@article{HommersRichterYangetal.2018, author = {Hommers, L. G. and Richter, J. and Yang, Y. and Raab, A. and Baumann, C. and Lang, K. and Schiele, M. A. and Weber, H. and Wittmann, A. and Wolf, C. and Alpers, G. W. and Arolt, V. and Domschke, K. and Fehm, L. and Fydrich, T. and Gerlach, A. and Gloster, A. T. and Hamm, A. O. and Helbig-Lang, S. and Kircher, T. and Lang, T. and Pan{\´e}-Farr{\´e}, C. A. and Pauli, P. and Pfleiderer, B. and Reif, A. and Romanos, M. and Straube, B. and Str{\"o}hle, A. and Wittchen, H.-U. and Frantz, S. and Ertl, G. and Lohse, M. J. and Lueken, U. and Deckert, J.}, title = {A functional genetic variation of SLC6A2 repressor hsa-miR-579-3p upregulates sympathetic noradrenergic processes of fear and anxiety}, series = {Translational Psychiatry}, volume = {8}, journal = {Translational Psychiatry}, doi = {10.1038/s41398-018-0278-4}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-322497}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Increased sympathetic noradrenergic signaling is crucially involved in fear and anxiety as defensive states. MicroRNAs regulate dynamic gene expression during synaptic plasticity and genetic variation of microRNAs modulating noradrenaline transporter gene (SLC6A2) expression may thus lead to altered central and peripheral processing of fear and anxiety. In silico prediction of microRNA regulation of SLC6A2 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assays and identified hsa-miR-579-3p as a regulating microRNA. The minor (T)-allele of rs2910931 (MAFcases = 0.431, MAFcontrols = 0.368) upstream of MIR579 was associated with panic disorder in patients (pallelic = 0.004, ncases = 506, ncontrols = 506) and with higher trait anxiety in healthy individuals (pASI = 0.029, pACQ = 0.047, n = 3112). Compared to the major (A)-allele, increased promoter activity was observed in luciferase reporter assays in vitro suggesting more effective MIR579 expression and SLC6A2 repression in vivo (p = 0.041). Healthy individuals carrying at least one (T)-allele showed a brain activation pattern suggesting increased defensive responding and sympathetic noradrenergic activation in midbrain and limbic areas during the extinction of conditioned fear. Panic disorder patients carrying two (T)-alleles showed elevated heart rates in an anxiety-provoking behavioral avoidance test (F(2, 270) = 5.47, p = 0.005). Fine-tuning of noradrenaline homeostasis by a MIR579 genetic variation modulated central and peripheral sympathetic noradrenergic activation during fear processing and anxiety. This study opens new perspectives on the role of microRNAs in the etiopathogenesis of anxiety disorders, particularly their cardiovascular symptoms and comorbidities.}, language = {en} } @article{WeibelRaabYuetal.2011, author = {Weibel, Stephanie and Raab, Viktoria and Yu, Yong A. and Worschech, Andrea and Wang, Ena and Marincola, Francesco M. and Szalay, Aladar A.}, title = {Viral-mediated oncolysis is the most critical factor in the late-phase of the tumor regression process upon vaccinia virus infection}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-68691}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Background: In principle, the elimination of malignancies by oncolytic virotherapy could proceed by different mechanisms - e.g. tumor cell specific oncolysis, destruction of the tumor vasculature or an anti-tumoral immunological response. In this study, we analyzed the contribution of these factors to elucidate the responsible mechanism for regression of human breast tumor xenografts upon colonization with an attenuated vaccinia virus (VACV). Methods: Breast tumor xenografts were analyzed 6 weeks post VACV infection (p.i.; regression phase) by immunohistochemistry and mouse-specific expression arrays. Viral-mediated oncolysis was determined by tumor growth analysis combined with microscopic studies of intratumoral virus distribution. The tumor vasculature was morphologically characterized by diameter and density measurements and vessel functionality was analyzed by lectin perfusion and extravasation studies. Immunological aspects of viral-mediated tumor regression were studied in either immune-deficient mouse strains (T-, B-, NK-cell-deficient) or upon cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression (MHCII+-cell depletion) in nude mice. Results: Late stage VACV-infected breast tumors showed extensive necrosis, which was highly specific to cancer cells. The tumor vasculature in infected tumor areas remained functional and the endothelial cells were not infected. However, viral colonization triggers hyperpermeability and dilatation of the tumor vessels, which resembled the activated endothelium in wounded tissue. Moreover, we demonstrated an increased expression of genes involved in leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction in VACV-infected tumors, which orchestrate perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration. The immunohistochemical analysis of infected tumors displayed intense infiltration of MHCII-positive cells and colocalization of tumor vessels with MHCII+/CD31+ vascular leukocytes. However, GI-101A tumor growth analysis upon VACV-infection in either immunosuppressed nude mice (MHCII+-cell depleted) or in immune-deficient mouse strains (T-, B-, NK-cell-deficient) revealed that neither MHCII-positive immune cells nor T-, B-, or NK cells contributed significantly to VACV-mediated tumor regression. In contrast, tumors of immunosuppressed mice showed enhanced viral spreading and tumor necrosis. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicate that VACV-mediated oncolysis is the primary mechanism of tumor shrinkage in the late regression phase. Neither the destruction of the tumor vasculature nor the massive VACV-mediated intratumoral inflammation was a prerequisite for tumor regression. We propose that approaches to enhance viral replication and spread within the tumor microenvironment should improve therapeutical outcome.}, subject = {Virusinfektion}, language = {en} } @article{WalkerMavrommatisWardelletal.2019, author = {Walker, Brian A. and Mavrommatis, Konstantinos and Wardell, Christopher P. and Ashby, T. Cody and Bauer, Michael and Davies, Faith and Rosenthal, Adam and Wang, Hongwei and Qu, Pingping and Hoering, Antje and Samur, Mehmet and Towfic, Fadi and Ortiz, Maria and Flynt, Erin and Yu, Zhinuan and Yang, Zhihong and Rozelle, Dan and Obenauer, John and Trotter, Matthew and Auclair, Daniel and Keats, Jonathan and Bolli, Niccolo and Fulciniti, Mariateresa and Szalat, Raphael and Moreau, Phillipe and Durie, Brian and Stewart, A. Keith and Goldschmidt, Hartmut and Raab, Marc S. and Einsele, Hermann and Sonneveld, Pieter and San Miguel, Jesus and Lonial, Sagar and Jackson, Graham H. and Anderson, Kenneth C. and Avet-Loiseau, Herve and Munshi, Nikhil and Thakurta, Anjan and Morgan, Gareth}, title = {A high-risk, Double-Hit, group of newly diagnosed myeloma identified by genomic analysis}, series = {Leukemia}, volume = {33}, journal = {Leukemia}, doi = {10.1038/s41375-018-0196-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-233299}, pages = {159-170}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) with high-risk disease are in need of new treatment strategies to improve the outcomes. Multiple clinical, cytogenetic, or gene expression features have been used to identify high-risk patients, each of which has significant weaknesses. Inclusion of molecular features into risk stratification could resolve the current challenges. In a genome-wide analysis of the largest set of molecular and clinical data established to date from NDMM, as part of the Myeloma Genome Project, we have defined DNA drivers of aggressive clinical behavior. Whole-genome and exome data from 1273 NDMM patients identified genetic factors that contribute significantly to progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (cumulative R2 = 18.4\% and 25.2\%, respectively). Integrating DNA drivers and clinical data into a Cox model using 784 patients with ISS, age, PFS, OS, and genomic data, the model has a cumlative R2 of 34.3\% for PFS and 46.5\% for OS. A high-risk subgroup was defined by recursive partitioning using either a) bi-allelic TP53 inactivation or b) amplification (≥4 copies) of CKS1B (1q21) on the background of International Staging System III, comprising 6.1\% of the population (median PFS = 15.4 months; OS = 20.7 months) that was validated in an independent dataset. Double-Hit patients have a dire prognosis despite modern therapies and should be considered for novel therapeutic approaches.}, language = {en} }