterials in future approaches. Hence, follow-up experiments should focus on the evaluation of the co-culture outcome on promising scaffolds, and the suggested operating procedures should be adjusted to further kinds of biomaterials, such as cements or hydrogels.},
  subject      = {Makrophage},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Chifu2021,
  author    = {Chifu, Irina},
  title     = {Expression und prognostische Bedeutung der Chemokinrezeptoren CXCR4 und CXCR7 bei malignen Nebennierentumoren},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-21722},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-217225},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Zusammenfassung: Unsere Arbeit best{\"a}tigt die aus kleineren Studien bekannte hohe Expression der Chemokinrezeptoren CXCR4 und CXCR7 in der normalen Nebenniere und in der Mehrheit der Nebennierenkarzinome. Das auf mRNA Ebene best{\"a}tigte Vorkommen beider Chemokinrezeptoren im gesunden Nebennierengewebe deutet auf eine {\"u}berwiegend f{\"u}r die normale Nebennierenphysiologie wichtige Rolle dieser Chemokinrezeptoren hin. Eine eventuell dennoch bestehende pathophysiologische Relevanz der Rezeptoren wurde erg{\"a}nzend {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft und ergab keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Prognose des Nebennierenkarzinoms.},
  subject      = {Nebennierenrindencarcinom},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Strzałkowski2021,
  author    = {Strzałkowski, Piotr},
  title     = {Retrospektive interventionelle Fallserie zur Behandlung des Neovaskularisationsglaukoms an der Universit{\"a}ts-Augenklinik},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-21684},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-216845},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Das Neovaskularisationsglaukom (NVG) ist eine gravierende Erkrankung, die zur Erblindung und zum Verlust des Auges f{\"u}hren kann. Es gibt aktuell keine einheitlichen Behandlungsstrategien oder Leitlinien zur Behandlung des NVG. Das Ziel unserer konsekutiven, interventionellen Studie war es Effektivit{\"a}t und Sicherheit eines neuen kombinierten Operationsverfahrens, bestehend aus 23-Gauge-Pars-plana-Vitrektomie, panretinaler, nahezu konfluenter Endolaserkoagulation, transskleraler Zyklophotokoagulation (810-nm-Diodenlaser, 2W, 2s, 20 Herde), intravitrealer Bevacizumab-Eingabe und Lufttamponade retrospektiv zu analysieren. Bei allen phaken Augen wurde intraoperativ eine k{\"u}nstliche Intraokularlinse implantiert. Ausgewertet wurden bestkorrigierte Sehsch{\"a}rfe (BCVA, logMAR), Augeninnendruck (IOD, mmHg), Glaukom-Medikations-Score, visuelle analoge Schmerzskala (VAPS, 0-10) pr{\"a}operativ und nach 1, 3, 6, und 12 Monaten sowie Komplikationen, erneute Eingriffe und Erfolg. Blinde Augen wurden ausgeschlossen. 83 Augen von 83 Patienten (53 M{\"a}nner, 30 Frauen; 78 Jahre, SD ± 11,6 Jahre) wurden eingeschlossen. 53 Augen erreichten ein Jahr Nachbeobachtungszeit. Zu den h{\"a}ufigsten {\"A}tiologien des NVG z{\"a}hlten Zentralvenenverschluss (n=41), proliferative diabetische Retinopathie (n=25), Zentralarterienverschluss (n=10) und okul{\"a}res Isch{\"a}miesyndrom (n=6). Die bestkorrigierte Sehsch{\"a}rfe zeigte keine signifikante {\"A}nderung zwischen pr{\"a}operativ (Mittelwert 2,0; SD ± 0,7 logMAR) und einem Jahr Nachbeobachtung (1,8 ± 0,8 logMAR) (p>0,05, Friedman-Test). Der pr{\"a}operative IOD (Mittelwert 46,0 ± 10,3 mmHg) sank nach einem Jahr signifikant (14,2 ± 8,9 mmHg) (p<0,001, Friedman-Test). Der Glaukom-Medikations-Score (GMS) nahm zwischen pr{\"a}operativ (4,8 ± 2,5) und einem Jahr (1,8 ± 1,8) (p<0,001, Friedman-Test) signifikant ab. Pr{\"a}operativ gaben n=27 (32,5 \%) der Patienten auf der visuellen Analogskala (VAS) Schmerzen mit einem Mittelwert von 6,3 ± 1,6 an. Postoperativ waren 96,4 \% der Patienten (n=80) schmerzfrei (VAS 0,15 ± 0,5). Patienten mit Schmerzen (49,2 ± 7,9 mmHg) hatten einen signifikant h{\"o}heren Augeninnendruck als schmerzfreie Patienten (44,5 ± 11,1 mmHg) (p=0,027, Welch-Test). Die postoperative Entz{\"u}ndung war h{\"a}ufig deutlich ausgepr{\"a}gt, jedoch bei allen Augen vor{\"u}bergehend und zu jedem Zeitpunkt schmerzlos. Eine Netzhautabl{\"o}sung trat bei insgesamt 4 Augen (6,9 \%) auf. 3 von diesen Augen (5,7 \%) entwickelten eine Phthisis bulbi. Die in dieser Dissertation analysierte kombinierte chirurgische Behandlungsstrategie senkt den IOD signifikant, f{\"u}hrt zu einer wirksamen Schmerzkontrolle, verringert den Bedarf an Glaukom-Medikamenten und zeigte eine {\"a}hnliche Effektivit{\"a}t und Erfolgsrate wie Glaukom-Drainage-Implantate bei vergleichsweise g{\"u}nstigerem Komplikationsspektrum. Der Visus blieb in den meisten Augen unver{\"a}ndert und im Gegensatz zu anderen Studien kam es seltener zu einem Sehverlust. Die H{\"a}lfte der Augen ben{\"o}tigten keine weiteren chirurgischen Eingriffe und kein Auge musste enukleiert werden.},
  subject      = {Sekund{\"a}rglaukom},
  language  = {de}
}