TY - JOUR A1 - Almanzar, Giovanni A1 - Klein, Matthias A1 - Schmalzing, Marc A1 - Hilligardt, Deborah A1 - El Hajj, Nady A1 - Kneitz, Hermann A1 - Wild, Vanessa A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Benoit, Sandrine A1 - Hamm, Henning A1 - Tony, Hans-Peter A1 - Haaf, Thomas A1 - Goebeler, Matthias A1 - Prelog, Martina T1 - Disease Manifestation and Inflammatory Activity as Modulators of Th17/Treg Balance and RORC/FoxP3 Methylation in Systemic Sclerosis JF - International Archives of Allergy and Immunology N2 - Background: There is much evidence that T cells are strongly involved in the pathogenesis of localized and systemic forms of scleroderma (SSc). A dysbalance between FoxP3+ regulatory CD4+ T cells (Tregs) and inflammatory T-helper (Th) 17 cells has been suggested. Methods: The study aimed (1) to investigate the phenotypical and functional characteristics of Th17 and Tregs in SSc patients depending on disease manifestation (limited vs. diffuse cutaneous SSc, dcSSc) and activity, and (2) the transcriptional level and methylation status of Th17- and Treg-specific transcription factors. Results: There was a concurrent accumulation of circulating peripheral IL-17-producing CCR6+ Th cells and FoxP3+ Tregs in patients with dcSSc. At the transcriptional level, Th17- and Treg-associated transcription factors were elevated in SSc. A strong association with high circulating Th17 and Tregs was seen with early, active, and severe disease presentation. However, a diminished suppressive function on autologous lymphocytes was found in SSc-derived Tregs. Significant relative hypermethylation was seen at the gene level for RORC1 and RORC2 in SSc, particularly in patients with high inflammatory activity. Conclusions: Besides the high transcriptional activity of T cells, attributed to Treg or Th17 phenotype, in active SSc disease, Tregs may be insufficient to produce high amounts of IL-10 or to control proliferative activity of effector T cells in SSc. Our results suggest a high plasticity of Tregs strongly associated with the Th17 phenotype. Future directions may focus on enhancing Treg functions and stabilization of the Treg phenotype. KW - methylation KW - systemic sclerosis KW - suppression KW - Tregs KW - Th17 Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-196577 SN - 1018-2438 SN - 1423-0097 N1 - This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively. VL - 171 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dietl, Sebastian A1 - Schwinn, Stefanie A1 - Dietl, Susanne A1 - Riedl, Simone A1 - Deinlein, Frank A1 - Rutkowski, Stefan A1 - von Bueren, Andre O. A1 - Krauss, Jürgen A1 - Schweitzer, Tilmann A1 - Vince, Giles H. A1 - Picard, Daniel A1 - Eyrich, Matthias A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Ramaswamy, Vijay A1 - Taylor, Michael D. A1 - Remke, Marc A1 - Monoranu, Camelia M. A1 - Beilhack, Andreas A1 - Schlegel, Paul G. A1 - Wölfl, Matthias T1 - MB3W1 is an orthotopic xenograft model for anaplastic medulloblastoma displaying cancer stem cell- and Group 3-properties JF - BMC Cancer N2 - Background Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children and can be divided in different molecular subgroups. Patients whose tumor is classified as a Group 3 tumor have a dismal prognosis. However only very few tumor models are available for this subgroup. Methods We established a robust orthotopic xenograft model with a cell line derived from the malignant pleural effusions of a child suffering from a Group 3 medulloblastoma. Results Besides classical characteristics of this tumor subgroup, the cells display cancer stem cell characteristics including neurosphere formation, multilineage differentiation, CD133/CD15 expression, high ALDH-activity and high tumorigenicity in immunocompromised mice with xenografts exactly recapitulating the original tumor architecture. Conclusions This model using unmanipulated, human medulloblastoma cells will enable translational research, specifically focused on Group 3 medulloblastoma. KW - cancer stem cells KW - anaplastic medulloblastoma KW - group 3 KW - orthotopic xenograft KW - animal model KW - brain tumor KW - children Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-145877 VL - 16 IS - 115 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Chopra, Martin A1 - Biehl, Marlene A1 - Steinfatt, Tim A1 - Brandl, Andreas A1 - Kums, Juliane A1 - Amich, Jorge A1 - Vaeth, Martin A1 - Kuen, Janina A1 - Holtappels, Rafaela A1 - Podlech, Jürgen A1 - Mottok, Anja A1 - Kraus, Sabrina A1 - Jordán-Garotte, Ana-Laura A1 - Bäuerlein, Carina A. A1 - Brede, Christian A1 - Ribechini, Eliana A1 - Fick, Andrea A1 - Seher, Axel A1 - Polz, Johannes A1 - Ottmueller, Katja J. A1 - Baker, Jeannette A1 - Nishikii, Hidekazu A1 - Ritz, Miriam A1 - Mattenheimer, Katharina A1 - Schwinn, Stefanie A1 - Winter, Thorsten A1 - Schäfer, Viktoria A1 - Krappmann, Sven A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Müller, Thomas D. A1 - Reddehase, Matthias J. A1 - Lutz, Manfred B. A1 - Männel, Daniela N. A1 - Berberich-Siebelt, Friederike A1 - Wajant, Harald A1 - Beilhack, Andreas T1 - Exogenous TNFR2 activation protects from acute GvHD via host T reg cell expansion JF - Journal of Experimental Medicine N2 - Donor CD4\(^+\)Foxp3\(^+\) regulatory T cells (T reg cells) suppress graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT allo-HCT]). Current clinical study protocols rely on the ex vivo expansion of donor T reg cells and their infusion in high numbers. In this study, we present a novel strategy for inhibiting GvHD that is based on the in vivo expansion of recipient T reg cells before allo-HCT, exploiting the crucial role of tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) in T reg cell biology. Expanding radiation-resistant host T reg cells in recipient mice using a mouse TNFR2-selective agonist before allo-HCT significantly prolonged survival and reduced GvHD severity in a TNFR2-and T reg cell-dependent manner. The beneficial effects of transplanted T cells against leukemia cells and infectious pathogens remained unaffected. A corresponding human TNFR2-specific agonist expanded human T reg cells in vitro. These observations indicate the potential of our strategy to protect allo-HCT patients from acute GvHD by expanding T reg cells via selective TNFR2 activation in vivo. KW - Tumor-necrosis-factor KW - Regulatory-cells KW - Bone marrow transplantantation KW - Graft-versus-leukemia KW - Rheumatoid arthritis KW - Autoimmune diseases KW - Factor receptor KW - Alpha therapy KW - Expression KW - Suppression Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187640 VL - 213 IS - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Werner, Rudolf A. A1 - Weich, Alexander A1 - Higuchi, Takahiro A1 - Schmid, Jan S. A1 - Schirbel, Andreas A1 - Lassmann, Michael A1 - Wild, Vanessa A1 - Rudelius, Martina A1 - Kudlich, Theodor A1 - Herrmann, Ken A1 - Scheurlen, Michael A1 - Buck, Andreas K. A1 - Kropf, Saskia A1 - Wester, Hans-Jürgen A1 - Lapa, Constantin T1 - Imaging of Chemokine Receptor 4 Expression in Neuroendocrine Tumors - a Triple Tracer Comparative Approach JF - Theranostics N2 - C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and somatostatin receptors (SSTR) are overexpressed in gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET). In this study, we aimed to elucidate the feasibility of non-invasive CXCR4 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in GEP-NET patients using [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor in comparison to \(^{68}\)Ga-DOTA-D-Phe-Tyr3-octreotide ([\(^{68}\)Ga]DOTATOC) and \(^{18}\)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([\(^{18}\)F]FDG). Twelve patients with histologically proven GEP-NET (3xG1, 4xG2, 5xG3) underwent [\(^{68}\)Ga]DOTATOC, [\(^{18}\)F]FDG, and [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor PET/CT for staging and planning of the therapeutic management. Scans were analyzed on a patient as well as on a lesion basis and compared to immunohistochemical staining patterns of CXCR4 and somatostatin receptors SSTR2a and SSTR5. [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor visualized tumor lesions in 6/12 subjects, whereas [\(^{18}\)F]FDG revealed sites of disease in 10/12 and [\(^{68}\)Ga]DOTATOC in 11/12 patients, respectively. Regarding sensitivity, SSTR-directed PET was the superior imaging modality in all G1 and G2 NET. CXCR4-directed PET was negative in all G1 NET. In contrast, 50% of G2 and 80% of G3 patients exhibited [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-positive tumor lesions. Whereas CXCR4 seems to play only a limited role in detecting well-differentiated NET, increasing receptor expression could be non-invasively observed with increasing tumor grade. Thus, [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor PET/CT might serve as non-invasive read-out for evaluating the possibility of CXCR4-directed endoradiotherapy in advanced dedifferentiated SSTR-negative tumors. KW - SSTR KW - peptide receptor radionuclide therapy KW - neuroendocrine tumor KW - [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor KW - CXCR4 KW - chemokine receptor KW - PET/CT KW - DOTATOC KW - PRRT KW - Positronen-Emissions-Tomografie Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-158008 VL - 7 IS - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Keppler, Sarah A1 - Weißbach, Susann A1 - Langer, Christian A1 - Knop, Stefan A1 - Pischimarov, Jordan A1 - Kull, Miriam A1 - Stühmer, Thorsten A1 - Steinbrunn, Torsten A1 - Bargou, Ralf A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Leich, Ellen T1 - Rare SNPs in receptor tyrosine kinases are negative outcome predictors in multiple myeloma JF - Oncotarget N2 - Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder that is characterized by a great genetic heterogeneity. Recent next generation sequencing studies revealed an accumulation of tumor-associated mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which may also contribute to the activation of survival pathways in MM. To investigate the clinical role of RTK-mutations in MM, we deep-sequenced the coding DNA-sequence of EGFR, EPHA2, ERBB3, IGF1R, NTRK1 and NTRK2 which were previously found to be mutated in MM, in 75 uniformly treated MM patients of the “Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom”. Subsequently, we correlated the detected mutations with common cytogenetic alterations and clinical parameters. We identified 11 novel non-synonymous SNVs or rare patient-specific SNPs, not listed in the SNP databases 1000 genomes and dbSNP, in 10 primary MM cases. The mutations predominantly affected the tyrosine-kinase and ligand-binding domains and no correlation with cytogenetic parameters was found. Interestingly, however, patients with RTK-mutations, specifically those with rare patient-specific SNPs, showed a significantly lower overall, event-free and progression-free survival. This indicates that RTK SNVs and rare patient-specific RTK SNPs are of prognostic relevance and suggests that MM patients with RTK-mutations could potentially profit from treatment with RTK-inhibitors. KW - multiple myeloma KW - rare SNP KW - amplicon sequencing KW - receptor tyrosine kinases Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-177840 VL - 7 IS - 25 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Duell, Johannes A1 - Morgner, Charlotte A1 - Chatterjee, Manik A1 - Hensel, Frank A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Topp, Max S. A1 - Brändlein, Stephanie T1 - The Natural Human IgM Antibody PAT-SM6 Induces Apoptosis in Primary Human Multiple Myeloma Cells by Targeting Heat Shock Protein GRP78 JF - PLoS ONE N2 - In contrast to other haematological malignancies, targeted immunotherapy has not entered standard treatment regimens for de novo or relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) yet. While a number of IgG-formatted monoclonal antibodies are currently being evaluated in clinical trials in MM, our study aimed to investigate whether the fully human IgM monoclonal antibody PAT-SM6 that targets a tumour-specific variant of the heat shock protein GRP78 might be an attractive candidate for future immunotherapeutic approaches. We here show that GRP78 is stably and consistently expressed on the surface on tumour cells from patients with de novo, but also relapsed MM and that binding of PAT-SM6 to MM cells can specifically exert cytotoxic effects on malignant plasma cells, whereas non-malignant cells are not targeted. We demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis and, to a lesser extent, complement dependent cytotoxicity is the main mode of action of PAT-SM6, whereas antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity does not appear to contribute to the cytotoxic properties of this antibody. Given the favourable safety profile of PAT-SM6 in monkeys, but also in a recent phase I trial in patients with malignant melanoma, our results form the basis for a planned phase I study in patients with relapsed MM. KW - cytotoxicity KW - apoptosis KW - immunohistochemistry techniques KW - enzyme-linked immunoassays KW - multiple myeloma KW - cell staining KW - cell binding KW - complement system Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-130125 VL - 8 IS - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Dan A1 - Hu, Kai A1 - Niemann, Markus A1 - Herrmann, Sebastian A1 - Cikes, Maja A1 - Störk, Stefan A1 - Beer, Meinrad A1 - Gaudron, Philipp Daniel A1 - Morbach, Caroline A1 - Knop, Stefan A1 - Geissinger, Eva A1 - Ertl, Georg A1 - Bijnens, Bart A1 - Weidemann, Frank T1 - Impact of Regional Left Ventricular Function on Outcome for Patients with AL Amyloidosis JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the left ventricular (LV) deformation changes and the potential impact of deformation on outcome in patients with proven light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and LV hypertrophy. Background Cardiac involvement in AL amyloidosis patients is associated with poor outcome. Detecting regional cardiac function by advanced non-invasive techniques might be favorable for predicting outcome. Methods LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial peak systolic strains (Ssys) were assessed by speckle tracking imaging (STI) in 44 biopsy-proven systemic AL amyloidosis patients with LV hypertrophy (CA) and in 30 normal controls. Patients were divided into compensated (n = 18) and decompensated (n = 26) group based on clinical assessment and followed-up for a median period of 345 days. Results Ejection fraction (EF) was preserved while longitudinal Ssys (LSsys) was significantly reduced in both compensated and decompensated groups. Survival was significantly reduced in decompensated group (35% vs. compensated 78%, P = 0.001). LSsys were similar in apical segments and significantly reduced in basal segments between two patient groups. LSsys at mid-segments were significantly reduced in all LV walls of decompensated group. Patients were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the presence or absence of reduced LSsys in no (normal), only basal (mild), basal and mid (intermediate) and all segments of the septum (severe). This staging revealed continuously worse prognosis in proportion to increasing number of segments with reduced LSsys (mortality: normal 14%, mild 27%, intermediate 67%, and severe 64%). Mid-septum LSsys<11% suggested a 4.8-fold mortality risk than mid-septum LSsys≥11%. Multivariate regression analysis showed NYHA class and mid-septum LSsys were independent predictors for survival. Conclusions Reduced deformation at mid-septum is associated with worse prognosis in systemic amyloidosis patients with LV hypertrophy. KW - regression analysis KW - ejection fraction KW - echocardiography KW - cardiac transplantation KW - deformation KW - amyloidosis KW - prognosis KW - stem cell transplantation Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-130293 VL - 8 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lückerath, Katharina A1 - Lapa, Constantin A1 - Spahmann, Annika A1 - Jörg, Gerhard A1 - Samnick, Samuel A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Einsele, Herrmann A1 - Knop, Stefan A1 - Buck, Andreas T1 - Targeting Paraprotein Biosynthesis for Non-Invasive Characterization of Myeloma Biology N2 - Purpose Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy originating from clonal plasma cells. Despite effective therapies, outcomes are highly variable suggesting marked disease heterogeneity. The role of functional imaging for therapeutic management of myeloma, such as positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG-PET), remains to be determined. Although some studies already suggested a prognostic value of 18F-FDG-PET, more specific tracers addressing hallmarks of myeloma biology, e.g. paraprotein biosynthesis, are needed. This study evaluated the amino acid tracers L-methyl-[11C]-methionine (11C-MET) and [18F]-fluoroethyl-L-tyrosine (18F-Fet) for their potential to image myeloma and to characterize tumor heterogeneity. Experimental Design To study the utility of 11C-MET, 18F-Fet and 18F-FDG for myeloma imaging, time activity curves were compared in various human myeloma cell lines (INA-6, MM1.S, OPM-2) and correlated to cell-biological characteristics, such as marker gene expression and immunoglobulin levels. Likewise, patient-derived CD138+ plasma cells were characterized regarding uptake and biomedical features. Results Using myeloma cell lines and patient-derived CD138+ plasma cells, we found that the relative uptake of 11C-MET exceeds that of 18F-FDG 1.5- to 5-fold and that of 18F-Fet 7- to 20-fold. Importantly, 11C-MET uptake significantly differed between cell types associated with worse prognosis (e.g. t(4;14) in OPM-2 cells) and indolent ones and correlated with intracellular immunoglobulin light chain and cell surface CD138 and CXCR4 levels. Direct comparison of radiotracer uptake in primary samples further validated the superiority of 11C-MET. Conclusion These data suggest that 11C-MET might be a versatile biomarker for myeloma superior to routine functional imaging with 18F-FDG regarding diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis and discrimination of tumor subtypes. KW - Myelomas KW - Antibodies KW - Positron emission tomography KW - Myeloma cells KW - cell staining KW - lesions KW - biosynthesis KW - bone marrow cells Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-111319 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Beilhack, Andreas A1 - Chopra, Martin A1 - Kraus, Sabrina A1 - Schwinn, Stefanie A1 - Ritz, Miriam A1 - Mattenheimer, Katharina A1 - Mottok, Anja A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Einsele, Hermann T1 - Non-Invasive Bioluminescence Imaging to Monitor the Immunological Control of a Plasmablastic Lymphoma-Like B Cell Neoplasia after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation N2 - To promote cancer research and to develop innovative therapies, refined pre-clinical mouse tumor models that mimic the actual disease in humans are of dire need. A number of neoplasms along the B cell lineage are commonly initiated by a translocation recombining c-myc with the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene locus. The translocation is modeled in the C.129S1-Ighatm1(Myc)Janz/J mouse which has been previously engineered to express c-myc under the control of the endogenous IgH promoter. This transgenic mouse exhibits B cell hyperplasia and develops diverse B cell tumors. We have isolated tumor cells from the spleen of a C.129S1-Ighatm1(Myc)Janz/J mouse that spontaneously developed a plasmablastic lymphoma-like disease. These cells were cultured, transduced to express eGFP and firefly luciferase, and gave rise to a highly aggressive, transplantable B cell lymphoma cell line, termed IM380. This model bears several advantages over other models as it is genetically induced and mimics the translocation that is detectable in a number of human B cell lymphomas. The growth of the tumor cells, their dissemination, and response to treatment within immunocompetent hosts can be imaged non-invasively in vivo due to their expression of firefly luciferase. IM380 cells are radioresistant in vivo and mice with established tumors can be allogeneically transplanted to analyze graft-versus-tumor effects of transplanted T cells. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation of tumor-bearing mice results in prolonged survival. These traits make the IM380 model very valuable for the study of B cell lymphoma pathophysiology and for the development of innovative cancer therapies. KW - B cells KW - T cells KW - Bioluminescence imaging KW - Bone marrow cells KW - Bone marrow transplantation KW - Cancer treatment KW - Spleen KW - Lymphomas Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-111341 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Danhof, Sophia A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Mottok, Anja A1 - Steinmüller, Tabea A1 - Zhou, Xiang A1 - Schreder, Martin A1 - Kilian, Teresa A1 - Strifler, Susanne A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Hudecek, Michael A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Gerhard-Hartmann, Elena T1 - Elotuzumab for the treatment of extramedullary myeloma: a retrospective analysis of clinical efficacy and SLAMF7 expression patterns JF - Annals of Hematology N2 - Extramedullary disease (EMD) represents a high-risk state of multiple myeloma (MM) associated with poor prognosis. While most anti-myeloma therapeutics demonstrate limited efficacy in this setting, some studies exploring the utility of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells reported promising results. We have recently designed SLAMF7-directed CAR T cells for the treatment of MM. SLAMF7 is a transmembrane receptor expressed on myeloma cells that plays a role in myeloma cell homing to the bone marrow. Currently, the only approved anti-SLAMF7 therapeutic is the monoclonal antibody elotuzumab, but its efficacy in EMD has not been investigated thoroughly. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of elotuzumab-based combination therapy in a cohort of 15 patients with EMD. Moreover, since the presence of the target antigen is an indispensable prerequisite for effective targeted therapy, we investigated the SLAMF7 expression on extramedullary located tumor cells before and after treatment. We observed limited efficacy of elotuzumab-based combination therapies, with an overall response rate of 40% and a progression-free and overall survival of 3.8 and 12.9 months, respectively. Before treatment initiation, all available EMD tissue specimens (n = 3) demonstrated a strong and consistent SLAMF7 surface expression by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, to investigate a potential antigen reduction under therapeutic selection pressure, we analyzed samples of de novo EMD (n = 3) outgrown during elotuzumab treatment. Again, immunohistochemistry documented strong and consistent SLAMF7 expression in all samples. In aggregate, our data point towards a retained expression of SLAMF7 in EMD and encourage the development of more potent SLAMF7-directed immunotherapies, such as CAR T cells. KW - plasma cells KW - extramedullary disease KW - monoclonal antibody KW - CD319 KW - CS1 KW - antigen loss Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-266468 SN - 1432-0584 VL - 100 IS - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Klein-Hessling, Stefan A1 - Muhammad, Khalid A1 - Klein, Matthias A1 - Pusch, Tobias A1 - Rudolf, Ronald A1 - Flöter, Jessica A1 - Qureischi, Musga A1 - Beilhack, Andreas A1 - Vaeth, Martin A1 - Kummerow, Carsten A1 - Backes, Christian A1 - Schoppmeyer, Rouven A1 - Hahn, Ulrike A1 - Hoth, Markus A1 - Bopp, Tobias A1 - Berberich-Siebelt, Friederike A1 - Patra, Amiya A1 - Avots, Andris A1 - Müller, Nora A1 - Schulze, Almut A1 - Serfling, Edgar T1 - NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity of CD8\(^{+}\) T cells JF - Nature Communications N2 - Cytotoxic T lymphocytes are effector CD8\(^{+}\) T cells that eradicate infected and malignant cells. Here we show that the transcription factor NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity of mouse cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Activation of Nfatc1\(^{-/-}\) cytotoxic T lymphocytes showed a defective cytoskeleton organization and recruitment of cytosolic organelles to immunological synapses. These cells have reduced cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and mice with NFATc1-deficient T cells are defective in controlling Listeria infection. Transcriptome analysis shows diminished RNA levels of numerous genes in Nfatc1\(^{-/-}\) CD8\(^{+}\) T cells, including Tbx21, Gzmb and genes encoding cytokines and chemokines, and genes controlling glycolysis. Nfatc1\(^{-/-}\), but not Nfatc2\(^{-/-}\) CD8\(^{+}\) T cells have an impaired metabolic switch to glycolysis, which can be restored by IL-2. Genome-wide ChIP-seq shows that NFATc1 binds many genes that control cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. Together these data indicate that NFATc1 is an important regulator of cytotoxic T lymphocyte effector functions. KW - cytotoxic T cells KW - lymphocyte activation KW - signal transduction KW - gene regulation KW - immune cells KW - NFATc1 Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-170353 VL - 8 IS - 511 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shaikh, Haroon A1 - Vargas, Juan Gamboa A1 - Mokhtari, Zeinab A1 - Jarick, Katja J. A1 - Ulbrich, Maria A1 - Mosca, Josefina Peña A1 - Viera, Estibaliz Arellano A1 - Graf, Caroline A1 - Le, Duc-Dung A1 - Heinze, Katrin G. A1 - Büttner-Herold, Maike A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Pezoldt, Joern A1 - Huehn, Jochen A1 - Beilhack, Andreas T1 - Mesenteric Lymph Node Transplantation in Mice to Study Immune Responses of the Gastrointestinal Tract JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - Mesenteric lymph nodes (mLNs) are sentinel sites of enteral immunosurveillance and immune homeostasis. Immune cells from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are constantly recruited to the mLNs in steady-state and under inflammatory conditions resulting in the induction of tolerance and immune cells activation, respectively. Surgical dissection and transplantation of lymph nodes (LN) is a technique that has supported seminal work to study LN function and is useful to investigate resident stromal and endothelial cell biology and their cellular interactions in experimental disease models. Here, we provide a detailed protocol of syngeneic mLN transplantation and report assays to analyze effective mLN engraftment in congenic recipients. Transplanted mLNs allow to study T cell activation and proliferation in preclinical mouse models. Donor mLNs proved viable and functional after surgical transplantation and regenerated blood and lymphatic vessels. Immune cells from the host completely colonized the transplanted mLNs within 7-8 weeks after the surgical intervention. After allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), adoptively transferred allogeneic CD4+ T cells from FVB/N (H-2q) mice homed to the transplanted mLNs in C57BL/6 (H-2b) recipients during the initiation phase of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD). These CD4+ T cells retained full proliferative capacity and upregulated effector and gut homing molecules comparable to those in mLNs from unmanipulated wild-type recipients. Wild type mLNs transplanted into MHCII deficient syngeneic hosts sufficed to activate alloreactive T cells upon allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, even in the absence of MHCII+ CD11c+ myeloid cells. These data support that orthotopically transplanted mLNs maintain physiological functions after transplantation. The technique of LN transplantation can be applied to study migratory and resident cell compartment interactions in mLNs as well as immune reactions from and to the gut under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions. KW - acute graft-versus host disease KW - alloreactive T cells KW - mesenteric lymph node KW - lymph node transplantation KW - mouse models KW - lymph node stromal cells Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-244869 SN - 1664-3224 VL - 12 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Garitano-Trojaola, Andoni A1 - Sancho, Ana A1 - Götz, Ralph A1 - Eiring, Patrick A1 - Walz, Susanne A1 - Jetani, Hardikkumar A1 - Gil-Pulido, Jesus A1 - Da Via, Matteo Claudio A1 - Teufel, Eva A1 - Rhodes, Nadine A1 - Haertle, Larissa A1 - Arellano-Viera, Estibaliz A1 - Tibes, Raoul A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Hudecek, Michael A1 - Sauer, Markus A1 - Groll, Jürgen A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Kraus, Sabrina A1 - Kortüm, Martin K. T1 - Actin cytoskeleton deregulation confers midostaurin resistance in FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia JF - Communications Biology N2 - The presence of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is one of the most frequent mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. FLT3 inhibitors, such as midostaurin, are used clinically but fail to entirely eradicate FLT3-ITD+AML. This study introduces a new perspective and highlights the impact of RAC1-dependent actin cytoskeleton remodeling on resistance to midostaurin in AML. RAC1 hyperactivation leads resistance via hyperphosphorylation of the positive regulator of actin polymerization N-WASP and antiapoptotic BCL-2. RAC1/N-WASP, through ARP2/3 complex activation, increases the number of actin filaments, cell stiffness and adhesion forces to mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) being identified as a biomarker of resistance. Midostaurin resistance can be overcome by a combination of midostaruin, the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax and the RAC1 inhibitor Eht1864 in midostaurin-resistant AML cell lines and primary samples, providing the first evidence of a potential new treatment approach to eradicate FLT3-ITD+AML. Garitano-Trojaola et al. used a combination of human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines and primary samples to show that RAC1-dependent actin cytoskeleton remodeling through BCL2 family plays a key role in resistance to the FLT3 inhibitor, Midostaurin in AML. They showed that by targeting RAC1 and BCL2, Midostaurin resistance was diminished, which potentially paves the way for an innovate treatment approach for FLT3 mutant AML. KW - actin KW - acute myeloid leukaemia Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-260709 VL - 4 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wallstabe, Julia A1 - Bussemer, Lydia A1 - Groeber-Becker, Florian A1 - Freund, Lukas A1 - Alb, Mirian A1 - Dragan, Mariola A1 - Waaga-Gasser, Ana Maria A1 - Jakubietz, Rafael A1 - Kneitz, Hermann A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Rebhan, Silke A1 - Walles, Heike A1 - Mielke, Stephan T1 - Inflammation-Induced Tissue Damage Mimicking GvHD in Human Skin Models as Test Platform for Immunotherapeutics JF - ALTEX N2 - Due to the rapidly increasing development and use of cellular products, there is a rising demand for non-animal-based test platforms to predict, study and treat undesired immunity. Here, we generated human organotypic skin models from human biopsies by isolating and expanding keratinocytes, fibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells and seeding these components on a collagen matrix or a biological vascularized scaffold matrix in a bioreactor. We then were able to induce inflammation-mediated tissue damage by adding pre-stimulated, mismatched allogeneic lymphocytes and/or inflammatory cytokine-containing supernatants histomorphologically mimicking severe graft versus host disease (GvHD) of the skin. This could be prevented by the addition of immunosuppressants to the models. Consequently, these models harbor a promising potential to serve as a test platform for the prediction, prevention and treatment of GvHD. They also allow functional studies of immune effectors and suppressors including but not limited to allodepleted lymphocytes, gamma-delta T cells, regulatory T cells and mesenchymal stromal cells, which would otherwise be limited to animal models. Thus, the current test platform, developed with the limitation that no professional antigen presenting cells are in place, could greatly reduce animal testing for investigation of novel immune therapies. KW - inflammation-induced tissue demage KW - immunotherapeutics Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-229974 VL - 37 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bäuerlein, Carina A. A1 - Qureischi, Musga A1 - Mokhtari, Zeinab A1 - Tabares, Paula A1 - Brede, Christian A1 - Jordán Garrote, Ana-Laura A1 - Riedel, Simone S. A1 - Chopra, Martin A1 - Reu, Simone A1 - Mottok, Anja A1 - Arellano-Viera, Estibaliz A1 - Graf, Carolin A1 - Kurzwart, Miriam A1 - Schmiedgen, Katharina A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Wölfl, Matthias A1 - Schlegel, Paul-Gerhardt A1 - Beilhack, Andreas T1 - A T-Cell Surface Marker Panel Predicts Murine Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) is a severe and often life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). AGvHD is mediated by alloreactive donor T-cells targeting predominantly the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and skin. Recent work in mice and patients undergoing allo-HCT showed that alloreactive T-cells can be identified by the expression of α4β7 integrin on T-cells even before manifestation of an aGvHD. Here, we investigated whether the detection of a combination of the expression of T-cell surface markers on peripheral blood (PB) CD8\(^+\) T-cells would improve the ability to predict aGvHD. To this end, we employed two independent preclinical models of minor histocompatibility antigen mismatched allo-HCT following myeloablative conditioning. Expression profiles of integrins, selectins, chemokine receptors, and activation markers of PB donor T-cells were measured with multiparameter flow cytometry at multiple time points before the onset of clinical aGvHD symptoms. In both allo-HCT models, we demonstrated a significant upregulation of α4β7 integrin, CD162E, CD162P, and conversely, a downregulation of CD62L on donor T-cells, which could be correlated with the development of aGvHD. Other surface markers, such as CD25, CD69, and CC-chemokine receptors were not found to be predictive markers. Based on these preclinical data from mouse models, we propose a surface marker panel on peripheral blood T-cells after allo-HCT combining α4β7 integrin with CD62L, CD162E, and CD162P (cutaneous lymphocyte antigens, CLA, in humans) to identify patients at risk for developing aGvHD early after allo-HCT. KW - acute graft-versus-host disease KW - alloreactive T cells KW - transplantation KW - prediction KW - mouse models Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-224290 SN - 1664-3224 VL - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Marquardt, André A1 - Solimando, Antonio Giovanni A1 - Kerscher, Alexander A1 - Bittrich, Max A1 - Kalogirou, Charis A1 - Kübler, Hubert A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Bargou, Ralf A1 - Kollmannsberger, Philip A1 - Schilling, Bastian A1 - Meierjohann, Svenja A1 - Krebs, Markus T1 - Subgroup-Independent Mapping of Renal Cell Carcinoma — Machine Learning Reveals Prognostic Mitochondrial Gene Signature Beyond Histopathologic Boundaries JF - Frontiers in Oncology N2 - Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is divided into three major histopathologic groups—clear cell (ccRCC), papillary (pRCC) and chromophobe RCC (chRCC). We performed a comprehensive re-analysis of publicly available RCC datasets from the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database, thereby combining samples from all three subgroups, for an exploratory transcriptome profiling of RCC subgroups. Materials and Methods: We used FPKM (fragments per kilobase per million) files derived from the ccRCC, pRCC and chRCC cohorts of the TCGA database, representing transcriptomic data of 891 patients. Using principal component analysis, we visualized datasets as t-SNE plot for cluster detection. Clusters were characterized by machine learning, resulting gene signatures were validated by correlation analyses in the TCGA dataset and three external datasets (ICGC RECA-EU, CPTAC-3-Kidney, and GSE157256). Results: Many RCC samples co-clustered according to histopathology. However, a substantial number of samples clustered independently from histopathologic origin (mixed subgroup)—demonstrating divergence between histopathology and transcriptomic data. Further analyses of mixed subgroup via machine learning revealed a predominant mitochondrial gene signature—a trait previously known for chRCC—across all histopathologic subgroups. Additionally, ccRCC samples from mixed subgroup presented an inverse correlation of mitochondrial and angiogenesis-related genes in the TCGA and in three external validation cohorts. Moreover, mixed subgroup affiliation was associated with a highly significant shorter overall survival for patients with ccRCC—and a highly significant longer overall survival for chRCC patients. Conclusions: Pan-RCC clustering according to RNA-sequencing data revealed a distinct histology-independent subgroup characterized by strengthened mitochondrial and weakened angiogenesis-related gene signatures. Moreover, affiliation to mixed subgroup went along with a significantly shorter overall survival for ccRCC and a longer overall survival for chRCC patients. Further research could offer a therapy stratification by specifically addressing the mitochondrial metabolism of such tumors and its microenvironment. KW - kidney cancer KW - pan-RCC KW - machine learning KW - mitochondrial DNA KW - mtDNA KW - mTOR Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-232107 SN - 2234-943X VL - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Metzner, Valentin A1 - Herzog, Gloria A1 - Heckel, Tobias A1 - Bischler, Thorsten A1 - Hasinger, Julia A1 - Otto, Christoph A1 - Fassnacht, Martin A1 - Geier, Andreas A1 - Seyfried, Florian A1 - Dischinger, Ulrich T1 - Liraglutide + PYY\(_{3-36}\) combination therapy mimics effects of Roux-en-Y bypass on early NAFLD whilst lacking-behind in metabolic improvements JF - Journal of Clinical Medicine N2 - Background: Treatment options for NAFLD are still limited. Bariatric surgery, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), has been shown to improve metabolic and histologic markers of NAFLD. Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues lead to improvements in phase 2 clinical trials. We directly compared the effects of RYGB with a treatment using liraglutide and/or peptide tyrosine tyrosine 3-36 (PYY\(_{3-36}\)) in a rat model for early NAFLD. Methods: Obese male Wistar rats (high-fat diet (HFD)-induced) were randomized into the following treatment groups: RYGB, sham-operation (sham), liraglutide (0.4 mg/kg/day), PYY\(_{3-36}\) (0.1 mg/kg/day), liraglutide+PYY\(_{3-36}\), and saline. After an observation period of 4 weeks, liver samples were histologically evaluated, ELISAs and RNA sequencing + RT-qPCRs were performed. Results: RYGB and liraglutide+PYY\(_{3-36}\) induced a similar body weight loss and, compared to sham/saline, marked histological improvements with significantly less steatosis. However, only RYGB induced significant metabolic improvements (e.g., adiponectin/leptin ratio 18.8 ± 11.8 vs. 2.4 ± 1.2 in liraglutide+PYY\(_{3-36}\)- or 1.4 ± 0.9 in sham-treated rats). Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed a high number of differentially regulated genes in RYGB treated animals only. Conclusions: The combination therapy of liraglutide+PYY\(_{3-36}\) partly mimics the positive effects of RYGB on weight reduction and on hepatic steatosis, while its effects on metabolic function lack behind RYGB. KW - liraglutide KW - GLP-1 KW - peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) KW - peptide tyrosine tyrosine 3-36 (PYY\(_{3-36}\)) KW - RYGB KW - gastric bypass KW - obesity KW - NASH KW - NAFLD Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-255244 SN - 2077-0383 VL - 11 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Majumder, Snigdha A1 - Jugovic, Isabelle A1 - Saul, Domenica A1 - Bell, Luisa A1 - Hundhausen, Nadine A1 - Seal, Rishav A1 - Beilhack, Andreas A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Mougiakakos, Dimitrios A1 - Berberich-Siebelt, Friederike T1 - Rapid and Efficient Gene Editing for Direct Transplantation of Naive Murine Cas9\(^+\) T Cells JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - Gene editing of primary T cells is a difficult task. However, it is important for research and especially for clinical T-cell transfers. CRISPR/Cas9 is the most powerful gene-editing technique. It has to be applied to cells by either retroviral transduction or electroporation of ribonucleoprotein complexes. Only the latter is possible with resting T cells. Here, we make use of Cas9 transgenic mice and demonstrate nucleofection of pre-stimulated and, importantly, of naive CD3\(^+\) T cells with guideRNA only. This proved to be rapid and efficient with no need of further selection. In the mixture of Cas9\(^+\)CD3\(^+\) T cells, CD4\(^+\) and CD8\(^+\) conventional as well as regulatory T cells were targeted concurrently. IL-7 supported survival and naivety in vitro, but T cells were also transplantable immediately after nucleofection and elicited their function like unprocessed T cells. Accordingly, metabolic reprogramming reached normal levels within days. In a major mismatch model of GvHD, not only ablation of NFATc1 and/or NFATc2, but also of the NFAT-target gene IRF4 in naïve primary murine Cas9\(^+\)CD3\(^+\) T cells by gRNA-only nucleofection ameliorated GvHD. However, pre-activated murine T cells could not achieve long-term protection from GvHD upon single NFATc1 or NFATc2 knockout. This emphasizes the necessity of gene-editing and transferring unstimulated human T cells during allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. KW - CRISPR/Cas9 KW - gRNA-only KW - GvHD KW - metabolism KW - NFAT KW - naive T-cell gene editing KW - T-cell transfer KW - IRF4 Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-242896 SN - 1664-3224 VL - 12 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Steinhardt, Maximilian J. A1 - Krummenast, Franziska C. A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Gerhard-Hartmann, Elena A1 - Heidemeier, Anke A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Topp, Max S. A1 - Duell, Johannes T1 - R-CHOP intensification with mid-cycle methotrexate and consolidating AraC/TT with BCNU/aHSCT in primary aggressive lymphoma with CNS involvement JF - Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology N2 - Purpose Patients suffering from aggressive systemic peripheral lymphoma with primary central nervous system involvement (PCL) are a rare and sparsely investigated population. Recommended treatment regimens include a combination of intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy as well as whole brain radiotherapy while offering relatively poor survival. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective study that analyzed safety and outcome of 4 + 4 cycles Rituximab (R)-CHOP and R-high-dose Methotrexate (HD-MTX) for newly diagnosed, transplant-eligible patients ("Ping-Pong"), followed by Cytarabine (AraC)/Thiotepa (TT), BCNU/TT, and autologous hematologic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). We retrospectively analyzed a set of 16 patients with high-intermediate or high-risk IPI status. Results Overall response rate to Ping-Pong was 100% measured by CT/MRI, including 93.75% complete remissions after BCNU/TT followed by PBSCT. One patient failed to qualify for high-dose chemotherapy due to progression when receiving Cytarabine/TT. All patients experienced grade III adverse events, 3 of them a grade IV adverse event. Estimated progression-free survival is 93.75% after a 4.8-year follow-up currently. Conclusion Our study suggests high effectivity of R-CHOP with mid-cycle MTX with aHSCT consolidation towards acceptable OS results in this challenging patient population. KW - lymphoma KW - HD KW - MTX KW - R-CHOP Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-267731 SN - 1432-1335 VL - 148 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Xiang A1 - Steinhardt, Maximilian Johannes A1 - Düll, Johannes A1 - Krummenast, Franziska A1 - Danhof, Sophia A1 - Meckel, Katharina A1 - Nickel, Katharina A1 - Grathwohl, Denise A1 - Leicht, Hans‐Benno A1 - Rosenwald, Andreas A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Rasche, Leo A1 - Kortüm, Martin T1 - Obinutuzumab and venetoclax induced complete remission in a patient with ibrutinib‐resistant non‐nodal leukemic mantle cell lymphoma JF - European Journal of Haematology N2 - We herein report the case of a 73‐year‐old male patient who was diagnosed with leukemic non‐nodal MCL. This patient had received six cycles of bendamustine, which resulted in a transient remission, and a second‐line therapy with ibrutinib, which unfortunately failed to induce remission. We started a treatment with single‐agent obinutuzumab at a dose of 20 mg on day 1, 50 mg on day 2‐4, 330 mg on day 5, and 1000 mg on day 6. The laboratory analysis showed a rapid decrease of leukocyte count. Four weeks later, we repeated the treatment with obinutuzumab at a dose of 1000 mg q4w and started a therapy with venetoclax at a dose of 400 mg qd, which could be increased to 800 mg qd from the third cycle. This combination therapy was well tolerated. The patient achieved a complete remission (CR) after three cycles of obinutuzumab and venetoclax. To date, the patient has a progression‐free survival of 17 months under ongoing obinutuzumab maintenance q4w. This is the first report about obinutuzumab and venetoclax induced CR in rituximab‐intolerant patient with an ibrutinib‐resistant MCL. This case suggests that obinutuzumab‐ and venetoclax‐based combination therapy might be salvage therapy in patients with ibrutinib‐resistant MCL. KW - mantle cell lymphoma KW - obinutuzumab KW - venetoclax Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-215513 VL - 104 IS - 4 SP - 352 EP - 355 ER -