TY  - JOUR
A1  - Horn, A.
A1  - Krist, L.
A1  - Lieb, W.
A1  - Montellano, F. A.
A1  - Kohls, M.
A1  - Haas, K.
A1  - Gelbrich, G.
A1  - Bolay-Gehrig, S. J.
A1  - Morbach, C.
A1  - Reese, J. P.
A1  - Störk, S.
A1  - Fricke, J.
A1  - Zoller, T.
A1  - Schmidt, S.
A1  - Triller, P.
A1  - Kretzler, L.
A1  - Rönnefarth, M.
A1  - Von Kalle, C.
A1  - Willich, S. N.
A1  - Kurth, F.
A1  - Steinbeis, F.
A1  - Witzenrath, M.
A1  - Bahmer, T.
A1  - Hermes, A.
A1  - Krawczak, M.
A1  - Reinke, L.
A1  - Maetzler, C.
A1  - Franzenburg, J.
A1  - Enderle, J.
A1  - Flinspach, A.
A1  - Vehreschild, J.
A1  - Schons, M.
A1  - Illig, T.
A1  - Anton, G.
A1  - Ungethüm, K.
A1  - Finkenberg, B. C.
A1  - Gehrig, M. T.
A1  - Savaskan, N.
A1  - Heuschmann, P. U.
A1  - Keil, T.
A1  - Schreiber, S.
T1  - Long-term health sequelae and quality of life at least 6 months after infection with SARS-CoV-2: design and rationale of the COVIDOM-study as part of the NAPKON population-based cohort platform (POP)
JF  - Infection
N2  - Purpose
Over the course of COVID-19 pandemic, evidence has accumulated that SARS-CoV-2 infections may affect multiple organs and have serious clinical sequelae, but on-site clinical examinations with non-hospitalized samples are rare. We, therefore, aimed to systematically assess the long-term health status of samples of hospitalized and non-hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals from three regions in Germany.

Methods
The present paper describes the COVIDOM-study within the population-based cohort platform (POP) which has been established under the auspices of the NAPKON infrastructure (German National Pandemic Cohort Network) of the national Network University Medicine (NUM). Comprehensive health assessments among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals are conducted at least 6 months after the acute infection at the study sites Kiel, Würzburg and Berlin. Potential participants were identified and contacted via the local public health authorities, irrespective of the severity of the initial infection. A harmonized examination protocol has been implemented, consisting of detailed assessments of medical history, physical examinations, and the collection of multiple biosamples (e.g., serum, plasma, saliva, urine) for future analyses. In addition, patient-reported perception of the impact of local pandemic-related measures and infection on quality-of-life are obtained.

Results
As of July 2021, in total 6813 individuals infected in 2020 have been invited into the COVIDOM-study. Of these, about 36% wished to participate and 1295 have already been examined at least once.

Conclusion
NAPKON-POP COVIDOM-study complements other Long COVID studies assessing the long-term consequences of an infection with SARS-CoV-2 by providing detailed health data of population-based samples, including individuals with various degrees of disease severity.

Trial registration
Registered at the German registry for clinical studies (DRKS00023742).
KW  - Long COVID
KW  - Sars-CoV-2
KW  - on-site examination
KW  - internal medicine
KW  - neurological
KW  - population-based
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-308960
SN  - 0300-8126
SN  - 1439-0973
VL  - 49
IS  - 6
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Petritsch, B.
A1  - Köstler, H.
A1  - Weng, A. M.
A1  - Horn, M.
A1  - Gassenmaier, T.
A1  - Kunz, A. S.
A1  - Weidemann, F.
A1  - Wanner, C.
A1  - Bley, T. A.
A1  - Beer, M.
T1  - Myocardial lipid content in Fabry disease: a combined \(^1\)H-MR spectroscopy and MR imaging study at 3 Tesla
JF  - BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
N2  - Background

Fabry disease is characterized by a progressive deposition of sphingolipids in different organ systems, whereby cardiac involvement leads to death. We hypothesize that lysosomal storage of sphingolipids in the heart as occurring in Fabry disease does not reflect in higher cardiac lipid concentrations detectable by \(^1\)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 3 Tesla.

Methods

Myocardial lipid content was quantified in vivo by \(^1\)H-MRS in 30 patients (12 male, 18 female; 18 patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy) with genetically proven Fabry disease and in 30 healthy controls. The study protocol combined \(^1\)H-MRS with cardiac cine imaging and LGE MRI in a single examination.

Results

Myocardial lipid content was not significantly elevated in Fabry disease (p = 0.225). Left ventricular (LV) mass was significantly higher in patients suffering from Fabry disease compared to controls (p = 0.019). Comparison of patients without signs of myocardial fibrosis in MRI (LGE negative; n = 12) to patients with signs of fibrosis (LGE positive; n = 18) revealed similar myocardial lipid content in both groups (p > 0.05), while the latter showed a trend towards elevated LV mass (p = 0.076).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the potential of lipid metabolic investigation embedded in a comprehensive examination of cardiac morphology and function in Fabry disease. There was no evidence that lysosomal storage of sphingolipids influences cardiac lipid content as measured by \(^1\)H-MRS. Finally, the authors share the opinion that a comprehensive cardiac examination including three subsections (LGE; \(^1\)H-MRS; T\(_1\) mapping), could hold the highest potential for the final assessment of early and late myocardial changes in Fabry disease.
KW  - late gadolinium enhancement
KW  - myocardial lipid content
KW  - magnetic resonance spectroscopy
KW  - Morbus Fabry
KW  - rare diseases
KW  - lysosomal storage disease
Y1  - 2016
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-146693
VL  - 16
IS  - 205
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Livingstone, E.
A1  - Zaremba, A.
A1  - Horn, S.
A1  - Ugurel, S.
A1  - Casalini, B.
A1  - Schlaak, M.
A1  - Hassel, J.C.
A1  - Herbst, R.
A1  - Utikal, J.S.
A1  - Weide, B.
A1  - Gutzmer, R.
A1  - Meier, F.
A1  - Koelsche, C.
A1  - Hadaschik, E.
A1  - Sucker, A.
A1  - Reis, H.
A1  - Merkelbach‐Bruse, S.
A1  - Siewert, M.
A1  - Sahm, F.
A1  - von Deimling, A.
A1  - Cosgarea, I.
A1  - Zimmer, L.
A1  - Schadendorf, D.
A1  - Schilling, B.
A1  - Griewank, K.G.
T1  - GNAQ and GNA11 mutant nonuveal melanoma: a subtype distinct from both cutaneous and uveal melanoma
JF  - British Journal of Dermatology
N2  - Background
GNAQ and GNA11 mutant nonuveal melanoma represent a poorly characterized rare subgroup of melanoma with a gene mutation profile similar to uveal melanoma.

Objectives
To characterize these tumours in terms of clinical behaviour and genetic characteristics.

Methods
Patients with nonuveal GNAQ/11 mutated melanoma were identified from the prospective multicentre tumour tissue registry ADOREG, Tissue Registry in Melanoma (TRIM) and additional cooperating skin cancer centres. Extensive data on patient, tumour and treatment characteristics were collected retrospectively. Targeted sequencing was used to determine tumour mutational burden. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed for programmed death‐ligand 1 and BRCA1‐associated protein (BAP)1. Existing whole‐exome cutaneous and uveal melanoma data were analysed for mutation type and burden.

Results
We identified 18 patients with metastatic GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanoma. Tumours had a lower tumour mutational burden and fewer ultraviolet signature mutations than cutaneous melanomas. In addition to GNAQ and GNA11 mutations (nine each), six splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1), three eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1A X‐linked (EIF1AX) and four BAP1 mutations were detected. In contrast to uveal melanoma, GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas frequently metastasized lymphatically and concurrent EIF1AX, SF3B1 and BAP1 mutations showed no apparent association with patient prognosis. Objective response to immunotherapy was poor with only one partial response observed in 10 treated patients (10%).

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas are a subtype of melanoma that is both clinically and genetically distinct from cutaneous and uveal melanoma. As they respond poorly to available treatment regimens, novel effective therapeutic approaches for affected patients are urgently needed.

What is already known about this topic?
The rare occurrence of GNAQ/11 mutations in nonuveal melanoma has been documented.
GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas also harbour genetic alterations in EIF1AX, SF3B1 and BAP1 that are of prognostic relevance in uveal melanoma.

What does this study add?
GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas show metastatic spread reminiscent of cutaneous melanoma, but not uveal melanoma.
GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas have a low tumour mutational burden that is higher than uveal melanoma, but lower than cutaneous melanoma.

What is the translational message?
Primary GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas are a subtype of melanoma that is clinically and genetically distinct from both cutaneous and uveal melanoma.
As metastatic GNAQ/11 mutant nonuveal melanomas respond poorly to available systemic therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibition, novel therapeutic approaches for these tumours are urgently needed.
KW  - melanoma
KW  - GNAQ
KW  - GNA11
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-215434
VL  - 183
IS  - 5
SP  - 928
EP  - 939
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Metzenmacher, Martin
A1  - Váraljai, Renáta
A1  - Hegedüs, Balazs
A1  - Cima, Igor
A1  - Forster, Jan
A1  - Schramm, Alexander
A1  - Scheffler, Björn
A1  - Horn, Peter A.
A1  - Klein, Christoph A.
A1  - Szarvas, Tibor
A1  - Reis, Hennig
A1  - Bielefeld, Nicola
A1  - Roesch, Alexander
A1  - Aigner, Clemens
A1  - Kunzmann, Volker
A1  - Wiesweg, Marcel
A1  - Siveke, Jens T.
A1  - Schuler, Martin
A1  - Lueong, Smiths S.
T1  - Plasma Next Generation Sequencing and Droplet Digital-qPCR-Based Quantification of Circulating Cell-Free RNA for Noninvasive Early Detection of Cancer
JF  - Cancers
N2  - Early detection of cancer holds high promise for reducing cancer-related mortality. Detection of circulating tumor-specific nucleic acids holds promise, but sensitivity and specificity issues remain with current technology. We studied cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n = 56 stage IV, n = 39 stages I-III), pancreatic cancer (PDAC, n = 20 stage III), malignant melanoma (MM, n = 12 stage III-IV), urothelial bladder cancer (UBC, n = 22 stage II and IV), and 65 healthy controls by means of next generation sequencing (NGS) and real-time droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR). We identified 192 overlapping upregulated transcripts in NSCLC and PDAC by NGS, more than 90% of which were noncoding. Previously reported transcripts (e.g., HOTAIRM1) were identified. Plasma cfRNA transcript levels of POU6F2-AS2 discriminated NSCLC from healthy donors (AUC = 0.82 and 0.76 for stages IV and I–III, respectively) and significantly associated (p = 0.017) with the established tumor marker Cyfra 21-1. cfRNA yield and POU6F2-AS transcript abundance discriminated PDAC patients from healthy donors (AUC = 1.0). POU6F2-AS2 transcript was significantly higher in MM (p = 0.044). In summary, our findings support further validation of cfRNA detection by RT-ddPCR as a biomarker for early detection of solid cancers.
KW  - liquid biopsy
KW  - cfRNA
KW  - cancer
KW  - ddPCR
KW  - NGS
KW  - POU6F2-AS2
KW  - early detection
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200553
SN  - 2072-6694
VL  - 12
IS  - 2
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Niemann, Axel
A1  - Huber, Nina
A1  - Wagner, Konstanze M.
A1  - Somandin, Christian
A1  - Horn, Michael
A1  - Lebrun-Julien, Frédéric
A1  - Angst, Brigitte
A1  - Pereira, Jorge A.
A1  - Halfter, Hartmut
A1  - Welzl, Hans
A1  - Feltri, M. Laura
A1  - Wrabetz, Lawrence
A1  - Young, Peter
A1  - Wessig, Carsten
A1  - Toyka, Klaus V.
A1  - Suter, Ueli
T1  - The Gdap1 knockout mouse mechanistically links redox control to Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease
JF  - Brain
N2  - The ganglioside-induced differentiation-associated protein 1 (GDAP1) is a mitochondrial fission factor and mutations in GDAP1 cause Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. We found that Gdap1 knockout mice (\(Gdap1^{−/−}\)), mimicking genetic alterations of patients suffering from severe forms of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, develop an age-related, hypomyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Ablation of Gdap1 expression in Schwann cells recapitulates this phenotype. Additionally, intra-axonal mitochondria of peripheral neurons are larger in \(Gdap1^{−/−}\) mice and mitochondrial transport is impaired in cultured sensory neurons of \(Gdap1^{−/−}\) mice compared with controls. These changes in mitochondrial morphology and dynamics also influence mitochondrial biogenesis. We demonstrate that mitochondrial DNA biogenesis and content is increased in the peripheral nervous system but not in the central nervous system of \(Gdap1^{−/−}\) mice compared with control littermates. In search for a molecular mechanism we turned to the paralogue of GDAP1, GDAP1L1, which is mainly expressed in the unaffected central nervous system. GDAP1L1 responds to elevated levels of oxidized glutathione by translocating from the cytosol to mitochondria, where it inserts into the mitochondrial outer membrane. This translocation is necessary to substitute for loss of GDAP1 expression. Accordingly, more GDAP1L1 was associated with mitochondria in the spinal cord of aged \(Gdap1^{−/−}\) mice compared with controls. Our findings demonstrate that Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease caused by mutations in GDAP1 leads to mild, persistent oxidative stress in the peripheral nervous system, which can be compensated by GDAP1L1 in the unaffected central nervous system. We conclude that members of the GDAP1 family are responsive and protective against stress associated with increased levels of oxidized glutathione.
KW  - animal models
KW  - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
KW  - mitochondria
KW  - axonal transport
KW  - demyelinating disease
Y1  - 2014
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-120731
VL  - 137
IS  - 3
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Horn, Michael
A1  - Baumann, Reto
A1  - Pereira, Jorge A.
A1  - Sidiropoulos, Páris N. M.
A1  - Somandin, Christian
A1  - Welzl, Hans
A1  - Stendel, Claudia
A1  - Lühmann, Tessa
A1  - Wessig, Carsten
A1  - Toyka, Klaus V.
A1  - Relvas, João B.
A1  - Senderek, Jan
A1  - Suter, Ueli
T1  - Myelin is dependent on the Charcot–Marie–Tooth Type 4H disease culprit protein FRABIN/FGD4 in Schwann cells
JF  - Brain
N2  - Studying the function and malfunction of genes and proteins associated with inherited forms of peripheral neuropathies has provided multiple clues to our understanding of myelinated nerves in health and disease. Here, we have generated a mouse model for the peripheral neuropathy Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 4H by constitutively disrupting the mouse orthologue of the suspected culprit gene FGD4 that encodes the small RhoGTPase Cdc42-guanine nucleotide exchange factor Frabin. Lack of Frabin/Fgd4 causes dysmyelination in mice in early peripheral nerve development, followed by profound myelin abnormalities and demyelination at later stages. At the age of 60 weeks, this was accompanied by electrophysiological deficits. By crossing mice carrying alleles of Frabin/Fgd4 flanked by loxP sequences with animals expressing Cre recombinase in a cell type-specific manner, we show that Schwann cell-autonomous Frabin/Fgd4 function is essential for proper myelination without detectable primary contributions from neurons. Deletion of Frabin/Fgd4 in Schwann cells of fully myelinated nerve fibres revealed that this protein is not only required for correct nerve development but also for accurate myelin maintenance. Moreover, we established that correct activation of Cdc42 is dependent on Frabin/Fgd4 function in healthy peripheral nerves. Genetic disruption of Cdc42 in Schwann cells of adult myelinated nerves resulted in myelin alterations similar to those observed in Frabin/Fgd4-deficient mice, indicating that Cdc42 and the Frabin/Fgd4–Cdc42 axis are critical for myelin homeostasis. In line with known regulatory roles of Cdc42, we found that Frabin/Fgd4 regulates Schwann cell endocytosis, a process that is increasingly recognized as a relevant mechanism in peripheral nerve pathophysiology. Taken together, our results indicate that regulation of Cdc42 by Frabin/Fgd4 in Schwann cells is critical for the structure and function of the peripheral nervous system. In particular, this regulatory link is continuously required in adult fully myelinated nerve fibres. Thus, mechanisms regulated by Frabin/Fgd4–Cdc42 are promising targets that can help to identify additional regulators of myelin development and homeostasis, which may crucially contribute also to malfunctions in different types of peripheral neuropathies.
KW  - Frabin/Fgd4
KW  - myelination
KW  - hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy
KW  - Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease
KW  - Rho-GTPase Cdc42
Y1  - 2012
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-125390
VL  - 135
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Diessner, J.
A1  - Bruttel, V.
A1  - Stein, R. G.
A1  - Horn, E.
A1  - Häusler, S. F. M.
A1  - Dietl, J.
A1  - Hönig, A.
A1  - Wischhusen, J.
T1  - Targeting of preexisting and induced breast cancer stem cells with trastuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1)
JF  - Cell Death & Disease
N2  - The antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) has substantially improved overall survival for patients with aggressive HER2-positive breast cancer. However, about 70% of all treated patients will experience relapse or disease progression. This may be related to an insufficient targeting of the CD44(high)CD24(low) breast cancer stem cell subset, which is not only highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy but also a poor target for trastuzumab due to low HER2 surface expression. Hence, we explored whether the new antibody-drug conjugate T-DM1, which consists of the potent chemotherapeutic DM1 coupled to trastuzumab, could improve the targeting of these tumor-initiating or metastasis-initiating cells. To this aim, primary HER2-overexpressing tumor cells as well as HER2-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer cell lines were treated with T-DM1, and effects on survival, colony formation, gene and protein expression as well as antibody internalization were assessed. This revealed that CD44(high)CD24(low)HER2(low) stem cell-like breast cancer cells show high endocytic activity and are thus particularly sensitive towards the antibody-drug conjugate T-DM1. Consequently, preexisting CD44(high)CD24(low) cancer stem cells were depleted by concentrations of T-DM1 that did not affect the bulk of the tumor cells. Likewise, colony formation was efficiently suppressed. Moreover, when tumor cells were cocultured with natural killer cells, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity was enhanced, and EMT-mediated induction of stem cell-like properties was prevented in differentiated tumor cells. Thus our study reveals an unanticipated targeting of stem cell-like breast cancer cells by T-DM1 that may contribute to the clinical efficacy of this recently approved antibody-drug conjugate.
KW  - tumor stem cells
KW  - breast cancer
KW  - T-DM1
KW  - HER2
KW  - argeted therapy
Y1  - 2014
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119884
SN  - 2041-4889
VL  - 5
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Klingler, Werner
A1  - Heiderich, Sebastian
A1  - Girard, Thierry
A1  - Gravino, Elvira
A1  - Heffron, James J. A.
A1  - Johannsen, Stephan
A1  - Jurkat-Rott, Karin
A1  - Rüffert, Henrik
A1  - Schuster, Frank
A1  - Snoeck, Marc
A1  - Sorrentino, Vincenzo
A1  - Tegazzin, Vincenzo
A1  - Lehmann-Horn, Frank
T1  - Functional and genetic characterization of clinical malignant hyperthermia crises: a multi-centre study
JF  - Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
N2  - Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare pharmacogenetic disorder which is characterized by life-threatening metabolic crises during general anesthesia. Classical triggering substances are volatile anesthetics and succinylcholine (SCh). The molecular basis of MH is excessive release of Ca2+ in skeletal muscle principally by a mutated ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1). To identify factors explaining the variable phenotypic presentation and complex pathomechanism, we analyzed proven MH events in terms of clinical course, muscle contracture, genetic factors and pharmocological triggers. 
Methods: In a multi-centre study including seven European MH units, patients with a history of a clinical MH episode confirmed by susceptible (MHS) or equivocal (MHE) in vitro contracture tests (IVCT) were investigated. A test result is considered to be MHE if the muscle specimens develop pathological contractures in response to only one of the two test substances, halothane or caffeine. Crises were evaluated using a clinical grading scale (CGS), results of IVCT and genetic screening. The effects of SCh and volatile anesthetics on Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were studied in vitro. 
Results: A total of 200 patients met the inclusion criteria. Two MH crises (1%) were triggered by SCh (1 MHS, 1 MHE), 18% by volatile anesthetics and 81% by a combination of both. Patients were 70% male and 50% were younger than 12 years old. Overall, CGS was in accord with IVCT results. Crises triggered by enflurane had a significantly higher CGS compared to halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane. Of the 200 patients, 103 carried RyR1 variants, of which 14 were novel. CGS varied depending on the location of the mutation within the RyR1 gene. In contrast to volatile anesthetics, SCh did not evoke Ca2+ release from isolated rat SR vesicles. 
Conclusions: An MH event could depend on patient-related risk factors such as male gender, young age and causative RyR1 mutations as well as on the use of drugs lowering the threshold of myoplasmic Ca2+ release. SCh might act as an accelerant by promoting unspecific Ca2+ influx via the sarcolemma and indirect RyR1 activation. Most MH crises develop in response to the combined administration of SCh and volatile anesthetics.
KW  - susceptibility
KW  - central core disease
KW  - skeletal muscle
KW  - North American
KW  - malignant hyperthermia
KW  - succinylcholine
KW  - suxamethonium
KW  - volatile anesthetics
KW  - RyR1 mutations
KW  - New Zealand
KW  - inhalation anesthetics
KW  - sarcoplasmic reticulum
KW  - ryanodine receptor gene
KW  - vitro contracture test
Y1  - 2014
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117630
SN  - 1750-1172
VL  - 9
IS  - 8
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Petritsch, Bernhard
A1  - Köstler, Herbert
A1  - Gassenmaier, Tobias
A1  - Kunz, Andreas S
A1  - Bley, Thorsten A
A1  - Horn, Michael
T1  - An investigation into potential gender-specific differences in myocardial triglyceride content assessed by \(^{1}\)H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at 3Tesla
JF  - Journal of International Medical Research
N2  - Objective:
Over the past decade, myocardial triglyceride content has become an accepted biomarker for chronic metabolic and cardiac disease. The purpose of this study was to use proton (hydrogen 1)-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (\(^{1}\)H-MRS) at 3Tesla (3 T) field strength to assess potential gender-related differences in myocardial triglyceride content in healthy individuals.

Methods:
Cardiac MR imaging was performed to enable accurate voxel placement and obtain functional and morphological information. Double triggered (i.e., ECG and respiratory motion gating) \(^{1}\)H-MRS was used to quantify myocardial triglyceride levels for each gender. Two-sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analyses.

Results:
In total, 40 healthy volunteers (22 male, 18 female; aged >18 years and age matched) were included in the study. Median myocardial triglyceride content was 0.28% (interquartile range [IQR] 0.17–0.42%) in male and 0.24% (IQR 0.14–0.45%) in female participants, and no statistically significant difference was observed between the genders. Furthermore, no gender-specific difference in ejection fraction was observed, although on average, male participants presented with a higher mean ± SD left ventricular mass (136.3 ± 25.2 g) than female participants (103.9 ± 16.1 g).

Conclusions:
The study showed that \(^{1}\)H-MRS is a capable, noninvasive tool for acquisition of myocardial triglyceride metabolites. Myocardial triglyceride concentration was shown to be unrelated to gender in this group of healthy volunteers.
KW  - cardiac
KW  - magnetic resonance imaging
KW  - 1H-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS)
KW  - myocardium
KW  - triglycerides
KW  - metabolism
KW  - gender
Y1  - 2016
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-168808
VL  - 44
IS  - 3
ER  -