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Schildknecht K, Samans B, Gussmann J, Baron U, Raschke E, Babel N, Oppatt J, Gellhaus K, Rossello A, Janack I, Olek S. Specifications of qPCR based epigenetic immune cell quantification. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:615-626. [PMID: 37982750 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Immune monitoring is an important aspect in diagnostics and clinical trials for patients with compromised immune systems. Flow cytometry is the standard method for immune cell counting but faces limitations. Best practice guidelines are available, but lack of standardization complicates compliance with e.g., in vitro diagnostic regulations. Limited sample availability forces immune monitoring to predominantly use population-based reference intervals. Epigenetic qPCR has evolved as alternative with broad applicability and low logistical demands. Analytical performance specifications (APS) have been defined for qPCR in several regulated fields including testing of genetically modified organisms or vector-shedding. METHODS APS were characterized using five epigenetic qPCR-based assays quantifying CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T, B and NK cells in light of regulatory requirements. RESULTS Epigenetic qPCR meets all specifications including bias, variability, linearity, ruggedness and sample stability as suggested by pertinent guidelines and regulations. The assays were subsequently applied to capillary blood from 25 normal donors over a 28-day period. Index of individuality (IoI) and reference change values were determined to evaluate potential diagnostic gains of individual reference intervals. Analysis of the IoI suggests benefits for individual over population-based references. Reference change values (RCVs) show that changes of approx. Fifty percent from prior measurement are suggestive for clinically relevant changes in any of the 5 cell types. CONCLUSIONS The demonstrated precision, long-term stability and obtained RCVs render epigenetic cell counting a promising tool for immune monitoring in clinical trials and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Schildknecht
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Björn Samans
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jasmin Gussmann
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Raschke
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Marienhospital Herne, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Centrum für Translationale Medizin, Herne, Germany
| | - Julia Oppatt
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Araceli Rossello
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabell Janack
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Olek
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis, Precision for Medicine GmbH, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Baron U, Werner J, Schildknecht K, Schulze JJ, Mulu A, Liebert UG, Sack U, Speckmann C, Gossen M, Wong RJ, Stevenson DK, Babel N, Schürmann D, Baldinger T, Bacchetta R, Grützkau A, Borte S, Olek S. Epigenetic immune cell counting in human blood samples for immunodiagnostics. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/452/eaan3508. [PMID: 30068569 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aan3508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Immune cell profiles provide valuable diagnostic information for hematologic and immunologic diseases. Although it is the most widely applied analytical approach, flow cytometry is limited to liquid blood. Moreover, either analysis must be performed with fresh samples or cell integrity needs to be guaranteed during storage and transport. We developed epigenetic real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for analysis of human leukocyte subpopulations. After method establishment, whole blood from 25 healthy donors and 97 HIV+ patients as well as dried spots from 250 healthy newborns and 24 newborns with primary immunodeficiencies were analyzed. Concordance between flow cytometric and epigenetic data for neutrophils and B, natural killer, CD3+ T, CD8+ T, CD4+ T, and FOXP3+ regulatory T cells was evaluated, demonstrating substantial equivalence between epigenetic qPCR analysis and flow cytometry. Epigenetic qPCR achieves both relative and absolute quantifications. Applied to dried blood spots, epigenetic immune cell quantification was shown to identify newborns suffering from various primary immunodeficiencies. Using epigenetic qPCR not only provides a precise means for immune cell counting in fresh-frozen blood but also extends applicability to dried blood spots. This method could expand the ability for screening immune defects and facilitates diagnostics of unobservantly collected samples, for example, in underdeveloped areas, where logistics are major barriers to screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udo Baron
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jeannette Werner
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Konstantin Schildknecht
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Janika J Schulze
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andargaschew Mulu
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, 04009 Leipzig, Germany.,Armauer Hansen Research Institute, 1005 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Uwe-Gerd Liebert
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, 04009 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sack
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, 04009 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carsten Speckmann
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency and Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Gossen
- Institute of Biomaterial Science, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, 14513 Teltow, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ronald J Wong
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David K Stevenson
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nina Babel
- Marienhospital Herne, Medizinische Klinik I, Universität Bochum, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Dirk Schürmann
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tina Baldinger
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rosa Bacchetta
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum, an Institute of the Leibniz Association, Immune Monitoring Core Facility, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Borte
- ImmunoDeficiencyCenter Leipzig, Municipal Hospital St. Georg Leipzig, 04129 Leipzig, Germany. .,Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge at Karolinska Institutet, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven Olek
- Ivana Türbachova Laboratory for Epigenetics, Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
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3
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Schlundt C, Reinke S, Geissler S, Bucher CH, Giannini C, Märdian S, Dahne M, Kleber C, Samans B, Baron U, Duda GN, Volk HD, Schmidt-Bleek K. Individual Effector/Regulator T Cell Ratios Impact Bone Regeneration. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1954. [PMID: 31475013 PMCID: PMC6706871 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that T lymphocytes play a key role in controlling endogenous regeneration. Regeneration appears to be impaired in case of local accumulation of CD8+ effector T cells (TEFF), impairing endogenous regeneration by increasing a primary “useful” inflammation toward a damaging level. Thus, rescuing regeneration by regulating the heightened pro-inflammatory reaction employing regulatory CD4+ T (TReg) cells could represent an immunomodulatory option to enhance healing. Hypothesis was that CD4+ TReg might counteract undesired effects of CD8+ TEFF. Using adoptive TReg transfer, bone healing was consistently improved in mice possessing an inexperienced immune system with low amounts of CD8+ TEFF. In contrast, mice with an experienced immune system (high amounts of CD8+ TEFF) showed heterogeneous bone repair with regeneration being dependent upon the individual TEFF/TReg ratio. Thus, the healing outcome can only be improved by an adoptive TReg therapy, if an unfavorable TEFF/TReg ratio can be reshaped; if the individual CD8+ TEFF percentage, which is dependent on the individual immune experience can be changed toward a favorable ratio by the TReg transfer. Remarkably, also in patients with impaired fracture healing the TEFF/TReg ratio was higher compared to uneventful healers, validating our finding in the mouse osteotomy model. Our data demonstrate for the first time the key-role of a balanced TEFF/TReg response following injury needed to reach successful regeneration using bone as a model system. Considering this strategy, novel opportunities for immunotherapy in patients, which are at risk for impaired healing by targeting TEFF cells and supporting TReg cells to enhance healing are possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Schlundt
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Reinke
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Geissler
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian H Bucher
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carolin Giannini
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Märdian
- Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Dahne
- Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Kleber
- University Center of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Medicine Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Björn Samans
- Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Epiontis GmbH, Precision for Medicine Group, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg N Duda
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Dieter Volk
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Schmidt-Bleek
- Julius Wolff Institut and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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4
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Stervbo U, Pohlmann D, Baron U, Bozzetti C, Jürchott K, Mälzer JN, Nienen M, Olek S, Roch T, Schulz AR, Warth S, Neumann A, Thiel A, Grützkau A, Babel N. Age dependent differences in the kinetics of γδ T cells after influenza vaccination. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181161. [PMID: 28700738 PMCID: PMC5507438 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosenescence is a hallmark of the aging immune system and is considered the main cause of a reduced vaccine efficacy in the elderly. Although γδ T cells can become activated by recombinant influenza hemagglutinin, their age-related immunocompetence during a virus-induced immune response has so far not been investigated. In this study we evaluate the kinetics of γδ T cells after vaccination with the trivalent 2011/2012 northern hemisphere seasonal influenza vaccine. We applied multi-parametric flow cytometry to a cohort of 21 young (19–30 years) and 23 elderly (53–67 years) healthy individuals. Activated and proliferating γδ T cells, as identified by CD38 and Ki67 expression, were quantified on the days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21. We observed a significantly lower number of activated and proliferating γδ T cells at baseline and following vaccination in elderly as compared to young individuals. The kinetics changes of activated γδ T cells were much stronger in the young, while corresponding changes in the elderly occurred slower. In addition, we observed an association between day 21 HAI titers of influenza A and the frequencies of Ki67+ γδ T cells at day 7 in the young. In conclusion, aging induces alterations of the γδ T cell response that might have negative implications for vaccination efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Stervbo
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, Herne, Germany
| | - Dominika Pohlmann
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cecilia Bozzetti
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Jürchott
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Nora Mälzer
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mikalai Nienen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, Herne, Germany
| | - Sven Olek
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, Berlin, Germany
| | - Toralf Roch
- Institute of Biomaterial Science and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research, Kantstraße 55, Teltow, Germany
| | - Axel Ronald Schulz
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.,Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin-a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Warth
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Avidan Neumann
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Thiel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin-a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité -Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Clinic I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, Herne, Germany
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5
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Stervbo U, Bozzetti C, Baron U, Jürchott K, Meier S, Mälzer JN, Nienen M, Olek S, Rachwalik D, Schulz AR, Neumann A, Babel N, Grützkau A, Thiel A. Erratum to: Effects of aging on human leukocytes (part II): immunophenotyping of adaptive immune B and T cell subsets. Age (Dordr) 2016; 38:535-536. [PMID: 27747451 PMCID: PMC5266212 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-016-9928-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Stervbo
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum - a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625, Herne, Germany
| | - Cecilia Bozzetti
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Jürchott
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Meier
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Nora Mälzer
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mikalai Nienen
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625, Herne, Germany
| | - Sven Olek
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominika Rachwalik
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Axel Ronald Schulz
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Avidan Neumann
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625, Herne, Germany
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum - a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Thiel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité - University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
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Dimitrova D, Ruscito I, Olek S, Richter R, Hellwag A, Türbachova I, Woopen H, Baron U, Braicu EI, Sehouli J. Germline mutations of BRCA1 gene exon 11 are not associated with platinum response neither with survival advantage in patients with primary ovarian cancer: understanding the clinical importance of one of the biggest human exons. A study of the Tumor Bank Ovarian Cancer (TOC) Consortium. Tumour Biol 2016; 37:12329-12337. [DOI: 10.1007/s13277-016-5109-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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Karweina D, Kreuzer-Redmer S, Müller U, Franken T, Pieper R, Baron U, Olek S, Zentek J, Brockmann GA. The Zinc Concentration in the Diet and the Length of the Feeding Period Affect the Methylation Status of the ZIP4 Zinc Transporter Gene in Piglets. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143098. [PMID: 26599865 PMCID: PMC4658085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High doses of zinc oxide are commonly used in weaned pig diets to improve performance and health. Recent reports show that this may also lead to an imbalanced zinc homeostasis in the animal. For a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of different zinc intakes, we performed a feeding experiment to assess potential epigenetic regulation of the ZIP4 gene expression via DNA methylation in the small intestine of piglets. Fifty-four piglets were fed diets with 57 (LZn), 164 (NZn) or 2,425 (HZn) mg Zn/kg feed for one or four weeks. The ZIP4 expression data provided significant evidence for counter-regulation of zinc absorption with higher dietary zinc concentrations. The CpG +735 in the second exon had a 56% higher methylation in the HZn group compared to the others after one week of feeding (8.0·10-4 < p < 0.035); the methylation of this CpG was strongly negatively associated with the expression of the long ZIP4 transcripts (p < 0.007). In the LZn and NZn diets, the expression of the long ZIP4 transcripts were lower after four vs. one week of feeding (2.9·10-4 < p < 0.017). The strongest switch leading to high DNA methylation in nearly all analysed regions was dependent on feeding duration or age in all diet groups (3.7·10-10 < p < 0.099). The data suggest that DNA methylation serves as a fine-tuning mechanism of ZIP4 gene regulation to maintain zinc homeostasis. Methylation of the ZIP4 gene may play a minor role in the response to very high dietary zinc concentration, but may affect binding of alternate zinc-responsive transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Karweina
- Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agri- and Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Kreuzer-Redmer
- Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agri- and Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Müller
- Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agri- and Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Franken
- Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agri- and Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Pieper
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Jürgen Zentek
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gudrun A. Brockmann
- Breeding Biology and Molecular Genetics, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agri- and Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
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8
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Bégin P, Schulze J, Baron U, Olek S, Bauer RN, Passerini L, Baccheta R, Nadeau KC. Human in vitro induced T regulatory cells and memory T cells share common demethylation of specific FOXP3 promoter region. Clin Transl Allergy 2015; 5:35. [PMID: 26500760 PMCID: PMC4617722 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-015-0079-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The FOXP3 gene is the master regulator for T regulatory cells and is under tight DNA methylation control at the Treg specific demethylated region (TSDR) in its first intron. This said, methylation of its promoter region, the significance of which is unknown, has also been associated with various immune-related disease states such as asthma, food allergy, auto-immunity and cancer. Here, we used induced T regulatory cells (iTreg) as a target cell population to identify candidate hypomethylated CpG sites in the FOXP3 gene promoter to design a DNA methylation quantitative assay for this region. Findings Three CpG sites at the promoter region showed clear demethylation pattern associated with high FOXP3 expression after activation in presence of TGFβ and were selected as primary targets to design methylation-dependent RT-PCR primers and probes. We then examined the methylation of this ‘inducible-promoter-demethylated-region’ (IPDR) in various FOXP3+ T cell subsets. Both naïve and memory thymic-derived Treg cells were found to be fully demethylated at both the IPDR and TSDR. Interestingly, in addition to iTregs, both CD25− and CD25lo conventional memory CD4+CD45RA− T cells displayed a high fraction of IPDR demethylated cells in absence of TSDR demethylation. Conclusion This implies that the fraction of memory T cells should be taken in account when interpreting FOXP3 promoter methylation results from clinical studies. This approach, which is available for testing in clinical samples could have diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with immune or auto-inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Bégin
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA.,Division of Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca N Bauer
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Laura Passerini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosa Baccheta
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA.,San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Kari C Nadeau
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
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9
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Stervbo U, Bozzetti C, Baron U, Jürchott K, Meier S, Mälzer JN, Nienen M, Olek S, Rachwalik D, Schulz AR, Neumann A, Babel N, Grützkau A, Thiel A. Effects of aging on human leukocytes (part II): immunophenotyping of adaptive immune B and T cell subsets. Age (Dordr) 2015; 37:93. [PMID: 26324156 PMCID: PMC5005833 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-015-9829-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Immunosenescence results from a continuous deterioration of immune responses resulting in a decreased response to vaccines. A well-described age-related alteration of the immune system is the decrease of de novo generation of T and B cells. In addition, the accumulation of memory cells and loss of diversity in antigen specificities resulting from a lifetime of exposure to pathogens has also been described. However, the effect of aging on subsets of γδTCR(+) T cells and Tregs has been poorly described, and the efficacy of the recall response to common persistent infections in the elderly remains obscure. Here, we investigated alterations in the subpopulations of the B and T cells among 24 healthy young (aged 19-30) and 26 healthy elderly (aged 53-67) individuals. The analysis was performed by flow cytometry using freshly collected peripheral blood. γδTCR(+) T cells were overall decreased, while CD4(+)CD8(-) cells among γδTCR(+) T cells were increased in the elderly. Helios(+)Foxp3(+) and Helios(-)Foxp3(+) Treg cells were unaffected with age. Recent thymic emigrants, based on CD31 expression, were decreased among the Helios(+)Foxp3(+), but not the Helios(-)Foxp3(+) cell populations. We observed a decrease in Adenovirus-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and an increase in CMV-specific CD4(+) T cells in the elderly. Similarly, INFγ(+)TNFα(+) double-positive cells were decreased among activated T cells after Adenovirus stimulation but increased after CMV stimulation. The data presented here indicate that γδTCR(+) T cells might stabilize B cells, and functional senescence might dominate at higher ages than those studied here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Stervbo
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum – a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Cecilia Bozzetti
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Jürchott
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Meier
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Nora Mälzer
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mikalai Nienen
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Sven Olek
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominika Rachwalik
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Axel Ronald Schulz
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Avidan Neumann
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum – a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Thiel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
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Stervbo U, Meier S, Mälzer JN, Baron U, Bozzetti C, Jürchott K, Nienen M, Olek S, Rachwalik D, Schulz AR, Waldner JM, Neumann A, Babel N, Grützkau A, Thiel A. Effects of aging on human leukocytes (part I): immunophenotyping of innate immune cells. Age (Dordr) 2015; 37:92. [PMID: 26324155 PMCID: PMC5005831 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-015-9828-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Immunosenescence is a hallmark of the aging immune system, leading to increased susceptibility to infections in the aged population and decreased ability to eradicate infectious pathogens. These effects, in turn, result in an increased burden on the healthcare system due to elevated frequency and duration of hospital visits. Growing evidence suggests that cells of the innate immune system are central modulators for the initiation and maintenance of an adequate pathogen-specific response through the adaptive immune system. While there are many reports on age-dependent alterations and dysfunctions of the adaptive immune system, the underlying mechanisms and effects of natural aging on the composition of the innate immune system remain unknown. Here, we present the results obtained from the comprehensive immunophenotyping of innate leukocyte populations, examined for age-related alterations within different sub-populations assessed using multi-parametric flow cytometry. We compared peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 24 young (aged 19-30 years) and 26 elderly (aged 53-67 years) donors. For classical CD16(+)CD56(dim) NK cells, the fraction of CD62L(+)CD57(+) was diminished in the elderly donors compared with young individuals, while the other investigated NK subsets remained unaffected by age. Both transitional monocytes and non-classical CD14(+-)CD16(++) monocytes were increased in the elderly compared with the young. The populations of pDCs and mDC2 were decreased among the elderly. These data demonstrate that the dynamics of the mDC subsets might counteract decreased virus surveillance. Furthermore, these data show that the maturation of NK cells might gradually slow down.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrik Stervbo
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum – a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Sarah Meier
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Nora Mälzer
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Udo Baron
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Cecilia Bozzetti
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Jürchott
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mikalai Nienen
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Sven Olek
- Epiontis GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominika Rachwalik
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Axel Ronald Schulz
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Marcel Waldner
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Avidan Neumann
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Marienhospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum – a Leibniz Institute, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Thiel
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité – University Medicine, Föhrer Str. 15, 13353 Berlin, Germany
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11
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Thomas AA, Fisher JL, Rahme GJ, Hampton TH, Baron U, Olek S, Schwachula T, Rhodes CH, Gui J, Tafe LJ, Tsongalis GJ, Lefferts JA, Wishart H, Kleen J, Miller M, Whipple CA, de Abreu FB, Ernstoff MS, Fadul CE. Regulatory T cells are not a strong predictor of survival for patients with glioblastoma. Neuro Oncol 2015; 17:801-9. [PMID: 25618892 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nou363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are potentially prognostic indicators in patients with glioblastoma. If differences in frequency of Tregs in tumor or blood account for substantial variation in patient survival, then reliably measuring Tregs may enhance treatment selection and improve outcomes. METHODS We measured Tregs and CD3+ T cells in tumors and blood from 25 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Tumor-infiltrating Tregs and CD3+ T cells, measured by quantitative DNA demethylation analysis (epigenetic qPCR) and by immunohistochemistry, and peripheral blood Treg proportions measured by flow cytometry were correlated with patient survival. Additionally, we analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to correlate the expression of Treg markers with patient survival and glioblastoma subtypes. RESULTS Tregs, as measured in tumor tissue and peripheral blood, did not correlate with patient survival. Although there was a correlation between tumor-infiltrating Tregs expression by epigenetic qPCR and immunohistochemistry, epigenetic qPCR was more sensitive and specific. Using data from TCGA, mRNA expression of Forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and Helios and FoxP3 methylation level did not predict survival. While the classical glioblastoma subtype corresponded to lower expression of Treg markers, these markers did not predict survival in any of the glioblastoma subtypes. CONCLUSIONS Although immunosuppression is a hallmark of glioblastoma, Tregs as measured in tissue by gene expression, immunohistochemistry, or demethylation and Tregs in peripheral blood measured by flow cytometry do not predict survival of patients. Quantitative DNA demethylation analysis provides an objective, sensitive, and specific way of identifying Tregs and CD3+ T cells in glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A Thomas
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Jan L Fisher
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Gilbert J Rahme
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Thomas H Hampton
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Udo Baron
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Sven Olek
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Tim Schwachula
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - C Harker Rhodes
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Jiang Gui
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Laura J Tafe
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Gregory J Tsongalis
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Joel A Lefferts
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Heather Wishart
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Jonathan Kleen
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Michael Miller
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Chery A Whipple
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Francine B de Abreu
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Marc S Ernstoff
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
| | - Camilo E Fadul
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (A.A.T.); Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.L.F.); Department of Genetics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire (G.J.R.); Epiontis GmbH, Berlin, Germany (U.B., S.O., T.S.); Department of Pathology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.H.R., L.J.T., G.J.T., J.A.L., F.B.d.A.); Section of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.G.); Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire (T.H.H.); Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (H.W.); Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire (J.K., M.M.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.A.W.); Melanoma Program, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (M.S.E.); Department of Medicine, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire (C.E.F.)
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Baron U, Turbachova I, Hellwag A, Eckhardt F, Berlin K, Hoffmüller U, Gardina P, Olek S. DNA Methylation Analysis as a Tool for Cell Typing. Epigenetics 2014; 1:55-60. [DOI: 10.4161/epi.1.1.2643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Sebode M, Peiseler M, Franke B, Schwinge D, Schoknecht T, Wortmann F, Quaas A, Petersen BS, Ellinghaus E, Baron U, Olek S, Wiegard C, Weiler-Normann C, Lohse AW, Herkel J, Schramm C. Reduced FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis are associated with IL2RA gene polymorphisms. J Hepatol 2014; 60:1010-6. [PMID: 24412607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2013.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Recently, genome wide association studies in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) revealed associations with gene polymorphisms that potentially could affect the function of regulatory T cells (Treg). The aim of this study was to investigate Treg in patients with PSC and to associate their numbers with relevant gene polymorphisms. METHODS Treg frequency in blood was assessed by staining for CD4(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(+)CD127(low) lymphocytes and determination of Treg-specific FOXP3 gene locus demethylation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL2RA), the interleukin-2 (IL2) and interleukin-21 (IL21) gene locus were analysed. Liver biopsies taken at the time of diagnosis were stained for FOXP3 and CD3. Treg function was assessed in a CFSE-based suppression assay. RESULTS The frequency of Treg in peripheral blood of PSC patients was significantly decreased. We confirmed this finding by demonstrating a reduction of non-methylated DNA in the Treg-specific demethylated FOXP3 gene region of peripheral blood cells in PSC patients. Reduced peripheral Treg numbers were significantly associated with homozygosity for the major allele of the SNP "rs10905718" in the IL2RA gene. Intrahepatic FOXP3(+) cell numbers at the time of initial diagnosis were decreased in PSC as compared to PBC. In addition to reduced numbers, the suppressive capacity of Treg isolated from PSC patients seemed to be impaired as compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that Treg impairment may play a role in the immune dysregulation observed in PSC. Reduced Treg numbers in patients with PSC are associated with polymorphisms in the IL2RA gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcial Sebode
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Peiseler
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Björn Franke
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Schwinge
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Schoknecht
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Frederike Wortmann
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Quaas
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Britt-Sabina Petersen
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eva Ellinghaus
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | | | - Christiane Wiegard
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Ansgar W Lohse
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Herkel
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schramm
- I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Lee YS, Noyan F, Hardtke-Wolenski M, Knoefel AK, Taubert R, Baron U, Manns MP, Jaeckel E. Xenospecific regulatory T cells generated on porcine B cells are capable in controlling xenogeneic immune responses in humanized mice. Xenotransplantation 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/xen.12083_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Shien Lee
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
| | - Fatih Noyan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
| | | | - Ann-Kathrin Knoefel
- Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
| | | | - Michael P. Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
| | - Elmar Jaeckel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology; Hannover Medical School; Hannover
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Bégin P, Baron U, Olek S, Bacchetta R, Nadeau KC. FOXP3 Epigenetic Signature To Distinguish Between Thymic- and Peripherally-Derived Regulatory T Cells During In Vivo Induction Of Immune Tolerance. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.12.507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Aurich C, Weber J, Nagel C, Merkl M, Jude R, Wostmann S, Ollech D, Baron U, Olek S, Jansen T. Low levels of naturally occurring regulatory T lymphocytes in blood of mares with early pregnancy loss. Reprod Fertil Dev 2014; 26:827-33. [DOI: 10.1071/rd13012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Early pregnancy loss is a major reason for low reproductive efficiency in the horse. In humans and mice, low numbers of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are linked to miscarriage. The percentage of Treg cells in oestrous mares at the start of the breeding season was evaluated in relation to the outcome of subsequent pregnancy. For identification and quantification of Treg cells, a highly sensitive and specific qPCR assay targeting the Treg-specific demethylated region in the equine forkhead box transcription factor (FOXP3) gene was established. In a total of 108 mares, pregnancy was followed until detection of early pregnancy loss (n = 17), abortion without identification of an infectious or apparent cause (n = 9) or birth of a viable foal (n = 82). Measured Treg-cell levels did not significantly differ between mares that conceived (82%; 1.50 ± 0.04%) or did not get pregnant (18%; 1.45 ± 0.10%). The Treg-cell percentage at oestrus before breeding was significantly different (P < 0.05) between mares that either underwent early pregnancy loss up to Day 40 of pregnancy (1.29 ± 0.07%) and mares that aborted (1.61 ± 0.15%) or gave birth to a live foal (1.52 ± 0.05%). These results suggest that low levels of Treg cells in mares can contribute to pregnancy loss up to Day 40 after ovulation.
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Türbachova I, Schwachula T, Vasconcelos I, Mustea A, Baldinger T, Jones KA, Bujard H, Olek A, Olek K, Gellhaus K, Braicu I, Könsgen D, Fryer C, Ravot E, Hellwag A, Westerfeld N, Gruss OJ, Meissner M, Hasan MT, Weber M, Hoffmüller U, Zimmermann S, Loddenkemper C, Mahner S, Babel N, Berns E, Adams R, Zeilinger R, Baron U, Vergote I, Maughan T, Marme F, Dickhaus T, Sehouli J, Olek S. The cellular ratio of immune tolerance (immunoCRIT) is a definite marker for aggressiveness of solid tumors and may explain tumor dissemination patterns. Epigenetics 2013; 8:1226-35. [PMID: 24071829 DOI: 10.4161/epi.26334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune system is involved in tumor establishment and aggressiveness. Tumors of the ovaries, an immune-privileged organ, spread via transceolomic routes and rarely to distant organs. This is contrary to tumors of non-immune privileged organs, which often disseminate hematogenously to distant organs. Epigenetics-based immune cell quantification allows direct comparison of the immune status in benign and malignant tissues and in blood. Here, we introduce the "cellular ratio of immune tolerance" (immunoCRIT) as defined by the ratio of regulatory T cells to total T lymphocytes. The immunoCRIT was analyzed on 273 benign tissue samples of colorectal, bronchial, renal and ovarian origin as well as in 808 samples from primary colorectal, bronchial, mammary and ovarian cancers. ImmunoCRIT is strongly increased in all cancerous tissues and gradually augmented strictly dependent on tumor aggressiveness. In peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients, immunoCRIT incrementally increases from primary diagnosis to disease recurrence, at which distant metastases frequently occur. We postulate that non-pathological immunoCRIT values observed in peripheral blood of immune privileged ovarian tumor patients are sufficient to prevent hematogenous spread at primary diagnosis. Contrarily, non-immune privileged tumors establish high immunoCRIT in an immunological environment equivalent to the bloodstream and thus spread hematogenously to distant organs. In summary, our data suggest that the immunoCRIT is a powerful marker for tumor aggressiveness and disease dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alexander Mustea
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Greifswald; Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Katherine A Jones
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Hermann Bujard
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie Heidelberg; INF 282; University Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Olek
- Labor für Abstammungsbegutachtung; Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ioana Braicu
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medicine Charité Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominique Könsgen
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Greifswald; Greifswald, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Oliver J Gruss
- DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz; Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie Heidelberg; University Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Meissner
- Division of Infection and Immunity; Institute of Biomedical Life Sciences; Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology; Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre; University of Glasgow; Glasgow, UK
| | - Mazahir T Hasan
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology; Max Planck Institute for Medical Research; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Sven Mahner
- Department of Gynecology; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina Babel
- Nephrologie und internistische Intensivmedizin; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
| | - Els Berns
- Erasmus University Medical Center- Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center Dept Medical Oncology; Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert Zeilinger
- Molecular Oncology Group; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Ignace Vergote
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University of Leuven; Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Maughan
- Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology; University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
| | - Frederik Marme
- Department of Gynecology; University of Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Jalid Sehouli
- Clinics for Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medicine Charité Campus Virchow; Berlin, Germany
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Campian J, Gladstone D, Ambady P, Ye X, King K, Borrello I, Petrik S, Golightly M, Holdhoff M, Grossman S, Bhardwaj R, Chakravadhanula M, Ozols V, Georges J, Carlson E, Hampton C, Decker W, Chiba Y, Hashimoto N, Kagawa N, Hirayama R, Tsuboi A, Oji Y, Oka Y, Sugiyama H, Yoshimine T, Choi B, Gedeon P, Herndon J, Sanchez-Perez L, Mitchell D, Bigner D, Sampson J, Choi YA, Pandya H, Gibo DM, Debinski W, Cloughesy TF, Liau LM, Chiocca EA, Jolly DJ, Robbins JM, Ostertag D, Ibanez CE, Gruber HE, Kasahara N, Vogelbaum MA, Kesari S, Mikkelsen T, Kalkanis S, Landolfi J, Bloomfield S, Foltz G, Pertschuk D, Everson R, Jin R, Safaee M, Lisiero D, Odesa S, Liau L, Prins R, Gholamin S, Mitra SS, Richard CE, Achrol A, Kahn SA, Volkmer AK, Volkmer JP, Willingham S, Kong D, Shin JJ, Monje-Deisseroth M, Cho YJ, Weissman I, Cheshier SH, Kanemura Y, Sumida M, Yoshioka E, Yamamoto A, Kanematsu D, Takada A, Nonaka M, Nakajima S, Goto S, Kamigaki T, Takahara M, Maekawa R, Shofuda T, Moriuchi S, Yamasaki M, Kebudi R, Cakir FB, Gorgun O, Agaoglu FY, Darendeliler E, Lin Y, Wang Y, Qiu X, Jiang T, Lin Y, Wang Y, Jiang T, Zhang G, Wang J, Okada H, Butterfield L, Hamilton R, Drappatz J, Engh J, Amankulor N, Lively M, Chan M, Salazar A, Potter D, Shaw E, Lieberman F, Pandya H, Choi Y, Park J, Phuphanich S, Wheeler C, Rudnick J, Hu J, Mazer M, Wang H, Nuno M, Guevarra A, Sanchez C, Fan X, Ji J, Chu R, Bender J, Hawkins E, Black K, Yu J, Reap E, Archer G, Sanchez-Perez L, Norberg P, Schmittling R, Nair S, Cui X, Snyder D, Chandramohan V, Choi B, Kuan CT, Mitchell D, Bigner D, Yan H, Sampson J, Reardon D, Li G, Recht L, Fink K, Nabors L, Tran D, Desjardins A, Chandramouli N, Duic JP, Groves M, Clarke A, Hawthorne T, Green J, Yellin M, Sampson J, Rigakos G, Spyri O, Nomikos P, Stavridi F, Grossi I, Theodorakopoulou I, Assi A, Kouvatseas G, Papadopoulou E, Nasioulas G, Labropoulos S, Razis E, Rudnick J, Ravi A, Sanchez C, Tang DN, Hu J, Yu J, Sharma P, Black K, Sengupta S, Sampath P, Soto H, Erickson K, Malone C, Hickey M, Ha E, Young E, Ellingson B, Prins R, Liau L, Kruse C, Sul J, Hilf N, Kutscher S, Schoor O, Lindner J, Reinhardt C, Kreisl T, Iwamoto F, Fine H, Singh-Jasuja H, Teijeira L, Gil-Arnaiz I, Hernandez-Marin B, Martinez-Aguillo M, Sanchez SDLC, Viudez A, Hernandez-Garcia I, Lecumberri MJ, Grandez R, de Lascoiti AF, Garcia RV, Thomas A, Fisher J, Baron U, Olek S, Rhodes H, Gui J, Hampton T, Tafe L, Tsongalis G, Lefferts J, Wishart H, Kleen J, Miller M, Ernstoff M, Fadul C, Vlahovic G, Desjardins A, Peters K, Ranjan T, Herndon J, Friedman A, Friedman H, Bigner D, Archer G, Lally-Goss D, Sampson J, Wainwright D, Dey M, Chang A, Cheng Y, Han Y, Lesniak M, Weller M, Kaulich K, Hentschel B, Felsberg J, Gramatzki D, Pietsch T, Simon M, Westphal M, Schackert G, Tonn JC, Loeffler M, Reifenberger G, Yu J, Rudnick J, Hu J, Phuphanich S, Mazer M, Wang H, Xu M, Nuno M, Patil C, Chu R, Black K, Wheeler C. IMMUNOTHERAPY/BIOLOGICAL THERAPIES. Neuro Oncol 2013; 15:iii68-iii74. [PMCID: PMC3823893 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/not178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
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Toker A, Engelbert D, Garg G, Polansky JK, Floess S, Miyao T, Baron U, Düber S, Geffers R, Giehr P, Schallenberg S, Kretschmer K, Olek S, Walter J, Weiss S, Hori S, Hamann A, Huehn J. Active demethylation of the Foxp3 locus leads to the generation of stable regulatory T cells within the thymus. J Immunol 2013; 190:3180-8. [PMID: 23420886 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1203473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Stable expression of Foxp3 in regulatory T cells (Tregs) depends on DNA demethylation at the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR), a conserved, CpG-rich region within the Foxp3 locus. The TSDR is selectively demethylated in ex vivo Tregs purified from secondary lymphoid organs, but it is unclear at which stage of Treg development demethylation takes place. In this study, we show that commitment to a stable lineage occurred during early stages of murine thymic Treg development by engraving of lineage-specific epigenetic marks in parallel with establishment of a Treg-specific gene expression profile. TSDR demethylation was achieved through an active mechanism and involved enzymes of the ten-eleven-translocation family and hydroxylation of methylated cytosines, a modification that is implicated as an initiating step of mitosis-independent DNA demethylation pathways and has not yet been observed at specific loci during immune cell differentiation. Together, our results demonstrate that initiating TSDR demethylation during early stages of thymic Treg development commences stabilization of Foxp3 expression and guarantees full functionality and long-term lineage stability of Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aras Toker
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig 38124, Germany
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Schwarzer A, Wolf B, Fisher JL, Schwaab T, Olek S, Baron U, Tomlinson CR, Seigne JD, Crosby NA, Gui J, Hampton TH, Fadul CE, Heaney JA, Ernstoff MS. Regulatory T-cells and associated pathways in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients undergoing DC-vaccination and cytokine-therapy. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46600. [PMID: 23118856 PMCID: PMC3485261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ T regulatory cells (TREG) and associated immune-regulatory pathways in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients and healthy volunteers. We subsequently investigated the effects of immunotherapy on circulating TREG combining an extensive phenotype examination, DNA methylation analysis and global transcriptome analysis. Design Eighteen patients with mRCC and twelve volunteers (controls) were available for analysis. TREG phenotype was examined using flow cytometry (FCM). TREG were also quantified by analyzing the epigenetic status of the FOXP3 locus using methylation specific PCR. As a third approach, RNA of the PBL was hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays and the gene signatures were explored using pathway analysis. Results We observed higher numbers of TREG in pre-treatment PBL of mRCC patients compared to controls. A significant increase in TREG was detected in all mRCC patients after the two cycles of immunotherapy. The expansion of TREG was significantly higher in non-responders than in responding patients. Methylation specific PCR confirmed the FCM data and circumvented the variability and subjectivity of the FCM method. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of the microarray data showed significant enrichment of FOXP3 target genes, CTLA-4 and TGF-ß associated pathways in the patient cohort. Conclusion Immune monitoring of the peripheral blood and tumor tissue is important for a wide range of diseases and treatment strategies. Adoption of methodology for quantifying TREG with the least variability and subjectivity will enhance the ability to compare and interpret findings across studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Schwarzer
- Medical Oncology Immunotherapy Group, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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Peiseler M, Sebode M, Franke B, Wortmann F, Schwinge D, Quaas A, Baron U, Olek S, Wiegard C, Lohse AW, Weiler-Normann C, Schramm C, Herkel J. FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in autoimmune hepatitis are fully functional and not reduced in frequency. J Hepatol 2012; 57:125-32. [PMID: 22425700 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Revised: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 02/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is not understood, but it was suggested that AIH may be related to a numerical or functional impairment of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg), which are important mediators of immune tolerance to self-antigens. However, the role of Treg in AIH is not clear, since earlier studies reporting Treg impairment had used only CD25 as marker that cannot unambiguously distinguish Treg from activated effector T cells. METHODS We assessed the frequency and suppressor function of Treg using current staining protocols that can distinguish Treg from activated effector T cells. RESULTS The frequency of CD4+CD25(high)CD127(low)FOXP3+ Treg cells in blood of AIH patients was not reduced compared to healthy subjects, as shown by flow cytometry and confirmed by quantifying Treg-specific demethylation of the FOXP3 gene. Moreover, the suppressor function of Treg isolated from AIH patients was similar to that of Treg isolated from healthy subjects, indicating that Treg function was not impaired in AIH patients. However, we observed that the Treg frequency was significantly higher in those AIH patients with active disease than in those who were in a state of remission, suggesting that the Treg frequency may increase with the degree of inflammation. Indeed, analysis of FOXP3+ Treg in liver histology revealed that the intrahepatic Treg frequency was higher in AIH patients than in NASH patients and correlated with the inflammatory activity of the liver. CONCLUSIONS The frequency and function of circulating Treg cells is not impaired in AIH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Peiseler
- Department of Medicine I, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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22
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Stauch D, Yahyazadeh A, Bova R, Melloh GC, Füldner A, Baron U, Olek S, Göldner K, Weiss S, Pratschke J, Kotsch K. Induction of bona fide regulatory T cells after liver transplantation - the potential influence of polyclonal antithymocyte globulin. Transpl Int 2011; 25:302-13. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2011.01405.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Ukena SN, Höpting M, Velaga S, Ivanyi P, Grosse J, Baron U, Ganser A, Franzke A. Isolation strategies of regulatory T cells for clinical trials: phenotype, function, stability, and expansion capacity. Exp Hematol 2011; 39:1152-60. [PMID: 21864487 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2011.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2011] [Revised: 07/12/2011] [Accepted: 08/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent clinical results demonstrate the highly effective potency of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to control graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). In this presented study, we directly compared different Treg subpopulations in order to define the most promising Treg target cell population for cellular intervention studies with respect to their phenotype, functional properties, stability, and expansion capacity. Different Treg cell populations have been isolated from healthy donors and characterized by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis for their phenotypic marker and purity, functional properties by suppression assay, stability by Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) of the Foxp3 promoter and their in vitro expansion capacity. The direct comparison of the respective Treg target cell populations identified CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(hi)ICOS(+) Tregs as the most promising Treg population for fresh cell infusions in clinical trials with respect to cell yield, phenotype, function, and stability. The CD4(+)CD25(hi) Tregs qualified as the best candidate for in vitro expansion combining a highly stable phenotype with strong suppressive potential and attractive cell yield after repetitive stimulation. The suppressive capacity of freshly isolated CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD45RA(+) and CD49d(-)CD127(-) Tregs is comparable to freshly isolated CD4(+)CD25(hi), but inferior to CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(hi)ICOS(+) Tregs. In vitro expansion of CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD45RA(+) and CD49d(-)CD127(-) Tregs resulted in cell populations with less suppressive potency compared with CD4(+)CD25(hi) expanded Tregs correlating well with a higher TSDR demethylation level. In conclusion, future clinical trials should favor CD4(+)CD25(hi)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(hi)ICOS(+) Tregs for direct Treg cell transfer, whereas CD4(+)CD25(hi) Tregs qualify as best candidate for in vitro expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sya N Ukena
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Germany
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McClymont SA, Putnam AL, Lee MR, Esensten JH, Liu W, Hulme MA, Hoffmüller U, Baron U, Olek S, Bluestone JA, Brusko TM. Plasticity of human regulatory T cells in healthy subjects and patients with type 1 diabetes. J Immunol 2011; 186:3918-26. [PMID: 21368230 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) constitute an attractive therapeutic target given their essential role in controlling autoimmunity. However, recent animal studies provide evidence for functional heterogeneity and lineage plasticity within the Treg compartment. To understand better the plasticity of human Tregs in the context of type 1 diabetes, we characterized an IFN-γ-competent subset of human CD4(+)CD127(lo/-)CD25(+) Tregs. We measured the frequency of Tregs in the peripheral blood of patients with type 1 diabetes by epigenetic analysis of the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) and the frequency of the IFN-γ(+) subset by flow cytometry. Purified IFN-γ(+) Tregs were assessed for suppressive function, degree of TSDR demethylation, and expression of Treg lineage markers FOXP3 and Helios. The frequency of Tregs in peripheral blood was comparable but the FOXP3(+)IFN-γ(+) fraction was significantly increased in patients with type 1 diabetes compared to healthy controls. Purified IFN-γ(+) Tregs expressed FOXP3 and possessed suppressive activity but lacked Helios expression and were predominately methylated at the TSDR, characteristics of an adaptive Treg. Naive Tregs were capable of upregulating expression of Th1-associated T-bet, CXCR3, and IFN-γ in response to IL-12. Notably, naive, thymic-derived natural Tregs also demonstrated the capacity for Th1 differentiation without concomitant loss of Helios expression or TSDR demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A McClymont
- Diabetes Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Sehouli J, Loddenkemper C, Cornu T, Schwachula T, Hoffmüller U, Grützkau A, Lohneis P, Dickhaus T, Gröne J, Kruschewski M, Mustea A, Turbachova I, Baron U, Olek S. Epigenetic quantification of tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes. Epigenetics 2011; 6:236-46. [PMID: 20962591 DOI: 10.4161/epi.6.2.13755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system plays a pivotal role in tumor establishment. However, the role of T-lymphocytes within the tumor microenvironment as major cellular component of the adaptive effector immune response and their counterpart, regulatory T-cells (Treg), responsible for suppressive immune modulation, is not completely understood. This is partly due to the lack of reliable technical solutions for specific cell quantification in solid tissues. Previous reports indicated that epigenetic marks of immune cells, such as the Treg specifically demethylated region (TSDR) within the FOXP3 gene, may be exploited as robust analytical tool for Treg-quantification. Here, we expand the concept of epigenetic immunophenotyping to overall T-lymphocytes (oTL). This tool allows cell quantification with at least equivalent precision to FACS and is adoptable for analysis of blood and solid tissues. Based on this method, we analyse the frequency of Treg, oTL and their ratio in independent cohorts of healthy and tumorous ovarian, colorectal and bronchial tissues with 616 partly donor-matched samples. We find a shift of the median ratio of Treg-to-oTL from 3-8% in healthy tissue to 18-25% in all tumor entities. Epigenetically determined oTL frequencies correlate with the outcome of colorectal and ovarian cancers. Together, our data show that the composition of immune cells in tumor microenvironments can be quantitatively assessed by epigenetic measurements. This composition is disturbed in solid tumors, indicating a fundamental mechanism of tumor immune evasion. Epigenetic quantification of T-lymphocytes serves as independent clinical parameter for outcome prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalid Sehouli
- Klinik für Frauenheilkunde, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressed patients show impaired performance following negative feedback; the probability of committing an error is increased immediately after an error. This deficit is assumed to be highly specific and to represent a trait marker of major depressive disorder (MDD). Inconsistencies in currently available data could reflect inter-individually different strategies to regulate negative affect. The present study examined modulation of performance following negative feedback by cognitive reappraisal to regulate aversive affect in depressed patients. METHOD Thirty-three depressed patients and 33 control subjects performed tasks of varying difficulty over a prolonged time. Emotional feedback was given immediately after each trial. Performance was further analysed within subgroups using cognitive reappraisal of aversive events with high and low frequency. RESULTS A significant group by task difficulty interaction for absolute number of subsequent errors revealed that depressed patients were especially impaired when receiving negative feedback more frequently. An increased probability of subsequent errors was shown in patients irrespective of task difficulty. Analysis of subgroups revealed higher absolute number and probability of subsequent errors only in depressed patients habitually not using cognitive reappraisal to regulate aversive emotions. Depressed patients using this strategy did not differ from controls. CONCLUSIONS The present results replicate the observation of impaired performance in depressed patients following failure feedback. Most importantly, a subgroup of patients who habitually rely on cognitive reappraisal of aversion-eliciting events, such as negative performance feedback, was not impaired. This modulatory influence of emotion regulation strategies on performance subsequent to negative feedback suggests that training emotion regulation in achievement situations should be incorporated in current concepts to prevent relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-K Fladung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Germany.
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27
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Loddenkemper C, Hoffmann C, Stanke J, Nagorsen D, Baron U, Olek S, Huehn J, Ritz JP, Stein H, Kaufmann AM, Schneider A, Cichon G. Regulatory (FOXP3+) T cells as target for immune therapy of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. Cancer Sci 2009; 100:1112-7. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2009.01153.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Wieczorek G, Asemissen A, Model F, Turbachova I, Floess S, Liebenberg V, Baron U, Stauch D, Kotsch K, Pratschke J, Hamann A, Loddenkemper C, Stein H, Volk HD, Hoffmüller U, Grützkau A, Mustea A, Huehn J, Scheibenbogen C, Olek S. Quantitative DNA methylation analysis of FOXP3 as a new method for counting regulatory T cells in peripheral blood and solid tissue. Cancer Res 2009; 69:599-608. [PMID: 19147574 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-2361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Treg) have been the focus of immunologic research due to their role in establishing tolerance for harmless antigens versus allowing immune responses against foes. Increased Treg frequencies measured by mRNA expression or protein synthesis of the Treg marker FOXP3 were found in various cancers, indicating that dysregulation of Treg levels contributes to tumor establishment. Furthermore, they constitute a key target of immunomodulatory therapies in cancer as well as transplantation settings. One core obstacle for understanding the role of Treg, thus far, is the inability of FOXP3 mRNA or protein detection methods to differentiate between Treg and activated T cells. These difficulties are aggravated by the technical demands of sample logistics and processing. Based on Treg-specific DNA demethylation within the FOXP3 locus, we present a novel method for monitoring Treg in human peripheral blood and solid tissues. We found that Treg numbers are significantly increased in the peripheral blood of patients with interleukin 2-treated melanoma and in formalin-fixed tissue from patients with lung and colon carcinomas. Conversely, we show that immunosuppressive therapy including therapeutic antibodies leads to a significant reduction of Treg from the peripheral blood of transplantation patients. In addition, Treg numbers are predictively elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with various solid tumors. Although our data generally correspond to data obtained with gene expression and protein-based methods, the results are less fluctuating and more specific to Treg. The assay presented here measures Treg robustly in blood and solid tissues regardless of conservation levels, promising fast screening of Treg in various clinical settings.
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Polansky J, Kretschmer K, Freyer J, Floess S, Garbe A, Baron U, Olek S, Hamann A, von Boehmer H, Huehn J. DNA methylation controls Foxp3 gene expression. Eur J Immunol 2008; 38:1654-63. [DOI: 10.1002/eji.200838105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 616] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Rapko S, Baron U, Hoffmüller U, Model F, Wolfe L, Olek S. DNA methylation analysis as novel tool for quality control in regenerative medicine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 13:2271-80. [PMID: 17590152 DOI: 10.1089/ten.2006.0444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based regenerative medicine, including tissue engineering, is a novel approach to reconstituting tissues that do not spontaneously heal, such as damaged cartilage, and to curing diseases caused by malfunctioning cells. Typically, manufacturing processes to generate cartilage for replacement therapies involve isolation and expansion of cells from cartilage biopsies. A challenge in the field is potential contamination by other cell types (e.g., fibroblast-like cells), which can overgrow the desired cells during culturing and may ultimately compromise clinical efficacy. No standard analytical system has been absolutely effective in ensuring the identity of these cell-based products. Therefore, we tested deoxyribonucleic acid methylation analysis as a quality assessment tool, applying it to Genzyme's Carticel product, a chondrocyte implant that the Food and Drug Administration has approved. We identified 7 potent discriminators by assaying candidate genomic regions derived from methylation discovery approaches and literature searches regarding a functional role of genes in chondrocyte biology. Using a support vector machine, we trained an optimal cell type classifier that was absolutely effective in discriminating chondrocytes from synovial membrane derived cells, the major potential contaminant of chondrocyte cultures. The abundant marker availability and high quality of this assay format also suggest it as a potential quality control test for other cell types grown or manipulated in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Rapko
- Genzyme Biosurgery Corp., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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31
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Baron U, Floess S, Wieczorek G, Baumann K, Grützkau A, Dong J, Thiel A, Boeld TJ, Hoffmann P, Edinger M, Türbachova I, Hamann A, Olek S, Huehn J. DNA demethylation in the human FOXP3 locus discriminates regulatory T cells from activated FOXP3(+) conventional T cells. Eur J Immunol 2007; 37:2378-89. [PMID: 17694575 DOI: 10.1002/eji.200737594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 547] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXP3 is critical for development and function of regulatory T cells (Treg). Their number and functioning appears to be crucial in the prevention of autoimmunity and allergy, but also to be a negative prognostic marker for various solid tumors. Although expression of the transcription factor FOXP3 currently constitutes the best-known marker for Treg, in humans, transient expression is also observed in activated non-Treg. Extending our recent findings for the murine foxp3 locus, we observed epigenetic modification of several regions in the human FOXP3 locus exclusively occurring in Treg. Importantly, activated conventional CD4(+) T cells and TGF-beta-treated cells displayed no FOXP3 DNA demethylation despite expression of FOXP3, whereas subsets of Treg stable even upon extended in vitro expansion remained demethylated. To investigate whether a whole set of genes might be epigenetically imprinted in the Treg lineage, we conducted a genome-wide differential methylation hybridization analysis. Several genes were found displaying differential methylation between Treg and conventional T cells, but none beside FOXP3 turned out to be entirely specific to Treg when tested on a broad panel of cells and tissues. We conclude that FOXP3 DNA demethylation constitutes the most reliable criterion for natural Treg available at present.
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32
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Zhu P, Aller MI, Baron U, Cambridge S, Bausen M, Herb J, Sawinski J, Cetin A, Osten P, Nelson ML, Kügler S, Seeburg PH, Sprengel R, Hasan MT. Silencing and un-silencing of tetracycline-controlled genes in neurons. PLoS One 2007; 2:e533. [PMID: 17579707 PMCID: PMC1888723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2007] [Accepted: 05/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To identify the underlying reason for the controversial performance of tetracycline (Tet)-controlled regulated gene expression in mammalian neurons, we investigated each of the three components that comprise the Tet inducible systems, namely tetracyclines as inducers, tetracycline-transactivator (tTA) and reverse tTA (rtTA), and tTA-responsive promoters (Ptets). We have discovered that stably integrated Ptet becomes functionally silenced in the majority of neurons when it is inactive during development. Ptet silencing can be avoided when it is either not integrated in the genome or stably-integrated with basal activity. Moreover, long-term, high transactivator levels in neurons can often overcome integration-induced Ptet gene silencing, possibly by inducing promoter accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peixin Zhu
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M. Isabel Aller
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Sidney Cambridge
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Munich-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Melanie Bausen
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Herb
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Sawinski
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Cetin
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pavel Osten
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark L. Nelson
- Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Kügler
- Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen Medical School, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Rolf Sprengel
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mazahir T. Hasan
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Munich-Martinsried, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Floess S, Freyer J, Siewert C, Baron U, Olek S, Polansky J, Schlawe K, Chang HD, Bopp T, Schmitt E, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E, Hamann A, Huehn J. Epigenetic control of the foxp3 locus in regulatory T cells. PLoS Biol 2007; 5:e38. [PMID: 17298177 PMCID: PMC1783672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 963] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2006] [Accepted: 12/06/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Compelling evidence suggests that the transcription factor Foxp3 acts as a master switch governing the development and function of CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, whether transcriptional control of Foxp3 expression itself contributes to the development of a stable Treg lineage has thus far not been investigated. We here identified an evolutionarily conserved region within the foxp3 locus upstream of exon-1 possessing transcriptional activity. Bisulphite sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed complete demethylation of CpG motifs as well as histone modifications within the conserved region in ex vivo isolated Foxp3(+)CD25(+)CD4(+) Tregs, but not in naïve CD25(-)CD4(+) T cells. Partial DNA demethylation is already found within developing Foxp3(+) thymocytes; however, Tregs induced by TGF-beta in vitro display only incomplete demethylation despite high Foxp3 expression. In contrast to natural Tregs, these TGF-beta-induced Foxp3(+) Tregs lose both Foxp3 expression and suppressive activity upon restimulation in the absence of TGF-beta. Our data suggest that expression of Foxp3 must be stabilized by epigenetic modification to allow the development of a permanent suppressor cell lineage, a finding of significant importance for therapeutic applications involving induction or transfer of Tregs and for the understanding of long-term cell lineage decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Floess
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennifer Freyer
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiane Siewert
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Julia Polansky
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schlawe
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Tobias Bopp
- Institut für Immunologie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany
| | - Edgar Schmitt
- Institut für Immunologie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Edgar Serfling
- Abteilung für Molekulare Pathologie, Pathologisches Institut, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alf Hamann
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jochen Huehn
- Experimentelle Rheumatologie, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Sabuncu E, Paquet S, Chapuis J, Moudjou M, Lai TL, Grassi J, Baron U, Laude H, Vilette D. Prion proteins from susceptible and resistant sheep exhibit some distinct cell biological features. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005; 337:791-8. [PMID: 16214113 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.09.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2005] [Accepted: 09/05/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that natural polymorphisms in the coding sequence of the PrP protein can control the expression of prion disease. Studies with a cell model of sheep prion infection have shown that ovine PrP allele associated with resistance to sheep scrapie may confer resistance by impairing the multiplication of the infectious agent. To further explore the biochemical and cellular mechanisms underlying the genetic control of scrapie susceptibility, we established permissive cells expressing two different PrP variants. In this study, we show that PrP variants with opposite effects on prion multiplication exhibit distinct cell biological features. These findings indicate that cell biological properties of ovine PrP can vary with natural polymorphisms and raise the possibility that differential interactions of PrP variants with the cellular machinery may contribute to permissiveness or resistance to prion multiplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elifsu Sabuncu
- Unité de Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- U Baron
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, Germany
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Urlinger S, Baron U, Thellmann M, Hasan MT, Bujard H, Hillen W. Exploring the sequence space for tetracycline-dependent transcriptional activators: novel mutations yield expanded range and sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000; 97:7963-8. [PMID: 10859354 PMCID: PMC16653 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.130192197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 720] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory elements that control tetracycline resistance in Escherichia coli were previously converted into highly specific transcription regulation systems that function in a wide variety of eukaryotic cells. One tetracycline repressor (TetR) mutant gave rise to rtTA, a tetracycline-controlled transactivator that requires doxycycline (Dox) for binding to tet operators and thus for the activation of P(tet) promoters. Despite the intriguing properties of rtTA, its use was limited, particularly in transgenic animals, because of its relatively inefficient inducibility by doxycycline in some organs, its instability, and its residual affinity to tetO in absence of Dox, leading to elevated background activities of the target promoter. To remove these limitations, we have mutagenized tTA DNA and selected in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for rtTA mutants with reduced basal activity and increased Dox sensitivity. Five new rtTAs were identified, of which two have greatly improved properties. The most promising new transactivator, rtTA2(S)-M2, functions at a 10-fold lower Dox concentration than rtTA, is more stable in eukaryotic cells, and causes no background expression in the absence of Dox. The coding sequences of the new reverse TetR mutants fused to minimal activation domains were optimized for expression in human cells and synthesized. The resulting transactivators allow stringent regulation of target genes over a range of 4 to 5 orders of magnitude in stably transfected HeLa cells. These rtTA versions combine tightness of expression control with a broad regulatory range, as previously shown for the widely applied tTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Urlinger
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Universität Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 5, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
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Baron U, Schnappinger D, Helbl V, Gossen M, Hillen W, Bujard H. Generation of conditional mutants in higher eukaryotes by switching between the expression of two genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1999; 96:1013-8. [PMID: 9927685 PMCID: PMC15342 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.96.3.1013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A regulatory system for the in-depth study of gene functions in higher eukaryotic cells has been developed. It is based on the tetracycline-controlled transactivators and reverse tTA, which were remodeled to discriminate efficiently between two different promoters. The system permits one to control reversibly the activity of two genes, or two alleles of a gene, in a mutually exclusive way, and also allows one to abrogate the activities of both. This dual regulatory circuit, which can be operated by a single effector substance such as doxycycline, overcomes limitations of conventional genetic approaches. The conditional mutants that can now be generated will be useful for the study of gene function in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the system may be of value for a variety of practical applications, including gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Baron
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Baron U, Gossen M, Bujard H. Tetracycline-controlled transcription in eukaryotes: novel transactivators with graded transactivation potential. Nucleic Acids Res 1997; 25:2723-9. [PMID: 9207017 PMCID: PMC146828 DOI: 10.1093/nar/25.14.2723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several tetracycline-controlled transactivators (tTA) were generated which differ in their activation potential by >3 orders of magnitude. The transactivators are fusions between the Tet repressor and minimal transcriptional activation domains derived from Herpes simplex virus protein 16 (VP16). By reducing the VP16 moiety of the previously described tTA to 12 amino acids, potential targets for interactions with various cellular transcription factors were eliminated, as were potential epitopes which may elicit a cellular immune response. When compared with the originally described tTA, these new transactivators are tolerated at higher intracellular concentrations. This will facilitate establishment of tet regulatory systems under a variety of conditions, but particularly when cell type-restricted tetracycline-controlled gene expression is to be achieved in transgenic organisms via homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Baron
- ZMBH, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- S Freundlieb
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schwenk F, Baron U, Rajewsky K. A cre-transgenic mouse strain for the ubiquitous deletion of loxP-flanked gene segments including deletion in germ cells. Nucleic Acids Res 1995; 23:5080-1. [PMID: 8559668 PMCID: PMC307516 DOI: 10.1093/nar/23.24.5080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1058] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F Schwenk
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- U Baron
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Germany
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Raguse T, Klinge U, Baron U, Marzi C. [Breast cancer of the male. Analysis of our patient sample and the literature]. Chirurg 1985; 56:784-8. [PMID: 3002726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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