TY - JOUR A1 - Brenner, Daniela A1 - Geiger, Nina A1 - Schlegel, Jan A1 - Diesendorf, Viktoria A1 - Kersting, Louise A1 - Fink, Julian A1 - Stelz, Linda A1 - Schneider-Schaulies, Sibylle A1 - Sauer, Markus A1 - Bodem, Jochen A1 - Seibel, Jürgen T1 - Azido-ceramides, a tool to analyse SARS-CoV-2 replication and inhibition — SARS-CoV-2 is inhibited by ceramides JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Recently, we have shown that C6-ceramides efficiently suppress viral replication by trapping the virus in lysosomes. Here, we use antiviral assays to evaluate a synthetic ceramide derivative α-NH2-ω-N3-C6-ceramide (AKS461) and to confirm the biological activity of C6-ceramides inhibiting SARS-CoV-2. Click-labeling with a fluorophore demonstrated that AKS461 accumulates in lysosomes. Previously, it has been shown that suppression of SARS-CoV-2 replication can be cell-type specific. Thus, AKS461 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Huh-7, Vero, and Calu-3 cells up to 2.5 orders of magnitude. The results were confirmed by CoronaFISH, indicating that AKS461 acts comparable to the unmodified C6-ceramide. Thus, AKS461 serves as a tool to study ceramide-associated cellular and viral pathways, such as SARS-CoV-2 infections, and it helped to identify lysosomes as the central organelle of C6-ceramides to inhibit viral replication. KW - ceramides KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - azido-ceramides KW - sphingolipids Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-313581 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 24 IS - 8 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Balonov, Ilja A1 - Kurlbaum, Max A1 - Koschker, Ann-Cathrin A1 - Stier, Christine A1 - Fassnacht, Martin A1 - Dischinger, Ulrich T1 - Changes in plasma metabolomic profile following bariatric surgery, lifestyle intervention or diet restriction — insights from human and rat studies JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - Although bariatric surgery is known to change the metabolome, it is unclear if this is specific for the intervention or a consequence of the induced bodyweight loss. As the weight loss after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) can hardly be mimicked with an evenly effective diet in humans, translational research efforts might be helpful. A group of 188 plasma metabolites of 46 patients from the randomized controlled Würzburg Adipositas Study (WAS) and from RYGB-treated rats (n = 6) as well as body-weight-matched controls (n = 7) were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. WAS participants were randomized into intensive lifestyle modification (LS, n = 24) or RYGB (OP, n = 22). In patients in the WAS cohort, only bariatric surgery achieved a sustained weight loss (BMI −34.3% (OP) vs. −1.2% (LS), p ≤ 0.01). An explicit shift in the metabolomic profile was found in 57 metabolites in the human cohort and in 62 metabolites in the rodent model. Significantly higher levels of sphingolipids and lecithins were detected in both surgical groups but not in the conservatively treated human and animal groups. RYGB leads to a characteristic metabolomic profile, which differs distinctly from that following non-surgical intervention. Analysis of the human and rat data revealed that RYGB induces specific changes in the metabolome independent of weight loss. KW - metabolomics KW - phosphatidylcholines KW - sphingolipids KW - branched-chain amino acids KW - obesity KW - Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass KW - rodent model KW - insulin resistance Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-304462 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 24 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiese, Teresa A1 - Dennstädt, Fabio A1 - Hollmann, Claudia A1 - Stonawski, Saskia A1 - Wurst, Catherina A1 - Fink, Julian A1 - Gorte, Erika A1 - Mandasari, Putri A1 - Domschke, Katharina A1 - Hommers, Leif A1 - Vanhove, Bernard A1 - Schumacher, Fabian A1 - Kleuser, Burkard A1 - Seibel, Jürgen A1 - Rohr, Jan A1 - Buttmann, Mathias A1 - Menke, Andreas A1 - Schneider-Schaulies, Jürgen A1 - Beyersdorf, Niklas T1 - Inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase increases regulatory T cells in humans JF - Brain Communications N2 - Genetic deficiency for acid sphingomyelinase or its pharmacological inhibition has been shown to increase Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T-cell frequencies among CD4\(^+\) T cells in mice. We now investigated whether pharmacological targeting of the acid sphingomyelinase, which catalyzes the cleavage of sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphorylcholine, also allows to manipulate relative CD4\(^+\) Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T-cell frequencies in humans. Pharmacological acid sphingomyelinase inhibition with antidepressants like sertraline, but not those without an inhibitory effect on acid sphingomyelinase activity like citalopram, increased the frequency of Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cell among human CD4\(^+\) T cells in vitro. In an observational prospective clinical study with patients suffering from major depression, we observed that acid sphingomyelinase-inhibiting antidepressants induced a stronger relative increase in the frequency of CD4\(^+\) Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood than acid sphingomyelinase-non- or weakly inhibiting antidepressants. This was particularly true for CD45RA\(^-\) CD25\(^{high}\) effector CD4\(^+\) Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cells. Mechanistically, our data indicate that the positive effect of acid sphingomyelinase inhibition on CD4\(^+\) Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cells required CD28 co-stimulation, suggesting that enhanced CD28 co-stimulation was the driver of the observed increase in the frequency of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells among human CD4\(^+\) T cells. In summary, the widely induced pharmacological inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase activity in patients leads to an increase in Foxp3+ regulatory T-cell frequencies among CD4\(^+\) T cells in humans both in vivo and in vitro. KW - acid sphingomyelinase KW - antidepressants KW - major depression KW - regulatory T cells KW - sphingolipids Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-259868 VL - 3 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zapf, Ludwig A1 - Finze, Maik T1 - The crystal structure of poly[(μ \(_3\)-imidazolato-κ \(^3\) N:N:N′)(tetrahydrofuran- κ \(^1\) O)lithium(I)], C\(_7\)H\(_{11}\)LiN\(_2\)O JF - Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - New Crystal Structures N2 - C\(_7\)H\(_{11}\)LiN\(_2\)O, monoclinic, P2\(_1\)/c (no. 14), a = 8.9067(1) angstrom, b = 8.6975(1) angstrom, c = 10.2398(1) angstrom, beta = 101.900(3)degrees, V = 770.491(15) angstrom(3), Z = 4, R-gt (F) = 0.0338, wR(ref) (F\(^2\)) = 0.0925, T = 100 K. KW - acid sphingomyelinase KW - antidepressants KW - major depression KW - regulatory T cells KW - sphingolipids Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-260745 VL - 236 IS - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Peters, Simon A1 - Fohmann, Ingo A1 - Rudel, Thomas A1 - Schubert-Unkmeir, Alexandra T1 - A Comprehensive Review on the Interplay between Neisseria spp. and Host Sphingolipid Metabolites JF - Cells N2 - Sphingolipids represent a class of structural related lipids involved in membrane biology and various cellular processes including cell growth, apoptosis, inflammation and migration. Over the past decade, sphingolipids have become the focus of intensive studies regarding their involvement in infectious diseases. Pathogens can manipulate the sphingolipid metabolism resulting in cell membrane reorganization and receptor recruitment to facilitate their entry. They may recruit specific host sphingolipid metabolites to establish a favorable niche for intracellular survival and proliferation. In contrast, some sphingolipid metabolites can also act as a first line defense against bacteria based on their antimicrobial activity. In this review, we will focus on the strategies employed by pathogenic Neisseria spp. to modulate the sphingolipid metabolism and hijack the sphingolipid balance in the host to promote cellular colonization, invasion and intracellular survival. Novel techniques and innovative approaches will be highlighted that allow imaging of sphingolipid derivatives in the host cell as well as in the pathogen. KW - sphingolipids KW - host–pathogen interaction KW - Neisseria meningitidis KW - Neisseria gonorrhoeae Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-250203 SN - 2073-4409 VL - 10 IS - 11 ER - TY - THES A1 - Solger, Franziska T1 - Central role of sphingolipids on the intracellular survival of \(Neisseria\) \(gonorrhoeae\) in epithelial cells T1 - Die zentrale Rolle von Sphingolipiden auf das intrazelluläre Überleben von \(Neisseria\) \(gonorrhoeae\) in Epithelzellen N2 - Neisseria gonorrhoeae are Gram-negative bacteria with diplococcal shape. As an obligate human pathogen, it is the causative agent of gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted disease. Gonococci colonize a variety of mucosal tissues, mainly the urogenital tract in men and women. Occasionally N. gonorrhoeae invades the bloodstream, leading to disseminated gonococcal infection. These bacteria possess a repertoire of virulence factors, which expression patterns can be adapted to the environmental conditions of the host. Through the accumulation of antibiotic resistances and in absence of vaccines, some neisserial strains have the potential to spread globally and represent a major public health threat. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the successful infection and progression of gonococci within their host. This deeper understanding of neisserial infection and survival mechanisms is needed for the development of new therapeutic agents. In this work, the role of host-cell sphingolipids on the intracellular survival of N. gonorrhoeae was investigated. It was shown that different classes of sphingolipids strongly interact with invasive gonococci in epithelial cells. Therefore, novel and highly specific clickable sphingolipid analogues were applied to study these interactions with this pathogen. The formation of intra- and extracellular sphingosine vesicles, which were able to target gonococci, was observed. This direct interaction led to the uptake and incorporation of sphingosine into the neisserial membrane. Together with in vitro results, sphingosine was identified as a potential bactericidal reagent as part of the host cell defence. By using different classes of sphingolipids and their clickable analogues, essential structural features, which seem to trigger the bacterial uptake, were detected. Furthermore, effects of key enzymes of the sphingolipid signalling pathway were tested in a neutrophil infection model. In conclusion, the combination of click chemistry and infection biology made it possible to shed some light on the dynamic interplay between cellular sphingosine and N. gonorrhoeae. Thereby, a possible “catch-and-kill” mechanism could have been observed. N2 - Neisseria gonorrhoeae ist ein Gram-negatives Bakterium, welches als Diplokokke vorkommt. Als ein ausschließliches Humanpathogen sind Neisserien der Erreger für die sexuell übertragbare Infektionskrankheit Gonorrhö. Gonokokken besiedeln eine Vielzahl von Schleimhäuten, jedoch hauptsächlich den Urogenitaltrakt bei Männern und Frauen. Gelegentlich kann N. gonorrhoeae in die Blutbahn invadieren, was zu einer disseminierten Infektion führen kann. Diese Bakterien verfügen über ein Repertoire an Virulenzfaktoren, deren Expressionskombination den Umgebungsbedingungen des Wirts angepasst werden können. Durch die Anhäufung von Antibiotikaresistenzen und durch das Fehlen eines Impfstoffes, besteht die Gefahr, dass spezielle Neisserienstämme sich weltweit verbreiten und daher eine ernstzunehmende Bedrohung des Menschen sind. Daher ist es notwendig die zugrundeliegenden molekularen Mechanismen der erfolgreichen Infektion und Ausbreitung der Gonokokken im Wirt genauestens zu verstehen. Das detaillierte Wissen über die Neisserieninfektion und Überlebensmechanismen ist nötig für die Entwicklung neuer Therapieansätze. In dieser Arbeit wurde der Effekt von Sphingolipiden der Wirtszelle auf das intrazelluläre Überleben von N. gonorrhoeae untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass unterschiedliche Klassen von Sphingolipiden stark mit invasiven Gonokokken in Epithelzellen interagieren. Um dies zu tun, wurden neue und hochspezifische clickbare Sphingolipidanaloge eingesetzt, um deren Interaktionen mit diesem Pathogen zu studieren. Die Formation von intra- als auch extrazellulären Sphingosinvesikeln, welche Gonokokken gezielt erreichten, konnte beobachtet werden. Diese direkte Interaktion führte zu einer Aufnahme und Einbau des Sphingosins in die Neisserienmembran. Zusammen mit in vitro Ergebnissen, konnte Sphingosin als potenzieller und antibakterieller Bestandteil des zellulären Abwehrsystems identifiziert werden. Weiterhin wurde durch die Verwendung unterschiedlicher Sphingolipidklassen und deren clickbaren Analoge wichtige Strukturen erkannt, die die bakterielle Aufnahme auslösen. Des Weiteren wurden die Auswirkungen von Schlüsselenzymen des Sphingolipidsignalwegs in einem Infektionsmodell mit Neutrophilen getestet. Abschließend ist zu sagen, dass die Kombination aus Click Chemie und Infektionsbiologie es ermöglicht hat, die dynamischen Wechselwirkungen zwischen zellulären Sphingosin und N. gonorrhoeae zu beleuchten. Dadurch konnte ein möglicher „catch-and-kill”-Mechanismus entdeckt werden. KW - Neisseria gonorrhoeae KW - Sphingosinkinase KW - Sphingosinanaloga KW - Click-Chemie KW - sphingosine KW - sphingolipids KW - Neisseria KW - intracellular KW - vesicles Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-247534 ER - TY - THES A1 - Schlegel, Jan T1 - Super-Resolution Microscopy of Sphingolipids and Protein Nanodomains T1 - Hochaufgelöste Mikroskopie von Sphingolipiden und Protein Nanodomänen N2 - The development of cellular life on earth is coupled to the formation of lipid-based biological membranes. Although many tools to analyze their biophysical properties already exist, their variety and number is still relatively small compared to the field of protein studies. One reason for this, is their small size and complex assembly into an asymmetric tightly packed lipid bilayer showing characteristics of a two-dimensional heterogenous fluid. Since membranes are capable to form dynamic, nanoscopic domains, enriched in sphingolipids and cholesterol, their detailed investigation is limited to techniques which access information below the diffraction limit of light. In this work, I aimed to extend, optimize and compare three different labeling approaches for sphingolipids and their subsequent analysis by the single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) technique direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). First, I applied classical immunofluorescence by immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody labeling to detect and quantify sphingolipid nanodomains in the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. I was able to identify and characterize ceramide-rich platforms (CRPs) with a size of ~ 75nm on the basal and apical membrane of different cell lines. Next, I used click-chemistry to characterize sphingolipid analogs in living and fixed cells. By using a combination of fluorescence microscopy and anisotropy experiments, I analyzed their accessibility and configuration in the plasma membrane, respectively. Azide-modified, short fatty acid side chains, were accessible to membrane impermeable dyes and localized outside the hydrophobic membrane core. In contrast, azide moieties at the end of longer fatty acid side chains were less accessible and conjugated dyes localized deeper within the plasma membrane. By introducing photo-crosslinkable diazirine groups or chemically addressable amine groups, I developed methods to improve their immobilization required for dSTORM. Finally, I harnessed the specific binding characteristics of non-toxic shiga toxin B subunits (STxBs) and cholera toxin B subunits (CTxBs) to label and quantify glycosphingolipid nanodomains in the context of Neisseria meningitidis infection. Under pyhsiological conditions, these glycosphingolipids were distributed homogenously in the plasma membrane but upon bacterial infection CTxB detectable gangliosides accumulated around invasive Neisseria meningitidis. I was able to highlight the importance of cell cycle dependent glycosphingolipid expression for the invasion process. Blocking membrane accessible sugar headgroups by pretreatment with CTxB significantly reduced the number of invasive bacteria which confirmed the importance of gangliosides for bacterial uptake into cells. Based on my results, it can be concluded that labeling of sphingolipids should be carefully optimized depending on the research question and applied microscopy technique. In particular, I was able to develop new tools and protocols which enable the characterization of sphingolipid nanodomains by dSTORM for all three labeling approaches. N2 - Die Entwicklung von zellulären Lebensformen auf der Erde basiert auf der Entstehung biologischer Lipid-Membranen. Obwohl viele Techniken zur Verfügung stehen, welche es erlauben deren biophysikalische Eigenschaften zu untersuchen, sind die Möglichkeiten, verglichen mit der Analyse von Proteinen, eher eingeschränkt. Ein Grund hierfür, ist die geringe Größe von Lipiden und deren komplexe Zusammenlagerung in eine asymmetrische dicht gepackte Lipiddoppelschicht, welche sich wie eine heterogene zweidimensionale Flüssigkeit verhält. Durch die lokale Anreicherung von Sphingolipiden und Cholesterol sind Membranen in der Lage dynamische, nanoskopische Domänen auszubilden, welche lediglich mit Techniken, welche die optische Auflösungsgrenze umgehen, detailliert untersucht werden können. Ein wesentliches Ziel meiner Arbeit war es, drei Färbeverfahren für Sphingolipide zu vergleichen, erweitern und optimieren, um eine anschliessende Untersuchung mit Hilfe der einzelmolekülsensitiven Technik dSTORM (direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy) zu ermöglichen. Zunächst verwendete ich das klassische Färbeverfahren der Immunfluoreszenz, um Sphingolipid-Nanodomänen auf eukaryotischen Zellen mit Hilfe von Farbstoff-gekoppelten Antikörpern zu detektieren und quantifizieren. Dieses Vorgehen ermöglichte es mir, Ceramid-angereicherte Plattformen mit einer Größe von ~ 75nm auf der basalen und apikalen Membran verschiedener Zell-Linien zu identifizieren und charakterisieren. Als nächstes Verfahren verwendete ich die Klick-Chemie, um Sphingolipid-Analoge in lebenden und fixierten Zellen zu untersuchen. Eine Kombination aus Fluoreszenz-Mikroskopie und Anisotropie-Messungen erlaubte es mir Rückschlüsse über deren Zugänglichkeit und Konfiguration innerhalb der Plasmamembran zu ziehen. Hierbei lokalisierten Azid-Gruppen am Ende kurzkettiger Fettsäurereste außerhalb des hydrophoben Membrankerns, wodurch sie mittels membran-undurchlässige Farbstoffe angeklickt werden konnten. Im Gegensatz dazu, waren Azide an längeren Fettsäureresten weniger zugänglich und konjugierte Farbstoffe tauchten tiefer in die Plasmamembran ein. Durch die Einführung photoreaktiver Diazirin-Gruppen oder chemisch modifzierbarer Amin-Gruppen wurden Wege geschaffen, welche eine Immobilisierung und anschließende Analyse mit Hilfe von dSTORM ermöglichen. Schließlich nutzte ich das spezifische Bindeverhalten der nicht toxischen B Untereinheiten von Shiga- (STxB) und Cholera-Toxin (CTxB) aus, um Glycosphingolipid Nanodomänen im Kontext einer Neisseria meningitidis Infektion zu untersuchen. Unter physiologischen Bedingungen waren diese homogen in der Plasmamembran verteilt, jedoch reicherten sich CTxB-detektierbare Ganglioside um eindringende Bakterien an. Darüber hinaus konnte ich einen Zusammenhang zwischen der zellzyklusabhängigen Expression von Glycosphingolipiden und dem Eindringen der Bakterien herstellen. Eine Absättigung der Zucker an der äußeren Membran durch CTxB-Vorbehandlung reduzierte die Anzahl von invasiven Bakterien signifikant und bestätigte die Schlüsselrolle von Gangliosiden bei der Aufnahme von Bakterien. Meine Ergebnisse legen Nahe, dass das Färbeverfahren für Sphingolipide an die jeweilige Fragestellung und Mikroskopietechnik angepasst werden sollte. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnten neue Werkzeuge und Protokolle geschaffen werden, die die Charakterisierung von Sphingolipid-Nanodomänen mittels dSTORM für alle drei Färbeverfahren ermöglichen. KW - Sphingolipide KW - Lipide KW - Einzelmolekülmikroskopie KW - Click-Chemie KW - Lipid Raft KW - super-resolution microscopy KW - sphingolipids KW - labeling techniques KW - dSTORM KW - lipid rafts Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-229596 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Solger, Franziska A1 - Kunz, Tobias C. A1 - Fink, Julian A1 - Paprotka, Kerstin A1 - Pfister, Pauline A1 - Hagen, Franziska A1 - Schumacher, Fabian A1 - Kleuser, Burkhard A1 - Seibel, Jürgen A1 - Rudel, Thomas T1 - A Role of Sphingosine in the Intracellular Survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae JF - Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology N2 - Obligate human pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the second most frequent bacterial cause of sexually transmitted diseases. These bacteria invade different mucosal tissues and occasionally disseminate into the bloodstream. Invasion into epithelial cells requires the activation of host cell receptors by the formation of ceramide-rich platforms. Here, we investigated the role of sphingosine in the invasion and intracellular survival of gonococci. Sphingosine exhibited an anti-gonococcal activity in vitro. We used specific sphingosine analogs and click chemistry to visualize sphingosine in infected cells. Sphingosine localized to the membrane of intracellular gonococci. Inhibitor studies and the application of a sphingosine derivative indicated that increased sphingosine levels reduced the intracellular survival of gonococci. We demonstrate here, that sphingosine can target intracellular bacteria and may therefore exert a direct bactericidal effect inside cells. KW - sphingosine KW - sphingolipids KW - sphingosine kinases KW - invasion KW - survival KW - click chemistry Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-204111 SN - 2235-2988 VL - 10 ER - TY - THES A1 - Kaiser, Lena Franziska T1 - Wirkmechanismus von Sphingolipiden und Sphingosin gegen mikrobielle Erreger T1 - Mechanism of the bactericidal effect of sphingolipids and sphingosine against microbial pathogens N2 - Die zunehmende Antibiotikaresistenz vieler Krankheitserreger ist ein weltweites Problem, welches zu einem klinischen Bedarf an neuen antimikrobiellen Substanzen führt. Sphingolipide einschließlich Ceramide stellen eine vielfältige Gruppe strukturverwandter Lipide dar und bestehen aus einem Sphingosin-Grundgerüst, welches mit einer Fettsäure verbunden ist. Sowohl das Sphingosin-Grundgerüst allein als auch Sphingolipide zeigen eine antibakterielle Wirkung gegenüber einer Vielzahl pathogener Mikroorganismen. Die Intensität der Hemmung hängt von der Sphingolipidstruktur und dem Mikroorganismus ab. Neuere Studien konnten zeigen, dass Sphingosin, Ceramide und Ceramid-Analoga in N. meningitidis aufgenommen werden und eine bakteriostatische oder bakterizide Wirkung zeigen. Jedoch ist die antibakterielle Wirkungsweise noch nicht genau bekannt. Um mehr über den Wirkmechanismus zu erfahren haben wir die ultrastrukturellen Veränderungen von N. meningitidis nach Inkubation mit azido-funktionalisierten Sphingolipiden mit elektronenmikroskopischen Verfahren (transmissionselektronenmikroskopische und rasterelektronenmikroskopische Aufnahmen) untersucht. Mittels korrelativer Licht- und Elektronenmikroskopie (CLEM) konnten wir die azido-funktionalisierten Sphingolipide nach Aufnahme in N. meningitidis lokalisieren. Zum Anfärben der funktionalisierten Sphingolipide wurde die kupferfreie Azid-Alkin-Cyccloaddition verwendet. N2 - The increasing antibiotic resistance of many pathogens is a worldwide problem that leads to a clinical need of new anti-microbial compounds. Sphingolipids, including ceramides, represent a diverse group of structurally related lipids and are composed of a sphingosine backbone coupled to a fatty acid. Solely the sphingosine backbone as well as the sphingolipids show antibacterial activity against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. The rate of inhibition depends on the sphingolipid structure and the microbial strain. Recent studies revealed the uptake of sphingosine, ceramides and ceramide analogues by N. meningitidis and a bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect. However, the mechanism of the bactericidal effect is still unknown. To elucidate the antibacterial mechanism, we studied the ultrastructural changes after incubation of N. meningitidis with azido-modified sphingolipids by using electron microscopy techniques (transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Due to correlative light-electron microscopy (CLEM) we were able to localize the azido-modified sphingolipids after incorporation in N. meningitidis. Copper-free azide-alkyne cycloaddition was used to stain the azido-modified sphingolipids. KW - Neisseria meningitidis KW - Sphingolipide KW - Sphingosin KW - Antimikrobieller Wirkstoff KW - Mikroskopie KW - sphingolipids Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-218970 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kunz, Tobias C. A1 - Kozjak-Pavlovic, Vera T1 - Diverse facets of sphingolipid involvement in bacterial infections JF - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology N2 - Sphingolipids are constituents of the cell membrane that perform various tasks as structural elements and signaling molecules, in addition to regulating many important cellular processes, such as apoptosis and autophagy. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that sphingolipids and sphingolipid signaling play a vital role in infection processes. In many cases the attachment and uptake of pathogenic bacteria, as well as bacterial development and survival within the host cell depend on sphingolipids. In addition, sphingolipids can serve as antimicrobials, inhibiting bacterial growth and formation of biofilms. This review will give an overview of our current information about these various aspects of sphingolipid involvement in bacterial infections. KW - infection KW - pathogenic bacteria KW - sphingolipids KW - ceramide KW - autophagy Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201757 VL - 7 IS - 203 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schlegel, Jan A1 - Peters, Simon A1 - Doose, Sören A1 - Schubert-Unkmeir, Alexandra A1 - Sauer, Markus T1 - Super-resolution microscopy reveals local accumulation of plasma membrane gangliosides at Neisseria meningitidis Invasion Sites JF - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology N2 - Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for epidemic meningitis and sepsis worldwide. A critical step in the development of meningitis is the interaction of bacteria with cells forming the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, which requires tight adhesion of the pathogen to highly specialized brain endothelial cells. Two endothelial receptors, CD147 and the β2-adrenergic receptor, have been found to be sequentially recruited by meningococci involving the interaction with type IV pilus. Despite the identification of cellular key players in bacterial adhesion the detailed mechanism of invasion is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated cellular dynamics and mobility of the type IV pilus receptor CD147 upon treatment with pili enriched fractions and specific antibodies directed against two extracellular Ig-like domains in living human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Modulation of CD147 mobility after ligand binding revealed by single-molecule tracking experiments demonstrates receptor activation and indicates plasma membrane rearrangements. Exploiting the binding of Shiga (STxB) and Cholera toxin B (CTxB) subunits to the two native plasma membrane sphingolipids globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and raft-associated monosialotetrahexosylganglioside GM1, respectively, we investigated their involvement in bacterial invasion by super-resolution microscopy. Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) unraveled accumulation and coating of meningococci with GM1 upon cellular uptake. Blocking of CTxB binding sites did not impair bacterial adhesion but dramatically reduced bacterial invasion efficiency. In addition, cell cycle arrest in G1 phase induced by serum starvation led to an overall increase of GM1 molecules in the plasma membrane and consequently also in bacterial invasion efficiency. Our results will help to understand downstream signaling events after initial type IV pilus-host cell interactions and thus have general impact on the development of new therapeutics targeting key molecules involved in infection. KW - Neisseria meningitidis KW - sphingolipids KW - gangliosides and lipid rafts KW - super-resolution microscopy KW - single-molecule tracking Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201639 VL - 7 IS - 194 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hollmann, Claudia A1 - Wiese, Teresa A1 - Dennstädt, Fabio A1 - Fink, Julian A1 - Schneider-Schaulies, Jürgen A1 - Beyersdorf, Niklas T1 - Translational approaches targeting ceramide generation from sphingomyelin in T cells to modulate immunity in humans JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - In T cells, as in all other cells of the body, sphingolipids form important structural components of membranes. Due to metabolic modifications, sphingolipids additionally play an active part in the signaling of cell surface receptors of T cells like the T cell receptor or the co-stimulatory molecule CD28. Moreover, the sphingolipid composition of their membranes crucially affects the integrity and function of subcellular compartments such as the lysosome. Previously, studying sphingolipid metabolism has been severely hampered by the limited number of analytical methods/model systems available. Besides well-established high resolution mass spectrometry new tools are now available like novel minimally modified sphingolipid subspecies for click chemistry as well as recently generated mouse mutants with deficiencies/overexpression of sphingolipid-modifying enzymes. Making use of these tools we and others discovered that the sphingolipid sphingomyelin is metabolized to ceramide to different degrees in distinct T cell subpopulations of mice and humans. This knowledge has already been translated into novel immunomodulatory approaches in mice and will in the future hopefully also be applicable to humans. In this paper we are, thus, summarizing the most recent findings on the impact of sphingolipid metabolism on T cell activation, differentiation, and effector functions. Moreover, we are discussing the therapeutic concepts arising from these insights and drugs or drug candidates which are already in clinical use or could be developed for clinical use in patients with diseases as distant as major depression and chronic viral infection. KW - sphingolipids KW - CD4+ T cells KW - regulatory T cells (Treg) KW - CD8+ T cells KW - anti-depressant drug Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-198806 SN - 1664-3224 VL - 10 IS - 2363 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Grafen, Anika A1 - Schumacher, Fabian A1 - Chithelen, Janice A1 - Kleuser, Burkhard A1 - Beyersdorf, Niklas A1 - Schneider-Schaulies, Jürgen T1 - Use of acid ceramidase and sphingosine kinase inhibitors as antiviral compounds against measles virus infection of lymphocytes in vitro JF - Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology N2 - As structural membrane components and signaling effector molecules sphingolipids influence a plethora of host cell functions, and by doing so also the replication of viruses. Investigating the effects of various inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolism in primary human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and the human B cell line BJAB we found that not only the sphingosine kinase (SphK) inhibitor SKI-II, but also the acid ceramidase inhibitor ceranib-2 efficiently inhibited measles virus (MV) replication. Virus uptake into the target cells was not grossly altered by the two inhibitors, while titers of newly synthesized MV were reduced by approximately 1 log (90%) in PBL and 70–80% in BJAB cells. Lipidomic analyses revealed that in PBL SKI-II led to increased ceramide levels, whereas in BJAB cells ceranib-2 increased ceramides. SKI-II treatment decreased sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels in PBL and BJAB cells. Furthermore, we found that MV infection of lymphocytes induced a transient (0.5–6 h) increase in S1P, which was prevented by SKI-II. Investigating the effect of the inhibitors on the metabolic (mTORC1) activity we found that ceranib-2 reduced the phosphorylation of p70 S6K in PBL, and that both inhibitors, ceranib-2 and SKI-II, reduced the phosphorylation of p70 S6K in BJAB cells. As mTORC1 activity is required for efficient MV replication, this effect of the inhibitors is one possible antiviral mechanism. In addition, reduced intracellular S1P levels affect a number of signaling pathways and functions including Hsp90 activity, which was reported to be required for MV replication. Accordingly, we found that pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 with the inhibitor 17-AAG strongly impaired MV replication in primary PBL. Thus, our data suggest that treatment of lymphocytes with both, acid ceramidase and SphK inhibitors, impair MV replication by affecting a number of cellular activities including mTORC1 and Hsp90, which alter the metabolic state of the cells causing a hostile environment for the virus. KW - measles virus KW - sphingolipids KW - acid ceramidase KW - acid ceramidase inhibitor ceranib-2 KW - sphingosine kinase KW - sphingosine kinase inhibitor SKI-II Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-196099 SN - 2296-634X VL - 7 IS - 218 ER - TY - THES A1 - Hagen, Franziska T1 - Sphingolipids in gonococcal infection T1 - Sphingolipide in der Gonokokken Infektion N2 - Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea, has the potential to spread in the human host and cause a severe complication called disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). The expression of the major outer membrane porin PorBIA is a characteristic of most gonococci associated with DGI. PorBIA binds to the scavenger receptor expressed on endothelial cells (SREC-I), which mediates the so-called low phosphate-dependent invasion (LPDI). This uptake mechanism enables N. gonorrhoeae to rapidly invade epithelial and endothelial cells in a phosphate-sensitive manner. We recently demonstrated that the neutral sphingomyelinase, which catalyses the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide and phosphorylcholine, is required for the LPDI of gonococci in non-phagocytic cells. Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (NSM2) plays a key role in the early PorBIA signaling by recruiting the PI3 kinase to caveolin. The following activation of the PI3 kinase-dependent downstream signaling leads to the engulfment of the bacteria. As a part of this work, I could confirm the involvement of the NSM2. The role of the enzyme was further elucidated by the generation of antibodies directed against NSM2 and the construction of an epithelium-based NSM2 knockout cell line using CRISPR/Cas9. The knockout of the NSM2 strongly inhibits the LPDI. The invasion could be, however, restored by the complementation of the knockout using an NSM2-GFP construct. However, the results could not be reproduced. In this work, I could show the involvement of further members of the sphingolipid pathway in the PorBIA-mediated invasion. Lipidome analysis revealed an increase of the bioactive molecules ceramide and sphingosine due to gonococcal infection. Both molecules do not only affect the host cell, but seem to influence the bacteria as well: while ceramide seems to be incorporated by the gonococci, sphingosine is toxic for the bacteria. Furthermore, the sphingosine kinase 2 (SPHK2) plays an important role in invasion, since the inhibition and knockdown of the enzyme revealed a negative effect on gonococcal invasion. To elucidate the role of the sphingosine kinases in invasion in more detail, an activity assay was established in this study. Additionally, the impact of the sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (S1PL) on invasion was investigated. Inhibitor studies and infection experiments conducted with a CRISPR/Cas9 HeLa S1PL knockout cell line revealed a role of the enzyme not only in the PorBIA-mediated invasion, but also in the Opa50/HSPG-mediated gonococcal invasion. The signaling experiments allowed the categorization of the SPHK and S1PL activation in the context of infection. Like the NSM2, both enzymes play a role in the early PorBIA signaling events leading to the uptake of the bacteria. All those findings indicate an important role of sphingolipids in the invasion and survival of N. gonorrhoeae. In the last part of this work, the role of the NSM2 in the inhibition of apoptosis in neutrophils due to gonococcal infection was investigated. It could be demonstrated that the delayed onset of apoptosis is independent of neisserial porin and Opa proteins. Furthermore, the influence of neisserial peptidoglycan on PMN apoptosis was analysed using mutant strains, but no connection could be determined. Since the NSM2 is the most prominent sphingomyelinase in PMNs, fulfils manifold cell physiological functions and has already been connected to apoptosis, the impact of the enzyme on apoptosis inhibition due to gonococcal infection was investigated using inhibitors, with no positive results. N2 - Neisseria gonorrhoeae, der Auslöser der sexuell übertragbaren Krankheit Gonorrhö, hat das Potenzial sich im menschlichen Wirt auszubreiten und eine schwere Komplikation, die disseminierende Gonokokkeninfektion (DGI), hervorzurufen. Die Expression des Porins PorBIA, das eines der häufigsten Proteine der äußeren Membran ist, stellt ein Charakteristikum der mit DGI assoziierten Gonokokken dar. PorBIA bindet an SREC-I (scavenger receptor expressed on endothelial cells), der die phosphatabhängige Invasion (low phosphate-dependent invasion LPDI) vermittelt. Dieser Aufnahmemechanismus erlaubt es N. gonorrhoeae Epithel- sowie Endothelzellen, schnell zu invadieren. Wir haben kürzlich gezeigt, dass die neutrale Sphingomyelinase 2 (NSM2), welche die Hydrolyse von Sphingomyelin zu Ceramid und Phosphorylcholin katalysiert, für die LPDI der Gonokokken in nicht-phagozytische Zellen benötigt wird. Dabei spielt die neutrale Sphingomyelinase 2 eine Schlüsselrolle in der frühen PorBIA Signalübertragung, indem sie die PI3 Kinase zu Caveolin rekrutiert. Die darauffolgende Aktivierung von nachgeschalteten Signalwegen, die von der PI3 Kinase abhängig sind, führt zur Aufnahme der Bakterien. Als Teil dieser Arbeit konnte ich die Beteiligung der NSM2 bestätigen. Die Rolle des Enzyms sollte durch die Herstellung von NSM2-spezifischen Antikörpern und einer auf Epithelzellen basierenden NSM2 knockout Zelllinie, die mit Hilfe des CRISPR/Cas9 Systems hergestellt wurde, aufgeklärt werden. Der knockout der NSM2 führte zu einer starken Inhibition der LPDI. Die Invasion konnte jedoch durch die Komplementation mit Hilfe eines NSM2-GFP Konstruktes wiederhergestellt werden. Wobei die Ergebnisse jedoch nicht reproduziert werden konnten. In dieser Arbeit konnte ich die Beteiligung weiterer Mitglieder des Sphingolipid Signalwegs an der PorBIA-vermittelten Invasion zeigen. Die Lipidomanalysen zeigten einen Anstieg der bioaktiven Moleküle Ceramide und Sphingosin aufgrund der Gonokokkeninfektion. Beide Moleküle beeinflussen nicht nur die Wirtszelle, sondern schienen auch Auswirkungen auf die Bakterien selbst zu haben: während Ceramid anscheinend von den Gonokokken aufgenommen wird, ist Sphingosin für die Bakterien toxisch. Weiterhin spielt die Sphingosinkinase 2 (SPHK2) eine wichtige Rolle in der Invasion, da die Inhibierung und der Knockdown des Enzyms die Gonokokkeninfektion negativ beeinflussen. Um die Rolle der Sphingosinkinasen in der Invasion im Detail zu erforschen, wurde in dieser Arbeit ein Aktivitätsassay etabliert. Außerdem wurde der Einfluss der Sphingosin-1-phosphat Lyase (S1PL) auf die Invasion erforscht. Inhibitorstudien und Infektionsexperimente, die mit einer CRISPR/Cas9 HeLa S1PL knockout Zelllinie durchgeführt wurden, zeigten, dass das Enzym nicht nur eine Rolle in der PorBIA-vermittelten, sondern auch in der Opa50/HSPG-vermittelten Gonokokkeninfektion spielt. Die Experimente, die bezüglich der zugrundeliegenden Signalwege durchgeführt wurden, erlaubten die Einordnung der Aktivierung der SPHK und der S1PL im Kontext der Invasion. Wie auch die NSM2, spielen beide Enzyme in der frühen PorBIA Signalübertragung eine Rolle, die schließlich zur Aufnahme der Bakterien führt. Alle diese Ergebnisse weisen auf eine wichtige Rolle der Sphingolipide für die Invasion und das Überleben von N. gonorrhoeae hin. Im letzten Teil dieser Arbeit, wurde die Inhibierung der Apoptose von Neutrophilen aufgrund der Gonokokkeninfektion untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass das verspätete Einsetzen der Apoptose von neisseriellen Porinen und Opa Proteinen unabhängig ist. Weiterhin wurde der Einfluss von neisseriellem Peptidoglycan auf die Apoptose der Neutrophilen mit Hilfe von Mutanten untersucht, wobei eine Verbindung nicht bestätigt werden konnte. Da die NSM2 die bedeutendste Sphingomyelinase in Neutrophilen darstellt, sowie vielfältige zellphysiologische Funktionen erfüllt und im Vorfeld schon mit der Apoptose in Verbindung gebracht wurde, wurde der Einfluss des Enzymes auf die Inhibierung der Apoptose durch die Gonokokkeninfektion mit Hilfe von Inhibitoren überprüft. KW - gonococcal KW - sphingolipids KW - gonococcal infection Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-153852 ER -