Alejandre Alcázar, Miguel A - assoc. RG 38

Deciphering early aberrant morphogenic programming of lung and heart as determinant of risk for disease

Prof. Dr. Dr. Miguel A Alejandre Alcázar
Prof. Dr. Dr. Miguel A Alejandre Alcázar

Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

CMMC - PI - assoc. RG 38

CMMC Profile Page

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Publications on PubMed

Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

Kerpener Str. 62

50937 Cologne

Introduction

The concept of Perinatal Programming, or Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), states that influences in the critical phase of development can determine the structure and function of an organ in the long term, in part through epigenetic modifications.

The Alcázar lab is interested in the investigation of the complex regulatory cellular network of inflammatory response, matrix remodeling and alveolar regeneration in perinatal lung development, injury and chronic lung disease. The research group focusses on deciphering the role of monocytes/macrophages, fibroblasts and alveolar progenitor cells in the perinatal origins of chronic lung disease. For this purpose, the Alcázar lab established several neonatal animal models, including hyperoxia- and ventilation induced lung injury, intrauterine growth restriction and perinatal obesity, along with transgenic animal models and perinatal therapeutic approaches. These in vivo models are complemented by functional and structural analyses of the lung and ex vivo models (e.g., lung organoids and precision cut lung slices).

For translational research, the Alcázar laboratory contributes to the ALL Age Asthma cohort of the German Center of Lung Research, and is part of the department of pediatric pulmonology and neonatology of the University Hospital Cologne. 

The ultimate goal is to gain a deeper understanding of processes of lung development and the identification of critical signaling nodes in perinatal lung injury that could offer innovative strategies to preserve perinatal lung health and prevent chronic lung diseases.

Clinical Relevance

Chronic diseases of the respiratory tract and lungs are among the main causes of death in adults and children worldwide and thus represent an increasing individual as well as socio-economic burden. Identification of early risk factors and molecular mechanisms underlying susceptibility to CLD will offer new preventive and therapeutic strategies. 

Lab Website

For more information, please check the Alcázar Lab site. 

Affiliations

Publication Record on PubMed - Miguel A Alejandre Alcázar

2024 (up to June)
  • Hamdorf M, Imhof T, Bailey-Elkin B, Betz J, Theobald SJ, Simonis A, Di Cristanziano V, Gieselmann L, Dewald F, Lehmann C, Augustin M, Klein F, Alejandre Alcazar MA, Rongisch R, Fabri M, Rybniker J, Goebel H, Stetefeld J, Brachvogel B, Cursiefen C, Koch M, and Bock F (2024). The unique ORF8 protein from SARS-CoV-2 binds to human dendritic cells and induces a hyper-inflammatory cytokine storm. J Mol Cell Biol15. doi:10.1093/jmcb/mjad062.
     
  • Jakwerth CA, Weckmann M, Illi S, Charles H, Zissler UM, Oelsner M, Guerth F, Omony J, Nemani SSP, Grychtol R, Dittrich AM, Skevaki C, Foth S, Weber S, Alejandre Alcazar MA, van Koningsbruggen-Rietschel S, Brock R, Blau S, Hansen G, Bahmer T, Rabe KF, Brinkmann F, Kopp MV, Chaker AM, Schaub B, von Mutius E, Schmidt-Weber CB, and Research ASGapotGCfL (2024). 17q21 Variants Disturb Mucosal Host Defense in Childhood Asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med209, 947-959. doi:10.1164/rccm.202305-0934OC.
     
  • Jirmo AC, Albrecht M, Crnkovic S, Alejandre Alcazar MA. Editorial: Cellular and systemic interplay of metabolism and inflammation in the pathogenesis of lung diseases. Front Immunol. 2024 Jan 17;14:1352304. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1352304. PMID: 38299152; PMCID: PMC10827871.
     
  • Nusken E, Appel S, Saschin L, Kuiper-Makris C, Oberholz L, Schomig C, Tauscher A, Dotsch J, Kribs A, Alejandre Alcazar MA, and Nusken KD (2024). Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Need to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Evidence for a Key Role of Oxidative Stress in Neonatal and Long-Term Sequelae. Cells13. doi:10.3390/cells13060501.
2023
  • Ferrari N, Schmidt N, Bae-Gartz I, Vohlen C, Alcazar MAA, Brockmeier K, Dotsch J, Mahabir E, and Joisten C (2023). Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study. Children (Basel) 10. doi:10.3390/children10111797.
     
  • Hamdorf M, Imhof T, Bailey-Elkin B, Betz J, Theobald SJ, Simonis A, Di Cristanziano V, Gieselmann L, Dewald F, Lehmann C, Augustin M, Klein F, Alcazar MAA, Rongisch R, Fabri M, Rybniker J, Goebel H, Stetefeld J, Brachvogel B, Cursiefen C, Koch M, and Bock F (2023). The unique ORF8 protein from SARS-CoV-2 binds to human dendritic cells and induces a hyper-inflammatory cytokine storm. J Mol Cell Biol. doi:10.1093/jmcb/mjad062.
     
  • Hirani DV, Thielen F, Mansouri S, Danopoulos S, Vohlen C, Haznedar-Karakaya P, Mohr J, Wilke R, Selle J, Grosch T, Mizik I, Odenthal M, Alvira CM, Kuiper-Makris C, Pryhuber GS, Pallasch C, van Koningsbruggen-Rietschel S, Al-Alam D, Seeger W, Savai R, Dotsch J, and AlejandreAlcazar MA (2023). CXCL10 deficiency limits macrophage infiltration, preserves lung matrix, and enables lung growth in bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Inflamm Regen 43, 52. doi:10.1186/s41232-023-00301-6.
     
  • Selle J, Bohl K, Hopker K, Wilke R, Dinger K, Kasper P, Abend B, Schermer B, Muller RU, Kurschat C, Nusken KD, Nusken E, Meyer D, Savai Pullamsetti S, Schumacher B, Dotsch J, and Alcazar MAA (2023). Perinatal Obesity Sensitizes for Premature Kidney Aging Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 24. doi:10.3390/ijms24032508.

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