Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is considered as a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and as the most prevalent chronic liver disease in the world, with up to 30% of adults being affected. This reversible pathology can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which additionally involves hepatic inflammation and liver cell damage.
The use of gadolinium-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) raises serious safety concerns. Iron oxide nanoparticle-based contrast agents might serve as an alternative, however, currently in Europe no particles are available for this application, and the off-label use of the iron replacement agent ferumoxytol (Feraheme®) as a contrast agent is associated with increased risk to the patients. To address this problem, we developed novel iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONDex) with dextran coating.
MYB ist ein Protein, das im Zellkern unreifer Vorläuferzellen des Blutsystems die Expression von Genen steuert, die ihrerseits bei der Vermehrung und Ausdifferenzierung der Zellen beteiligt sind. Eine hohe Aktivität des Proteins, u. a. bedingt durch seine Kooperation mit dem p300 Protein, ist mit der Entstehung von Leukämien, insbesondere der akuten myeloischen Leukämie (AML), in Verbindung gebracht worden. Unsere Arbeitsgruppe hat Testsysteme entwickelt, mit denen wir niedermolekulare Substanzen auf ihre Fähigkeit, die Aktivität des MYB Proteins zu inhibieren, untersuchen können.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an inherited, progressive muscle wasting disease. The absent dystrophin protein results in structural instability of the dystrophin-glycoprotein-complex and muscle degeneration. In addition, myoinflammation has been implicated in disease progression and therapeutically addressed by glucocorticosteroids, which have numerous side effects. Alternatively, human immunoglobulin G (IgG) demonstrated an improvement of clinical and paraclinical parameters in a DMD mouse model.
Inhibition of anti-apoptotic BCL2 proteins with BH3-mimetics is a highly promising novel strategy for the treatment of cancer, which is evidenced by the clinical success of Venetoclax in treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. In this project we will investigate the potential of BH3-mimetics for the treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). The recent development of highly potent and selective inhibitors of BCL2, BCL-XL and MCL1 allows us to investigate the importance of these anti-apoptotic proteins for DLBCL and characterize pathways of apoptosis resistance.
Aktuelle Krebs-Therapien richten sich verstärkt auf den Tumor und seltener auf dessen Streuverhalten. Die Entwicklung von Metastasen hat aber einen wichtigen Einfluss auf das Überleben von Patienten. Um effiziente Therapien zu entwickeln, muss daher noch genau verstanden werden, wie Krebszellen metastasieren. IL-22 ist ein wichtiger Botenstoff, zwischen Immunzellen und dem Gewebe. Neben vielen positiven Effekten kann IL-22 auch das Tumorwachstum fördern. Daher ist es wichtig, den Einfluss von IL-22 zu kontrollieren.
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are heterogenic and rare muscle diseases featuring a progressive, autoimmune destruction of muscle tissue by infiltrating immune cells. The immune-cell infiltration is regulated by an interaction of endothelial- and muscle cells forming a functional “myovascular” unit. The potassium channel TREK1, has been implicated as important regulator of immune-cell infiltration into the brain.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in men. The curative treatment of choice is surgical removal of the tumor. Unfortunately, small tumor lesions and micrometastases are difficult to find during surgery and may be left inside the patient’s body where they ultimately can cause disease recurrence.
It is assumed that paraneoplastic neurological symptoms arise from misdirected immune reactions that are initially targeted towards tumors. The molecular events of this misdirected attack are still enigmatic. We recently cloned and expressed an antibody from an encephalitis patient with autoantibodies against the GABA-A-receptor on neurons. The antibody recognizes not only the receptor but also a known tumor antigen.
Intraoperative hypotension (decrease in blood pressure during surgery) and its consequences affect a large proportion of the population in Germany with almost 16 million operations per year. The potential complications of intraoperative hypotension are extremely serious, as they affect vital organ functions - such as brain performance. Through an individualized perioperative therapy concept, the working group wants to advance the concept of personalized blood pressure therapy.
