Translationale Immunologie

Translational Immunology

Overview

Further Information

Website DKFZ

The objective of the Translational Immunology group is to gain new insights into the immune defence system of cancerous cells and to transfer the results from basic research through to clinical treatments. The pursuit of this goal is based on close interdisciplinary collaboration with the oncological departments of NCT and the University Hospital. New therapeutic concepts developed by the research group are being translated into clinical application.

Effective immune responses are based on a variety of active principles. The T Cell Tumor Immunity project (Dr Beckhove) describes formative and regulative mechanisms of T-cell tumor responses. The examination of conditions and activation of tumorlytic T and NK lymphocytes are the focus of the Antigen Presentation and T Cell Activation project (Dr Momburg). Both projects are complemented by the construction of virus-like particles aimed at stimulating immune responses against cancer (Dr Cid, T cell Tumour Immunity group).

Therapeutic antibodies have proven to be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of tumor diseases. New antibodies are being developed with the help of antibody engineering (Antibody Therapy project, Dr Moldenhauer). Cell adhesion molecules as target structures for immunotherapies are the central topic of the Adhesion and Metastasis project (Prof. Altevogt). Particular glycosylation patterns on tumor cells and tumor vessels represent target antigens for new anti-tumor strategies (GlycoImmunology project, Dr Schwarz-Albiez).

Significant accomplishments of the past 5 years

The Translational Immunology group has:

described spontaneous T-cell responses in bone marrow of cancer patients (Blood 2005, 105:2132-4; Cancer Res 2006, 66:8258-65; Cancer Res 2006, 66:5997-6001; Cancer Res 2006, 65:10079-87; J Clin Invest 2009, 11:3311-21).
unraveled regulatory mechanisms underlying cytotoxic T-cell responses in cancer patients (Cancer Res 2009, 21:8420-8).
conducted adoptive bone marrow memory T-cell transfer in a phase I/II clinical study for metastasized breast cancer (Cancer Immunol Immunother 2008, 58:887-900).
demonstrated the relevance of antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) in cancer and major differences in target antigens between Tregs and conventional T cells (J Clin Invest 2009, 11:3311-21).
described a mechanism of selective Treg recruitment into tumor tissue through specific endothelial adhesion molecules (J Natl Cancer Inst 2007, 99:1188-99).
demonstrated a role for Tregs in controlling chronic pancreatitis (Gastroenterology 2009, 138:1178-88).
developed methods to identify stroma-associated CTL antigens (J Clin Invest 2010, 120:2230-42).
demonstrated the role of L1CAM in tumor progession and developed monoclonal antibodies with therapeutic efficacy (Cancer Res 2010, 70:2504-15).

5 most significant publications of the past 5 years

Choi C, Witzens M, Bucur M, Feuerer M, Sommerfeldt N, Trojan A, Ho A, Schirrmacher V, Goldschmidt H, Beckhove P: Enrichment of functional CD8 Memory T Cells specific for MUC1 in Bone Marrow of Multiple Myeloma Patients. Blood 2005, 105:2132-4

Nummer D, Suri-Payer E, Schmitz-Winnenthal H, Bonertz A, Galindo L, Antolovich D, Koch M, Buechler M, Weitz J, Schirrmacher V, Beckhove P: Tumor endothelium in human pancreatic carcinoma promotes selective accumulation of regulatory T cells. J Natl Cancer Inst 2007, 99:1188-99

Bonertz A, Weitz J, Pietsch DH, Rahbari NN, Schlude C, Ge Y, Jünger S, Vlodavsky I, Khazaie K, Jäger D, Reissfelder C, Antolovic D, Aigner M, Koch M, Beckhove P: Antigen-specific Tregs control T cell responses against a limited repertoire of tumor antigens in patients with colorectal carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2009, 11:3311-21

Beckhove P, Warta R, Lemke B, Stoycheva D, Momburg F, Schmitz-Winnenthal H, Ahmadi R, Dyckhoff G, Bucur M, Jünger S, Schoeler T, Lennerz V, Woelfel T, Unterberg A, Herold-Mende C: Rapid T-cell based identification of tissue antigens by automated two-dimensional protein fractionation. J Clin Invest 2010, 120:2230-42

Schmitz-Winnenthal FH, Pietsch DH, Schimmack S, Bonertz A, Udonta F, Ge Y, Galindo L, Volk C, Zgraggen K, Koch M, Buechler M, Weitz J, Beckhove, P: Chronic pancreatitis is associated with disease-specific regulatory T cell responses. Gastroenterology 2010, 138:1178-88

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