TY - JOUR A1 - Proetel, Ulrike A1 - Pletsch, Nadine A1 - Lauseker, Michael A1 - Müller, Martin C. A1 - Hanfstein, Benjamin A1 - Krause, Stefan W. A1 - Kalmanti, Lida A1 - Schreiber, Annette A1 - Heim, Dominik A1 - Baerlocher, Gabriela M. A1 - Hofmann, Wolf-Karsten A1 - Lange, Elisabeth A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Wernli, Martin A1 - Kremers, Stephan A1 - Schlag, Rudolf A1 - Müller, Lothar A1 - Hänel, Mathias A1 - Link, Hartmut A1 - Hertenstein, Bernd A1 - Pfirrmann, Markus A1 - Hochhaus, Andreas A1 - Hasford, Joerg A1 - Hehlmann, Rüdiger A1 - Saußele, Susanne T1 - Older patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (≥65 years) profit more from higher imatinib doses than younger patients: a subanalysis of the randomized CML-Study IV JF - Annals of Hematology N2 - The impact of imatinib dose on response rates and survival in older patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase has not been studied well. We analyzed data from the German CML-Study IV, a randomized five-arm treatment optimization study in newly diagnosed BCR-ABL-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase. Patients randomized to imatinib 400 mg/day (IM400) or imatinib 800 mg/day (IM800) and stratified according to age (≥65 years vs. <65 years) were compared regarding dose, response, adverse events, rates of progression, and survival. The full 800 mg dose was given after a 6-week run-in period with imatinib 400 mg/day. The dose could then be reduced according to tolerability. A total of 828 patients were randomized to IM400 or IM800. Seven hundred eighty-four patients were evaluable (IM400, 382; IM800, 402). One hundred ten patients (29 %) on IM400 and 83 (21 %) on IM800 were ≥65 years. The median dose per day was lower for patients ≥65 years on IM800, with the highest median dose in the first year (466 mg/day for patients ≥65 years vs. 630 mg/day for patients <65 years). Older patients on IM800 achieved major molecular remission and deep molecular remission as fast as younger patients, in contrast to standard dose imatinib with which older patients achieved remissions much later than younger patients. Grades 3 and 4 adverse events were similar in both age groups. Five-year relative survival for older patients was comparable to that of younger patients. We suggest that the optimal dose for older patients is higher than 400 mg/day. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00055874 KW - chronic myeloid leukemia KW - older patients KW - different imatinib dose regimens KW - early applied higher imatinib dosages Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-121574 SN - 0939-5555 VL - 93 IS - 7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Houben, Roland A1 - Hesbacher, Sonja A1 - Schmid, Corinna P. A1 - Kauczok, Claudia S. A1 - Flohr, Ulrike A1 - Haferkamp, Sebastian A1 - Müller, Cornelia S. L. A1 - Schrama, David A1 - Wischhusen, Jörg A1 - Becker, Jürgen C. T1 - High-Level Expression of Wild-Type p53 in Melanoma Cells is Frequently Associated with Inactivity in p53 Reporter Gene Assays N2 - Background: Inactivation of the p53 pathway that controls cell cycle progression, apoptosis and senescence, has been proposed to occur in virtually all human tumors and p53 is the protein most frequently mutated in human cancer. However, the mutational status of p53 in melanoma is still controversial; to clarify this notion we analysed the largest series of melanoma samples reported to date. Methodology/Principal Findings: Immunohistochemical analysis of more than 180 melanoma specimens demonstrated that high levels of p53 are expressed in the vast majority of cases. Subsequent sequencing of the p53 exons 5–8, however, revealed only in one case the presence of a mutation. Nevertheless, by means of two different p53 reporter constructs we demonstrate transcriptional inactivity of wild type p53 in 6 out of 10 melanoma cell lines; the 4 other p53 wild type melanoma cell lines exhibit p53 reporter gene activity, which can be blocked by shRNA knock down of p53. Conclusions/Significance: In melanomas expressing high levels of wild type p53 this tumor suppressor is frequently inactivated at transcriptional level. KW - Krebs KW - Hautkrebs Y1 - 2011 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-69012 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scheer, Ulrich A1 - Sommerville, John A1 - Müller, Ulrike T1 - DNA is assembled into globular supranucleosomal chromatin structures by nuclear contents of amphibian oocytes N2 - The assembly of DNA into nucleosomal and supranucleosomal chromatin structures has been studied (i) by injection of circular DNA molecules (plasmids) into nuclei of Pleurodeles waltlii oocytes; and (ii) by in vitro incubation of plasmid molecules with the supernatant fraction from oocyte nuclei of Pleurodeles and Xenopus laevis, followed by purification of nucleoprotein structures formed with sucrose gradient centrifugation. [n both types of experiments , spread preparations of the newly assembled and transcriptionally inactive chromatin , examined by electron microscopy , show dense globular higher order (supranucleosomal) packing forms. Under partially relaxing (low salt) preparation conditions granular chromatin subunits of about 30 nm diameter can be seen either as widely spaced particles or in closely packed aggregates. The transcriptionally inactive endogenous chromatin of chromomeres of lampbrush chromosomes is arranged in similar higher order chromatin units. A correlation is found between the sizes of the DN A molecule probes used and the numbers of nucleosomes and higher order globules in the assembled chromatin structures. After prolonged dispersion in low salt buffers , these globular chromatin units unfold into chains of7-12 nucleosomes. The results support the concept that chromatin is arranged , under physiological ion concentrations as they are present in the nucleus , in supranucleosomal units of globular morphology. Y1 - 1980 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-39671 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zentgraf, Hanswalter A1 - Trendelenburg, Michael F. A1 - Spring, Herbert A1 - Scheer, Ulrich A1 - Franke, Werner W. A1 - Müller, Ulrike A1 - Drury, Kenneth C. A1 - Rungger, Duri T1 - Mitochondrial DNA arranged into chromatin-like structures after injection into amphibian oocyte nuclei N2 - Purified mitochondrial DNA (mitDNA) from ovaries ofXenopus lae vis was injected into the nuclei (germinal vesicles) of large viteUogenic oocytes of the same organism and examined by electron microscopy ofthe spread nuclear contents. Normally located nuclei of untreated oocytes as weil as peripherally translocated nuclei of centrifuged oocytes were used. In addition, oocyte nuclei isolated and incubated under liquid paraffin oil were injected with DNA. The integrity oftranscriptional structures of endogenous chromosomal (Iampbrush chromosomes) and extrachromosomal (nucleoli) genes of the injected nuclei was demonstrated. Microinjected mitDN A was identified as circles of chromatin exhibiting polynucleosome-like organization and a me an contour length of 2.6 J.Lm, corresponding to a compaction ratio of the mitDN A of about 2 : I. This DNA packing ratio is similar to that observed after preparation of various kinds of native chromatin in low salt buffers. The chromatin circles formed from injected mitDNA only very rarely exhibited lateral fibrils suggestive of transcriptional activity. These results suggest that purified mitDNA can be transformed to normally structured chromatin when exposed to oocyte nuclear contents but is rarely , if at all , transcribed in this form and in this environment. Y1 - 1979 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-33174 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hanfstein, Benjamin A1 - Lauseker, Michael A1 - Hehlmann, Rüdiger A1 - Saussele, Susanne A1 - Erben, Philipp A1 - Dietz, Christian A1 - Fabarius, Alice A1 - Proetel, Ulrike A1 - Schnittger, Susanne A1 - Haferlach, Claudia A1 - Krause, Stefan W. A1 - Schubert, Jörg A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Hänel, Mathias A1 - Dengler, Jolanta A1 - Falge, Christiane A1 - Kanz, Lothar A1 - Neubauer, Andreas A1 - Kneba, Michael A1 - Stengelmann, Frank A1 - Pfreundschuh, Michael A1 - Waller, Cornelius F. A1 - Spiekerman, Karsten A1 - Baerlocher, Gabriela M. A1 - Pfirrmann, Markus A1 - Hasford, Joerg A1 - Hofmann, Wolf-Karsten A1 - Hochhaus, Andreas A1 - Müller, Martin C. T1 - Distinct characteristics of e13a2 versus e14a2 BCR-ABL1 driven chronic myeloid leukemia under first-line therapy with imatinib JF - Haematologica N2 - The vast majority of chronic myeloid leukemia patients express a BCR-ABL1 fusion gene mRNA encoding a 210 kDa tyrosine kinase which promotes leukemic transformation. A possible differential impact of the corresponding BCR-ABL1 transcript variants e13a2 ("b2a2") and e14a2 ("b3a2") on disease phenotype and outcome is still a subject of debate. A total of 1105 newly diagnosed imatinib-treated patients were analyzed according to transcript type at diagnosis (e13a2, n=451; e14a2, n=496; e13a2+e14a2, n=158). No differences regarding age, sex, or Euro risk score were observed. A significant difference was found between e13a2 and e14a2 when comparing white blood cells (88 vs. 65 x 10(9)/L, respectively; P<0.001) and platelets (296 vs. 430 x 109/L, respectively; P<0.001) at diagnosis, indicating a distinct disease phenotype. No significant difference was observed regarding other hematologic features, including spleen size and hematologic adverse events, during imatinib-based therapies. Cumulative molecular response was inferior in e13a2 patients (P=0.002 for major molecular response; P<0.001 for MR4). No difference was observed with regard to cytogenetic response and overall survival. In conclusion, e13a2 and e14a2 chronic myeloid leukemia seem to represent distinct biological entities. However, clinical outcome under imatinib treatment was comparable and no risk prediction can be made according to e13a2 versus e14a2 BCR-ABL1 transcript type at diagnosis. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 00055874) KW - chronic myelogenous leukemia KW - polymerase-chain-reaktion KW - hybrid messenger RNA KW - chronic phase KW - cytogenetic response KW - no correlation KW - ABL gene KW - transcripts KW - breakpoint KW - survival Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-115476 SN - 1592-8721 VL - 99 IS - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bartmann, Catharina A1 - Fischer, Leah-Maria A1 - Hübner, Theresa A1 - Müller-Reiter, Max A1 - Wöckel, Achim A1 - McNeill, Rhiannon V. A1 - Schlaiss, Tanja A1 - Kittel-Schneider, Sarah A1 - Kämmerer, Ulrike A1 - Diessner, Joachim T1 - The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological stress in breast cancer patients JF - BMC Cancer N2 - Background: The majority of breast cancer patients are severely psychologically affected by breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent therapeutic procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on public life have additionally caused significant psychological distress for much of the population. It is therefore plausible that breast cancer patients might be particularly susceptible to the additional psychological stress caused by the pandemic, increasing suffering. In this study we therefore aimed to assess the level of psychological distress currently experienced by a defined group of breast cancer patients in our breast cancer centre, compared to distress levels preCOVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Female breast cancer patients of all ages receiving either adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or palliative therapies were recruited for the study. All patients were screened for current or previous COVID-19 infection. The participants completed a self-designed COVID-19 pandemic questionnaire, the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (R) (NCCN (R)) Distress Thermometer (DT), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ C30, and the BR23. Results: Eighty-two breast cancer patients were included. Therapy status and social demographic factors did not have a significant effect on the distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the DT pre and during COVID-19 pandemic did not differ significantly. Using the self-designed COVID-19 pandemic questionnaire, we detected three distinct subgroups demonstrating different levels of concerns in relation to SARS-CoV-2. The subgroup with the highest levels of concern reported significantly decreased life quality, related parameters and symptoms. Conclusions: This monocentric study demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected psychological health in a subpopulation of breast cancer patients. The application of a self-created "COVID-19 pandemic questionnaire"could potentially be used to help identify breast cancer patients who are susceptible to increased psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore may need additional intensive psychological support. KW - COVID-19 KW - breast cancer KW - psychological distress Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265802 VL - 21 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 - Saussele, Susanne A1 - Hehlmann, Ruediger A1 - Fabarius, Alice A1 - Jeromin, Sabine A1 - Proetel, Ulrike A1 - Rinaldetti, Sebastien A1 - Kohlbrenner, Katharina A1 - Einsele, Hermann A1 - Falge, Christine A1 - Kanz, Lothar A1 - Neubauer, Andreas A1 - Kneba, Michael A1 - Stegelmann, Frank A1 - Pfreundschuh, Michael A1 - Waller, Cornelius F. A1 - Oppliger Leibundgut, Elisabeth A1 - Heim, Dominik A1 - Krause, Stefan W. A1 - Hofmann, Wolf-Karsten A1 - Hasford, Joerg A1 - Pfirrmann, Markus A1 - Müller, Martin C. A1 - Hochhaus, Andreas A1 - Lauseker, Michael T1 - Defining therapy goals for major molecular remission in chronic myeloid leukemia: results of the randomized CML Study IV JF - Leukemia N2 - Major molecular remission (MMR) is an important therapy goal in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). So far, MMR is not a failure criterion according to ELN management recommendation leading to uncertainties when to change therapy in CML patients not reaching MMR after 12 months. At monthly landmarks, for different molecular remission status Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated for patients registered to CML study IV who were divided in a learning and a validation sample. The minimum HR for MMR was found at 2.5 years with 0.28 (compared to patients without remission). In the validation sample, a significant advantage for progression-free survival (PFS) for patients in MMR could be detected (p-value 0.007). The optimal time to predict PFS in patients with MMR could be validated in an independent sample at 2.5 years. With our model we provide a suggestion when to define lack of MMR as therapy failure and thus treatment change should be considered. The optimal response time for 1% BCR-ABL at about 12-15 months was confirmed and for deep molecular remission no specific time point was detected. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that the earlier the MMR is achieved the higher is the chance to attain deep molecular response later. KW - Chronic myeloid leukaemia KW - Molecularly targeted therapy KW - Risk factors KW - Risk factors KW - Translational research Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227528 VL - 32 IS - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hanitsch, Leif A1 - Baumann, Ulrich A1 - Boztug, Kaan A1 - Burkhard‐Meier, Ulrike A1 - Fasshauer, Maria A1 - Habermehl, Pirmin A1 - Hauck, Fabian A1 - Klock, Gerd A1 - Liese, Johannes A1 - Meyer, Oliver A1 - Müller, Rainer A1 - Pachlopnik‐Schmid, Jana A1 - Pfeiffer‐Kascha, Dorothea A1 - Warnatz, Klaus A1 - Wehr, Claudia A1 - Wittke, Kirsten A1 - Niehues, Tim A1 - von Bernuth, Horst T1 - Treatment and management of primary antibody deficiency: German interdisciplinary evidence‐based consensus guideline JF - European Journal of Immunology N2 - This evidence‐based clinical guideline provides consensus‐recommendations for the treatment and care of patients with primary antibody deficiencies (PADs). The guideline group comprised 20 clinical and scientific expert associations of the German, Swiss, and Austrian healthcare system and representatives of patients. Recommendations were based on results of a systematic literature search, data extraction, and evaluation of methodology and study quality in combination with the clinical expertise of the respective representatives. Consensus‐based recommendations were determined via nominal group technique. PADs are the largest clinically relevant group of primary immunodeficiencies. Most patients with PADs present with increased susceptibility to infections, however immune dysregulation, autoimmunity, and cancer affect a significant number of patients and may precede infections. This guideline therefore covers interdisciplinary clinical and therapeutic aspects of infectious (e.g., antibiotic prophylaxis, management of bronchiectasis) and non‐infectious manifestations (e.g., management of granulomatous disease, immune cytopenia). PADs are grouped into disease entities with definitive, probable, possible, or unlikely benefit of IgG‐replacement therapy. Summary and consensus‐recommendations are provided for treatment indication, dosing, routes of administration, and adverse events of IgG‐replacement therapy. Special aspects of concomitant impaired T‐cell function are highlighted as well as clinical data on selected monogenetic inborn errors of immunity formerly classified into PADs (APDS, CTLA‐4‐, and LRBA‐deficiency). KW - autoimmunity KW - CVID KW - hypogammaglobulinemia KW - immunoglobulins KW - primary antibody deficiency Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-225731 VL - 50 IS - 10 SP - 1432 EP - 1446 ER -