RG Comparative Medicine:
Cytokines in Health and Diseases
Introduction
These research projects are focused mainly on determining cytokine profiles. Cytokines are small proteins involved in cell signaling. They are produced by various cell types, including immune cells, and are especially important for immune responses such as after infection, inflammation, trauma, sepsis, cancer, and reproduction. Therefore, cytokines can aid in extending the knowledge about diverse biological processes. Furthermore, they are a promising category of biomarkers for diagnosis because they are present in the early phases of diseases. To determine cytokine profiles for the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, we are using the ELISA-based multiplex method to measure cytokines in different matrices (Figure 1) via the Luminex approach (Figure 2).
Figure 1 und Figure 2
Advantages of the multiplex approach
- Quantification of multiple proteins in a single sample volume
- Small amount of sample material is needed, e.g. serum 12.5 µl/96-well or total protein 200-
- 1000 µg/mL/well
- Fast method (measurement in approx. 4 h)
- Less time-intensive and cheaper compared to ELISA
- Prevention of pain by using matrices which can be obtained non-invasively (e.g. saliva and
- urine instead of tissue biopsies or blood draws)
- Kits available for human, mouse, rat, on-shelf, customer-made
There is an intensive network including diverse collaborations with many Clinics at the University Hospital and Institutes on the Life Science Campus as well as with the Sport University in Cologne.
Cytokines were previously determined for COPD, BPD, juvenile and maternal obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatic carcinoma, hyperoxia-induced lung injury, vertebral osteomyelitis, implant-associated infections, ADPKD, lipedema, depression, and microbial diversity.
Current collaborative projects using mice for investigations relating to human diseases include cytokine profiling for COPD, BPD, adipositas, and metabolic-associated liver disease (MALD).
Human studies include cytokine profiling to determine cytokine levels in implant-associated elbow infections, ankylosis in the elbow, in umbilical blood after delayed cord clamping (DCC) or extrauterine placental perfusion (EPP) in premature births, depression, prehabilitation prior to gastrointestinal cancer surgery, prior to and after esophagectomy using different regional anaesthetic techniques, after immune competence enhancement therapy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 2a, tears as well as to aid in deciphering the long-term effects of an exercise program on metabolism, weight gain, body composition and biomarkers in normal-weight and overweight pregnant women and their offspring as well as in adults.
Team
Head
Prof. Esther Mahabir-Brenner
PhD students
Jessica Bischoff
Maya Kurzawa
Laurence Frederic Schubert
Allysosn Werner
Technicians
Pascal Fischer
NN
Alumni:
PhD students
Dr. Julia Schenk
Dr. Eva-Carina Zeißler
Dr. Jan Scharrenberg
Dr. Manon Peltier
Technicians
Sarah Göbbels
Mohamed Majjouti
Malte Heykants
Publications 2024
Publication list will be added soon.
Publications 2023
Publication list will be added soon.
Publications 2022
- Raspa M, Paoletti R, Peltier M, Majjouti M, Protti M, Mercolini L, Mahabir E, and Scavizzi F (2022). Oral D-Aspartate Treatment Improves Sperm Fertility in Both Young and Adult B6N Mice. Animals (Basel)12. doi:10.3390/ani12111350.
- Yu X, Elfimova N, Muller M, Bachurski D, Koitzsch U, Drebber U, Mahabir E, Hansen HP, Friedman SL, Klein S, Dienes HP, Hosel M, Buettner R, Trebicka J, Kondylis V, Mannaerts I, and Odenthal M (2022). Autophagy-Related Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells Reduces Cellular miR-29a by Promoting Its Vesicular Secretion. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol13, 1701-1716. doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.02.013.
- Brinkmann J, Zeissler EC, Scharrenberg JS, Schenk J, Majjouti M, Oberste M, Yagdiran A, Scheyerer MJ, Jung N, Siewe J, and Mahabir E (2022). The diagnostic value of cytokines for the discrimination of vertebral osteomyelitis and degenerative diseases of the spine. Cytokine150, 155782. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155782.
- Fraemke A, Ferrari N, Friesen D, Haas F, Klaudius M, Mahabir E, Schmidt L, and Joisten C (2022). HOMA Index, Vitamin D Levels, Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Juvenile Obesity: Data from the CHILT III Programme, Cologne. Int J Environ Res Public Health19. doi:10.3390/ijerph19042442.
- Selle J, Dinger K, Jentgen V, Zanetti D, Will J, Georgomanolis T, Vohlen C, Wilke R, Kojonazarov B, Klymenko O, Mohr J, V Koningsbruggen-Rietschel S, Rhodes CJ, Ulrich A, Hirani D, Nestler T, Odenthal M, Mahabir E, Nayakanti S, Dabral S, Wunderlich T, Priest J, Seeger W, Dötsch J, Pullamsetti SS, Alejandre Alcazar MA. (2022). Maternal and perinatal obesity induce bronchial obstruction and pulmonary hypertension via IL-6-FoxO1-axis in later life. NatCommun. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31655-z. PMID: 35896539
Publications 2021
- Kasper P, Breuer S, Hoffmann T, Vohlen C, Janoschek R, Schmitz L, Appel S, Fink G, Hünseler C, Quaas A, Demir M, Lang S, Steffen HM, Martin A, Schramm C, Bürger M, Mahabir E, Goeser T, Dötsch J, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Bae-Gartz I. (2021). Maternal Exercise Mediates Hepatic Metabolic Programming via Activation of AMPK-PGC1α Axis in the Offspring of Obese Mothers. Cells. doi: 10.3390/cells10051247. PMID: 34069390
- Crispatzu G, Rehimi R, Pachano T, Bleckwehl T, Cruz-Molina S, Xiao C, Mahabir E, Bazzi H, Rada-Iglesias A. (2021). The chromatin, topological and regulatory properties of pluripotency-associated poised enhancers are conserved in vivo. NatCommun. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24641-4. PMID: 34272393
- Breuer S, Kasper P, Vohlen C, Janoschek R, Hoffmann T, Appel S, Müller-Limberger E, Mesaros A, Rose-John S, Garbers C, Müller S, Lackmann JW, Mahabir E, Dötsch J, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Bae-Gartz I. (2021). Brain-Restricted Inhibition of IL-6 Trans-Signaling Mildly Affects Metabolic Consequences of Maternal Obesity in Male Offspring. Nutrients. doi: 10.3390/nu13113735. PMID: 34835991
Publications 2020
- Raspa M, Paoletti R, Mahabir E, Scavizzi F. (Epub 2020). d-aspartate treatment in vitro improves mouse sperm fertility in young B6N mice. Theriogenology. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.031. PMID: 32142981
- Körner RW, Majjouti M, Alcazar MAA, Mahabir E. (2020). Of Mice and Men: The Coronavirus MHV and Mouse Models as a Translational Approach to Understand SARS-CoV-2.Viruses. doi: 10.3390/v12080880. PMID: 32806708
- Ferrari N, Schmitz L, Schmidt N, Mahabir E, Van de Vondel P, Merz WM, Lehmacher W, Stock S, Brockmeier K, Ensenauer R, Fehm T, Joisten C. (2020). A lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to reduce obesity in early childhood: the study protocol of ADEBAR - a randomized controlled trial. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. doi: 10.1186/s13102-020-00198-5. eCollection 2020. PMID: 32944252
Publications 2019
- Mahabir, E., Durand, S., Henderson, K.S., and Hardy, P. (2019). Comparison of two prevalent individually ventilated caging systems for detection of murine infectious agents via exhaust air particles. Lab Anim 53, 84-8.
- Rumpel, S., Scholl, C., Gobel, A., Palme, R., and Mahabir, E. (2019). Effect of Ground Transportation on Adrenocortical Activity in Prepuberal Female Mice from Five Different Genetic Backgrounds. Animals (Basel) 9.
- Salabarria, A.C., Braun, G., Heykants, M., Koch, M., Reuten, R., Mahabir, E., Cursiefen, C., and Bock, F. (2019). Local VEGF-A blockade modulates the microenvironment of the corneal graft bed. Am J Transplant10.1111/ajt.15331.
- Schmitz, L., Ferrari, N., Schwiertz, A., Rusch, K., Woestmann, U., Mahabir, E., and Graf, C. (2019). Impact of endurance exercise and probiotic supplementation on the intestinal microbiota: a cross-over pilot study. Pilot Feasibility Stud5, 76.
- Zarghooni, K., Hackenberg, R.K., Sander, G., and Mahabir, E. (2019). Suitability of serum cytokine profiling for early diagnosis of implant-associated infections after orthopaedic surgery: A preliminary prospective study. Cytokine116, 88-96.
Publications 2018
Ferrari N, Bae-Gartz I, Bauer C, Janoschek R, Koxholt I, Mahabir E, Appel S, Alejandre Alcazar MA, Grossmann N, Vohlen C, Brockmeier K, Dotsch J, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, and Graf C (2018). Exercise during pregnancy and its impact on mothers and offspring in humans and mice. J Dev Orig Health Dis 9, 63-76.
Heykants M, Scherb H, Michel G, and Mahabir E (2018). Influence of polygamous versus monogamous mating on embryo production in four different strains of mice after superovulatory treatment. Theriogenology 114, 85-94.
Macheleidt IF, Dalvi PS, Lim SY, Meemboor S, Meder L, Kasgen O, Muller M, Kleemann K, Wang L, Nurnberg P, Russeler V, Schafer SC, Mahabir E, Buttner R, and Odenthal M (2018). Preclinical studies reveal that LSD1 inhibition results in tumor growth arrest in lung adenocarcinoma independently of driver mutations. Mol Oncol 12, 1965-1979.
Mahabir E, Durand S, Henderson KS, and Hardy P (2018). Comparison of two prevalent individually ventilated caging systems for detection of murine infectious agents via exhaust air particles. Lab Anim10.1177/0023677218785929, 23677218785929.
Mahabir E, Volland R, Landsberger A, Manz S, Na E, Urban I, and Michel G (2018). Reproductive Performance after Unilateral or Bilateral Oviduct Transfer of 2-Cell Embryos in Mice. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 57, 110-114.
Raspa M, Mahabir E, Paoletti R, Protti M, Mercolini L, Schiller P, and Scavizzi F (2018). Effects of oral d-aspartate on sperm quality in B6N mice. Theriogenology 121, 53-61.
Schroeder DC, Maul AC, Mahabir E, Koxholt I, Yan X, Padosch SA, Herff H, Bultmann-Mellin I, Sterner-Kock A, Annecke T, Hucho T, Bottiger BW, and Guschlbauer M (2018). Evaluation of small intestinal damage in a rat model of 6 Minutes cardiac arrest. BMC Anesthesiol 18, 61. Esther Mahabir-Brenner.
Oberste M, Grossheinrich N, Wunram HL, Graf JL, Ziemendorff A, Meinhardt A, Fricke O, Mahabir E, and Bender S (2018). Effects of a 6-week, whole-body vibration strength-training on depression symptoms, endocrinological and neurobiological parameters in adolescent inpatients experiencing a major depressive episode (the "Balancing Vibrations Study"): study protocol for a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Trials 19, 347.
Publications 2017
- Appel S, Schulze-Edinghausen M, Kretschmer T, Storck S, Janoschek R, Bae-Gartz I, Handwerk M, Wohlfarth M, Nusken KD, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Heykants M, Mahabir E, and Dotsch J (2017). Maternal obesity attenuates predelivery inflammatory reaction in C57BL/6N mice. J Reprod Immunol 122, 10-3.
- Ferrari N, Bae-Gartz I, Bauer C, Janoschek R, Koxholt I, Mahabir E, Appel S, Alejandre Alcazar MA, Grossmann N, Vohlen C, Brockmeier K, Dotsch J, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, and Graf C (2017). Exercise during pregnancy and its impact on mothers and offspring in humans and mice. J Dev Orig Health Dis10.1017/S2040174417000617, 1-14.
Head
Prof. Dr. Esther Mahabir-Brenner
CMMC Cologne
Head - Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) | RG Comparative Medicine
CMMC - PI - Lab. of Comparative Medicine
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CMMC Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 21
50931 Cologne