TY  - JOUR
A1  - Zeiner, P. S.
A1  - Zinke, J.
A1  - Kowalewski, D. J.
A1  - Bernatz, S.
A1  - Tichy, J.
A1  - Ronellenfitsch, M. W.
A1  - Thorsen, F.
A1  - Berger, A.
A1  - Forster, M. T.
A1  - Muller, A.
A1  - Steinbach, J. P.
A1  - Beschorner, R.
A1  - Wischhusen, J.
A1  - Kvasnicka, H. M.
A1  - Plate, K. H.
A1  - Stefanović, S.
A1  - Weide, B.
A1  - Mittelbronn, M.
A1  - Harter, P. N.
T1  - CD74 regulates complexity of tumor cell HLA class II peptidome in brain metastasis and is a positive prognostic marker for patient survival
JF  - Acta Neuropathologica Communications
N2  - Abstract
Despite multidisciplinary local and systemic therapeutic approaches, the prognosis for most patients with brain metastases is still dismal. The role of adaptive and innate anti-tumor response including the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) machinery of antigen presentation is still unclear. We present data on the HLA class II-chaperone molecule CD74 in brain metastases and its impact on the HLA peptidome complexity.

We analyzed CD74 and HLA class II expression on tumor cells in a subset of 236 human brain metastases, primary tumors and peripheral metastases of different entities in association with clinical data including overall survival. Additionally, we assessed whole DNA methylome profiles including CD74 promoter methylation and differential methylation in 21 brain metastases. We analyzed the effects of a siRNA mediated CD74 knockdown on HLA-expression and HLA peptidome composition in a brain metastatic melanoma cell line.

We observed that CD74 expression on tumor cells is a strong positive prognostic marker in brain metastasis patients and positively associated with tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes (TILs). Whole DNA methylome analysis suggested that CD74 tumor cell expression might be regulated epigenetically via CD74 promoter methylation. CD74\(^{high}\) and TIL\(^{high}\) tumors displayed a differential DNA methylation pattern with highest enrichment scores for antigen processing and presentation. Furthermore, CD74 knockdown in vitro lead to a reduction of HLA class II peptidome complexity, while HLA class I peptidome remained unaffected.

In summary, our results demonstrate that a functional HLA class II processing machinery in brain metastatic tumor cells, reflected by a high expression of CD74 and a complex tumor cell HLA peptidome, seems to be crucial for better patient prognosis.
KW  - CD74
KW  - HLA class II
KW  - brain metastasis
KW  - HLA peptidome
KW  - tumor infiltrating lymphocytes
Y1  - 2018
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-233882
VL  - 6
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Müller, Laura S. M.
A1  - Cosentino, Raúl O.
A1  - Förstner, Konrad U.
A1  - Guizetti, Julien
A1  - Wedel, Carolin
A1  - Kaplan, Noam
A1  - Janzen, Christian J.
A1  - Arampatzi, Panagiota
A1  - Vogel, Jörg
A1  - Steinbiss, Sascha
A1  - Otto, Thomas D.
A1  - Saliba, Antoine-Emmanuel
A1  - Sebra, Robert P.
A1  - Siegel, T. Nicolai
T1  - Genome organization and DNA accessibility control antigenic variation in trypanosomes
JF  - Nature
N2  - Many evolutionarily distant pathogenic organisms have evolved similar survival strategies to evade the immune responses of their hosts. These include antigenic variation, through which an infecting organism prevents clearance by periodically altering the identity of proteins that are visible to the immune system of the host1. Antigenic variation requires large reservoirs of immunologically diverse antigen genes, which are often generated through homologous recombination, as well as mechanisms to ensure the expression of one or very few antigens at any given time. Both homologous recombination and gene expression are affected by three-dimensional genome architecture and local DNA accessibility2,3. Factors that link three-dimensional genome architecture, local chromatin conformation and antigenic variation have, to our knowledge, not yet been identified in any organism. One of the major obstacles to studying the role of genome architecture in antigenic variation has been the highly repetitive nature and heterozygosity of antigen-gene arrays, which has precluded complete genome assembly in many pathogens. Here we report the de novo haplotype-specific assembly and scaffolding of the long antigen-gene arrays of the model protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, using long-read sequencing technology and conserved features of chromosome folding4. Genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) reveals a distinct partitioning of the genome, with antigen-encoding subtelomeric regions that are folded into distinct, highly compact compartments. In addition, we performed a range of analyses—Hi-C, fluorescence in situ hybridization, assays for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing—that showed that deletion of the histone variants H3.V and H4.V increases antigen-gene clustering, DNA accessibility across sites of antigen expression and switching of the expressed antigen isoform, via homologous recombination. Our analyses identify histone variants as a molecular link between global genome architecture, local chromatin conformation and antigenic variation.
KW  - histone variants
KW  - genome architecture
KW  - single molecule real time (SMRT)
KW  - brucei genome
KW  - distance-dependent decay
Y1  - 2018
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-224265
VL  - 563
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wurmb, T
A1  - Schorscher, N
A1  - Justice, P
A1  - Dietz, S
A1  - Schua, R
A1  - Jarausch, T
A1  - Kinstle, U
A1  - Greiner, J
A1  - Möldner, G
A1  - Müller, J
A1  - Kraus, M
A1  - Simon, S
A1  - Wagenhäuser, U
A1  - Hemm, J
A1  - Roewer, N
A1  - Helm, M
T1  - Structured analysis, evaluation and report of the emergency response to a terrorist attack in Wuerzburg, Germany using a new template of standardised quality indicators
JF  - Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
N2  - Background:
Until now there has been a reported lack of systematic reports and scientific evaluations of rescue missions during terror attacks. This however is urgently required in order to improve the performance of emergency medical services and to be able to compare different missions with each other. Aim of the presented work was to report the systematic evaluation and the lessons learned from the response to a terror attack that happened in Wuerzburg, Germany in 2016.

Methods:
A team of 14 experts developed a template of quality indicators and operational characteristics, which allow for the description, assessment and comparison of civil emergency rescue missions during mass killing incidents. The entire systematic evaluation process consisted of three main steps. The first step was the systematic data collection according to the quality indicators and operational characteristics. Second was the systematic stratification and assessment of the data. The last step was the prioritisation of the identified weaknesses and the definition of the lessons learned.

Results:
Five important “lessons learned” have been defined. First of all, a comprehensive concept for rescue missions during terror attacks is essential. Furthermore, the establishment of a defined high priority communication infrastructure between the different dispatch centres (“red phone”) is vital. The goal is to secure the continuity of information between a few well-defined individuals. Thirdly, the organization of the incident scene needs to be commonly decided and communicated between police, medical services and fire services during the mission. A successful mission tactic requires continuous flux of reports to the on-site command post. Therefore, a predefined and common communication infrastructure for all operational forces is a crucial point. Finally, all strategies need to be extensively trained before the real life scenario hits.

Conclusion:
According to a systematic evaluation, we defined the lessons learned from a terror attack in 2016. Further systematic reports and academic work surrounding life threatening rescue missions and mass killing incidents are needed in order to ultimately improve such mission outcomes. In the future, a close international collaboration might help to find the best database to report and evaluate major incidents but also mass killing events.
KW  - terror attack
KW  - mass casualties
KW  - evaluation
KW  - quality indicators
KW  - rescue mission
Y1  - 2018
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-177054
VL  - 26
IS  - 87
ER  -