TY - JOUR A1 - Maurus, K. A1 - Kosnopfel, C. A1 - Kneitz, H. A1 - Appenzeller, S. A1 - Schrama, D. A1 - Glutsch, V. A1 - Roth, S. A1 - Gerhard-Hartmann, E. A1 - Rosenfeldt, M. A1 - Möhrmann, L. A1 - Fröhlich, M. A1 - Hübschmann, D. A1 - Stenzinger, A. A1 - Glimm, H. A1 - Fröhling, S. A1 - Goebeler, M. A1 - Rosenwald, A. A1 - Kutzner, H. A1 - Schilling, B. T1 - Cutaneous epithelioid haemangiomas show somatic mutations in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway JF - British Journal of Dermatology N2 - Background Epithelioid haemangioma (EH) arising from the skin is a benign vascular tumour with marked inflammatory cell infiltration, which exhibits a high tendency to persist and frequently recurs after resection. So far, the underlying pathogenesis is largely elusive. Objectives To identify genetic alterations by next-generation sequencing and/or droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) in cutaneous EH. Methods DNA and RNA from an EH lesion of an index patient were subjected to whole-genome and RNA sequencing. Multiplex PCR-based panel sequencing of genomic DNA isolated from archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue of 18 patients with cutaneous EH was performed. ddPCR was used to confirm mutations. Results We identified somatic mutations in genes of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway (MAP2K1 and KRAS) in cutaneous EH biopsies. By ddPCR we could confirm the recurrent presence of activating, low-frequency mutations affecting MAP2K1. In total, nine out of 18 patients analysed showed activating MAPK pathway mutations, which were mutually exclusive. Comparative analysis of tissue areas enriched for lymphatic infiltrate or aberrant endothelial cells, respectively, revealed an association of these mutations with the presence of endothelial cells. Conclusions Taken together, our data suggest that EH shows somatic mutations in genes of the MAPK pathway which might contribute to the formation of this benign tumour. KW - protein kinase pathway KW - Background Epithelioid haemangioma KW - somatic mutations Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-258333 VL - 186 IS - 3 ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Kneitz, H. A1 - Bröcker, Eva B. A1 - Becker, JC T1 - Mycosis fungoides bullosa: a case report and review of the literature N2 - Introduction: Mycosis fungoides, the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, can manifest in a variety of clinical and histological forms. Bulla formation is an uncommon finding in mycosis fungoides and only approximately 20 cases have been reported in the literature. Case presentation: We present a case of rapidly progressive mycosis fungoides in a 68-year-old Caucasian man who initially presented with erythematous plaques characterised by blister formation. Conclusion: Although mycosis fungoides bullosa is extremely rare, it has to be regarded as an important clinical subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Mycosis fungoides bullosa represents a particularly aggressive form of mycosis fungoides and is associated with a poor prognosis. The rapid disease progression in our patient confirms bulla formation as an adverse prognostic sign in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. KW - Mycosis fungoides bullosa Y1 - 2010 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-68233 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, J. G. A1 - Krenn, V. A1 - Schindler, C. A1 - Czub, S. A1 - Stahl-Henning, C. A1 - Coulibaly, C. A1 - Hunsmann, G. A1 - Kneitz, C. A1 - Kerkau, T. A1 - Rethwilm, A. A1 - ter Meulen, V. A1 - Müller-Hermelink, H. K. T1 - Alterations of Thymus Cortical Epithelium and Interdigitating Dendritic Cells but No Increase of Thymocyte Cell Death in the Early Course of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection JF - American Journal of Pathology N2 - The role of the thymus in the pathogenesis of simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was investigated in 18 juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). The thymus was infected from the first week post-SIVmac inoculation, but the amount of virus-positive cells was very low « 1 in 1 04 T cells) as demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. First morphological alteration was a narrowing of the cortex at 12 and 24 wpi. Morphometry revealed no increase of pyknotic T cells but a decrease of the proliferation rate andflow cytometry showed a reduction of the immature \(CD4^+/CD8^+\) double-positive T cells. Ultrastructural analysis revealed vacuolization, shrinkage, andfinally cytolysis of the cortical epithelial cells and the interdigitating dendritic cells. Immunofluorescence staining exhibited a widespread loss of cortical epithelial cells. This damage to the thymic microenvironment could explain the breakdown of the intrathymic T cell proliferation. It preceded fully developed simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and is therefore considered to play a major role in its pathogenesis. Y1 - 1993 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-128250 VL - 143 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bartl, Jasmin A1 - Scholz, Claus-Jürgen A1 - Hinterberger, Margareta A1 - Jungwirth, Susanne A1 - Wichart, Ildiko A1 - Rainer, Michael K. A1 - Kneitz, Susanne A1 - Danielczyk, Walter A1 - Tragl, Karl H. A1 - Fischer, Peter A1 - Riederer, Peter A1 - Grünblatt, Edna T1 - Disorder-specific effects of polymorphisms at opposing ends of the Insulin Degrading Enzymegene JF - BMC Medical Genetics N2 - Background Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is the ubiquitously expressed enzyme responsible for insulin and amyloid beta (Aβ) degradation. IDE gene is located on chromosome region 10q23-q25 and exhibits a well-replicated peak of linkage with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Several genetic association studies examined IDE gene as a susceptibility gene for Alzheimer's disease (AD), however with controversial results. Methods We examined associations of three IDE polymorphisms (IDE2, rs4646953; IDE7, rs2251101 and IDE9, rs1887922) with AD, Aβ42 plasma level and T2DM risk in the longitudinal Vienna Transdanube Aging (VITA) study cohort. Results The upstream polymorphism IDE2 was found to influence AD risk and to trigger the Aβ42 plasma level, whereas the downstream polymorphism IDE7 modified the T2DM risk; no associations were found for the intronic variant IDE9. Conclusions Based on our SNP and haplotype results, we delineate the model that IDE promoter and 3' untranslated region/downstream variation may have different effects on IDE expression, presumably a relevant endophenotype with disorder-specific effects on AD and T2DM susceptibility. KW - Insulin Degrading Enzyme Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137744 VL - 12 IS - 151 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, J. A1 - Krenn, V. A1 - Czub, S. A1 - Schindler, C. A1 - Kneitz, C. A1 - Kerkau, T. A1 - Stahl-Henning, C. A1 - Coulibaly, C. A1 - Hunsmann, G. A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - ter Meulen, Volker A1 - Müller-Hermelink, H. K. T1 - The thymus in SIV infection N2 - no abstract available KW - HIV-Infektion KW - Tierversuch KW - Tiermodell KW - Retroviren-Infektion KW - Kongress KW - Hamburg Y1 - 1993 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-80265 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weber, J. A1 - Glutsch, V. A1 - Geissinger, E. A1 - Haug, L. A1 - Lock, J.F. A1 - Schneider, F. A1 - Kneitz, H. A1 - Goebeler, M. A1 - Schilling, B. A1 - Gesierich, A. T1 - Neoadjuvant immunotherapy with combined ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with melanoma with primary or in transit disease JF - British Journal of Dermatology N2 - The introduction of new therapeutic agents has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma. The approval of adjuvant anti‐programmed death‐1 monotherapy with nivolumab or pembrolizumab, and dabrafenib plus trametinib has recently set a new landmark in the treatment of stage III melanoma. Now, clinical trials have shown that immune checkpoint blockade can be performed in a neoadjuvant setting, an approach established as a standard therapeutic approach for other tumour entities such as breast cancer. Recent studies suggest that a pathological response achieved by neoadjuvant immunotherapy is associated with long‐term tumour control and that short neoadjuvant application of checkpoint inhibitors may be superior to adjuvant therapy. Most recently, neoadjuvant ipilimumab plus nivolumab in stage III melanoma was reported. With two courses of dose‐optimized ipilimumab (1 mg kg−1) combined with nivolumab (3 mg kg−1), pathological responses were observed in 77% of patients, while only 20% of patients experienced grade 3 or 4 adverse events. However, the neoadjuvant trials employing combined immune checkpoint blockade conducted so far have excluded patients with in transit metastases, a common finding in stage III melanoma. Here we report four patients with in transit metastases or an advanced primary tumour who have been treated with neoadjuvant ipilimumab plus nivolumab according to the OpACIN‐neo trial scheme (arm B). All patients achieved radiological disease control and a pathological response. None of the patients has relapsed so far. KW - Immunotherapy Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-213520 VL - 183 IS - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Martinez-Bengochea, A. L. A1 - Kneitz, S. A1 - Herpin, A. A1 - Nobrega, R. H. A1 - Adolfi, M. C. A1 - Schartl, M. T1 - Sexual development dysgenesis in interspecific hybrids of Medaka fish JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Fish are amongst vertebrates the group with the highest diversity of known sex-determining genes. Particularly, the genus Oryzias is a suitable taxon to understand how different sex determination genetic networks evolved in closely related species. Two closely related species, O. latipes and O. curvinotus, do not only share the same XX/XY sex chromosome system, but also the same male sex-determining gene, dmrt1bY. We performed whole mRNA transcriptomes and morphology analyses of the gonads of hybrids resulting from reciprocal crosses between O. latipes and O. curvinotus. XY male hybrids, presenting meiotic arrest and no production of sperm were sterile, and about 30% of the XY hybrids underwent male-to-female sex reversal. Both XX and XY hybrid females exhibited reduced fertility and developed ovotestis while aging. Transcriptome data showed that male-related genes are upregulated in the XX and XY female hybrids. The transcriptomes of both types of female and of the male gonads are characterized by upregulation of meiosis and germ cell differentiation genes. Differences in the parental species in the downstream pathways of sexual development could explain sex reversal, sterility, and the development of intersex gonads in the hybrids. We hypothesize that male-to-female sex reversal may be connected to a different development time between species at which dmrt1bY expression starts. Our results provide molecular clues for the proximate mechanisms of hybrid incompatibility and Haldane’s rule. KW - sexual development dysgenesis KW - Medaka fish KW - sex-determining genes. Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-300295 VL - 12 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adolfi, Mateus C. A1 - Du, Kang A1 - Kneitz, Susanne A1 - Cabau, Cédric A1 - Zahm, Margot A1 - Klopp, Christophe A1 - Feron, Romain A1 - Paixão, Rômulo V. A1 - Varela, Eduardo S. A1 - de Almeida, Fernanda L. A1 - de Oliveira, Marcos A. A1 - Nóbrega, Rafael H. A1 - Lopez-Roques, Céline A1 - Iampietro, Carole A1 - Lluch, Jérôme A1 - Kloas, Werner A1 - Wuertz, Sven A1 - Schaefer, Fabian A1 - Stöck, Matthias A1 - Guiguen, Yann A1 - Schartl, Manfred T1 - A duplicated copy of id2b is an unusual sex-determining candidate gene on the Y chromosome of arapaima (Arapaima gigas) JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Arapaima gigas is one of the largest freshwater fish species of high ecological and economic importance. Overfishing and habitat destruction are severe threats to the remaining wild populations. By incorporating a chromosomal Hi-C contact map, we improved the arapaima genome assembly to chromosome-level, revealing an unexpected high degree of chromosome rearrangements during evolution of the bonytongues (Osteoglossiformes). Combining this new assembly with pool-sequencing of male and female genomes, we identified id2bbY, a duplicated copy of the inhibitor of DNA binding 2b (id2b) gene on the Y chromosome as candidate male sex-determining gene. A PCR-test for id2bbY was developed, demonstrating that this gene is a reliable male-specific marker for genotyping. Expression analyses showed that this gene is expressed in juvenile male gonads. Its paralog, id2ba, exhibits a male-biased expression in immature gonads. Transcriptome analyses and protein structure predictions confirm id2bbY as a prime candidate for the master sex-determiner. Acting through the TGF beta signaling pathway, id2bbY from arapaima would provide the first evidence for a link of this family of transcriptional regulators to sex determination. Our study broadens our current understanding about the evolution of sex determination genetic networks and provide a tool for improving arapaima aquaculture for commercial and conservation purposes. KW - evolutionary genetics KW - genetic markers KW - genome Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265672 VL - 11 IS - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Anelli, Viviana A1 - Ordas, Anita A1 - Kneitz, Susanne A1 - Sagredo, Leonel Munoz A1 - Gourain, Victor A1 - Schartl, Manfred A1 - Meijer, Annemarie H. A1 - Mione, Marina T1 - Ras-Induced miR-146a and 193a Target Jmjd6 to Regulate Melanoma Progression JF - Frontiers in Genetics N2 - Ras genes are among the most commonly mutated genes in human cancer; yet our understanding of their oncogenic activity at the molecular mechanistic level is incomplete. To identify downstream events that mediate ras-induced cellular transformation in vivo, we analyzed global microRNA expression in three different models of Ras-induction and tumor formation in zebrafish. Six microRNAs were found increased in Ras-induced melanoma, glioma and in an inducible model of ubiquitous Ras expression. The upregulation of the microRNAs depended on the activation of the ERK and AKT pathways and to a lesser extent, on mTOR signaling. Two Ras-induced microRNAs (miR-146a and 193a) target Jmjd6, inducing downregulation of its mRNA and protein levels at the onset of Ras expression during melanoma development. However, at later stages of melanoma progression, jmjd6 levels were found elevated. The dynamic of Jmjd6 levels during progression of melanoma in the zebrafish model suggests that upregulation of the microRNAs targeting Jmjd6 may be part of an anti-cancer response. Indeed, triple transgenic fish engineered to express a microRNA-resistant Jmjd6 from the onset of melanoma have increased tumor burden, higher infiltration of leukocytes and shorter melanoma-free survival. Increased JMJD6 expression is found in several human cancers, including melanoma, suggesting that the up-regulation of Jmjd6 is a critical event in tumor progression. The following link has been created to allow review of record GSE37015: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?token=jjcrbiuicyyqgpc&acc=GSE37015. KW - zebrafish KW - cancer models KW - microRNA KW - Jmjd6 KW - ras KW - melanoma KW - miR-146a KW - miR-193a Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-196963 SN - 1664-8021 VL - 9 IS - 675 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, J. G. A1 - Stahl-Hennig, Christiane A1 - Rethwilm, Axel A1 - Kneitz, C. A1 - Kerkau, Thomas A1 - Schmauser, B. A1 - Schindler, C A1 - Krenn, V. A1 - terMeulen, V. A1 - Müller-Hermelink, H.K. T1 - Morphologische Untersuchungen von Lymphknoten und Thymusin der Frühphase der SIV-Infektion bei Rhesus-Affen T1 - Morpholoical alterations of lymph nodes and thymus during the early course of SIV infection of rhesus monkeys N2 - Rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) were i. v. infected with SIV mac251. Three phases of lymph node changes were observed. 1: physiological follicular hyperplasia (3 and 6 weeks p.i.). 2: Alterations of germinal centers: loss of follicular mantle zone, fragmentation or sclerosis (12 and 24 weeks p.i.). 3: Partial depletion of T-lymphocytes, accumulation of plasma cells, increased numbers of syncytial giant cells, hemophgocytosis in the sinuses (about 1 year p.i.). The thymus of the juvenile animals showed first changes 12 and 24 weeks after infection with focalloss of immature (and Ki-67 positive) cortical thymocytes, leading to severe accidental involution of the thymuses one year after infection and reduced numbers of Hassalls corpuscles. These investigations show the value of this animal model for the study of morphology and pathogenesis of AIDS. KW - Affenimmundefizienzvirus Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-47183 ER -