Regenwürmer als Akkumulations-indikatoren für Schwermetalle

Die Akkumulation von Schwermetallen (Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr) in Regenwürmern wurde an 86 unterschiedlich bewirt-schafteten Standorten (Acker, Grünland, Laubwald, Nadelwald, alluviale Standorte und Kippen) unter Berücksichtigung der pH-Werte und Corg-Gehalte bestimmt. Die Aufnahme der Schwermetalle durch die Regenwürmer korrelierte mit den Boden-gehalten und zeigte beträchtliche Differenzen zwischen den Landnutzungstypen sowie den einzelnen Lumbriciden-species. Am meisten wurden Cd und Zn durch die Regenwürmer akkumuliert. Die Aufnahme von Cd und Zn durch die epigäischen Regenwürmer war zumeist höher als durch die endogäischen und anözischen Species. Für eine Risikoabschätzung eines Habitats ist vor allem Cd wegen seiner hohen Transferraten in das Regenwurmgewebe geeignet

Einfluss von Biogasgärrückständen auf Abundanz und Biomasse von Lumbriciden

Die Novellierung des Erneuerbaren-Energien-Gesetzes im Jahr 2004 hat zu einem starken Anstieg der Zahl an Biogasanlagen beigetragen. Die entstehenden Fermentationsrückstände werden als Dünger in der Landwirtschaft eingesetzt. Die Ausbringung von Biogasgärrückständen und Rohgülle wirkt sich an den Standorten Cunnersdorf und Pfahlheim insgesamt positiv auf die Abundanz und Bio-asse der Lumbriciden aus. Die Artenzu-sammensetzung wird maßgeblich durch die Applikation von Biogasgärrückständen beeinfluss

Personalized adoptive immunotherapy for patients with EBVassociated tumors and complications:Evaluation of novel naturally processed and presented EBV-derived T-cell epitopes

Morbidity and mortality of immunocompromised patients are increased by primary infection with or reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), possibly triggering EBV+post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Adoptive transfer of EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells (EBV-CTLs) promises a non-toxic immunotherapy to effectively prevent or treat these complications. To improve immunotherapy and immunomonitoring this study aimed at identifying and evaluating naturally processed and presented HLA-A*03:01-restricted EBV-CTL epitopes as immunodominant targets. More than 15000 peptides were sequenced from EBV-immortalized B cells transduced with soluble HLA-A*03:01, sorted using different epitope prediction tools and eleven candidates were preselected. T2 and Flex-T peptide-binding and dissociation assays confirmed the stability of peptide-MHC complexes. Their immunogenicity and clinical relevance were evaluated by assessing the frequencies and functionality of EBV-CTLs in healthy donors (n> 10) and EBV+PTLD-patients (n= 5) by multimer staining, Eli- and FluoroSpot assays. All eleven peptides elicited EBV-CTL responses in the donors. Their clinical applicability was determined by small-scale T-cell enrichment using Cytokine Secretion Assay and immunophenotyping. Mixtures of these peptides when added to the EBV Consensus pool revealed enhanced stimulation and enrichment efficacy. These EBV-specific epitopes broadening the repertoire of known targets will improve manufacturing of clinically applicable EBV-CTLs and monitoring of EBV-specific T-cell responses in patients

Heat shock protein 70/peptide complexes: potent mediators for the generation of antiviral T cells particularly with regard to low precursor frequencies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has gained major attention as an adjuvant capable of inducing antigen-specific CD8⁺and CD4⁺T-cell responses. The ability of HSP70/peptide complexes to elicit cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) responses by cross-presentation of exogenous antigens via HLA class I molecules is of central interest in immunotherapy. We examined the role of HSP70/CMVpp65_495-503-peptide complex (HSP70/CMV-PC) in HLA class I-restricted cross-presentation for <it>ex vivo </it>expansion of CMV-specific CTLs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>CMV-specific T cells generated from PBMCs of HLA-A*02:01/CMV-seropositive donors were stimulated for 21 days with HSP70/CMV-PC and analyzed in functional assays. As a control PBMCs were cultured in the presence of CMVpp65_495-503peptide or HSP70. Increase of CMV-specific CTLs was visualized by pentameric HLA-A*02:01/CMVpp65_495-503complex.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>About 90% of HSP70/CMV-PC generated T cells were CMV-specific and exhibited significantly higher IFN-γ secretion, cytotoxic activity, and an increased heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) gene expression as compared to about 69% of those stimulated with CMVpp65_495-503peptide. We decided to classify the HLA-A*02:01/CMV-seropositive donors as weak, medium, and strong responder according to the frequency of generated A2/CMV-pentamer-positive CD8⁺T cells. HSP70/CMV-PC significantly induces strong antiviral T-cell responses especially in those donors with low memory precursor frequencies. Blockage of CD91 with α2-macroglobulin markedly reduced proliferation of antiviral T cells suggesting a major role of this receptor in the uptake of HSP70/CMV-PC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study clearly demonstrates that HSP70/CMV-PC is a potent mediator to induce stronger T-cell responses compared to antiviral peptides. This simple and efficient technique may help to generate significant quantities of antiviral CTLs by cross-presentation. Thus, we propose HSP70 for chaperoning peptides to reach an efficient level of cross-presentation. HSP70/peptide complexes may be particularly useful to generate stronger T-cell responses in cases of low precursor frequencies and may help to improve the efficiency of antigen-specific T-cell therapy for minor antigens.</p

Zur Wirkung von schnellwachsenden Baumarten im Kurzumtrieb auf ausgewählte biologische Bodeneigenschaften

Der Anbau von Energieholz im Kurzumtrieb führt auf dem Schwarzerde-Standort Bad Lauchstädt bereits nach kurzer Versuchsdauer zu Veränderungen der biologischen Eigenschaften im Boden. Die mikrobielle Biomasse zeigt einen deutlich ausgeprägten Tiefengradienten und signifikant erhöhte Werte für die Gehölze. Die mehrjährige Bodenruhe fördert in Verbindung mit der anfallenden Streu das Lumbricidenvorkommen bei den Dauerkulturen

Lumbricidenvorkommen unter schnellwachsenden Baumarten im Kurzumtrieb auf einer Schwarzerde im mitteldeutschen Trockengebiet

Der Anbau von Energieholz im Kurzumtrieb führt auf dem Schwarzerde Standort Bad Lauchstädt zu Veränderungen in Artenspektrum, Abundanz, Biomasse und Dominanzstruktur der Lumbriciden. Die mehrjährige Bodenruhe fördert in den ersten Jahren nach der Aufforstung das Lumbricidenvorkommen bei den schnellwachsenden Bäumen Pappel und Korbweide. Im weiteren Versuchsverlauf treten zwischen den Baumarten signifikante Unterschiede in Bezug auf Lumbricidenabundanz und -biomasse auf

Discovery of immunodominant T-cell epitopes reveals penton protein as a second immunodominant target in human adenovirus infection

Additional file 2: Figure S2. Analysis of HAdV-specific T-cell responses against the novel immunodominant T-cell epitope in healthy donors

Effect of energy forestry on physical, chemical and biological soil properties on a Chernozem in continental dry climate conditions in central Germany

In den vergangenen Jahren hat das Interesse an nachwachsenden Rohstoffen zur Energiegewinnung stetig zugenommen. Dabei erlebt der Rohstoff Holz eine Renaissance als Energieträger. Mit der vorliegenden Studie sollen die Auswirkungen des Anbaus von Pappel (Populus nigra ssp.) und Weide (Salix viminalis ssp.) im Kurz­umtrieb auf ökologisch relevante physikalische, chemische und biologische Bodenparameter einer Schwarz­erde im Mitteldeutschen Trockengebiet mitgeteilt werden. Grundlage der Untersuchungen bildet ein Langzeitversuch, der im Jahr 2000 am Standort Bad Lauchstädt angelegt wurde. Als Vergleichsbasis dient eine repräsentative Ackerfläche. Bereits nach vier Versuchsjahren lassen die bodenphysikalischen Untersuchungen erste nutzungsbedingte Differenzierungen erkennen. Durch die unterlassene Bodenbearbeitung steigt bei den Dauerkulturen die Trockenrohdichte in der Oberkrume an, die Wasserleitfähigkeit nimmt dagegen ab. In Unterkrume und Krumenbasis treten meist nur geringe Differen­zierungen zwischen den Varianten auf. Die Oberkrume weist unter Weide signifikant höhere organische und heißwasserlösliche Kohlenstoffgehalte auf. Im Vergleich zur Ackernutzung sind bei der Pappel noch keine Veränderungen sichtbar. Mikrobielle Biomasse und Enzymaktivitäten (ß-Glucosidase, Arginin-Ammonifikation) zeigen einen deutlich ausgeprägten Tiefengradienten und weisen in 0–5&nbsp;cm Bodentiefe für die Gehölze signifikant erhöhte Werte auf. Auch bei den Lumbriciden werden bereits wesentliche Unterschiede deutlich. Pappel und Korbweide sind durch eine große Artenvielfalt und Individuendichte gekennzeichnet. Insgesamt belegt die Untersuchung eine günstige Beeinflussung wichtiger ökologisch relevanter Bodenparameter durch den Anbau schnellwachsender Hölzer am Standort Bad Lauchstädt.The last years have seen a growing interest in renewable resources for energy production. Especially the use of wood has increased considerably. Most studies, however, have only looked into agricultural or production aspects, thus we focus on ecologically relevant soil properties of poplar (Populus nigra ssp.) or willow (Salix viminalis ssp.) in short rotation forestry on a Chernozem located in the continental dry climate of central Germany. The results are based upon measurements in a long-term field experiment, which commenced in 2000 at Bad Lauchstädt experimental station near Halle, comparing various energy crops. Reference for all measurements is always an adjacent arable crop rotation. Even only after four years of short rotation forestry some soil physical parameters were affected. Without any tillage in the energy forestry the bulk density increased and the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased. Those differences were limited to the uppermost layer of the topsoil. In deeper soil layers no differences were observed. Under willows the uppermost soil layers showed a significant increase in soil organic carbon and hot water carbon. In contrast, no differences in soil organic carbon were measured under poplar. Microbial biomass and various enzyme activities like ß-Glucosidase, Arginin-Ammonification were significantly higher in the topsoil under energy forestry and also showed a steep gradient. Additionally the lumbricides did respond substantially to the different cropping systems. Under poplar and willow parameters like abundance, biomass and species diversity of lumbricides increased significantly. In conclusions, our results demonstrate a positive effect of the fast growing tree species poplar and willow on a number of important soil quality parameters at the experimental site on a Chernozem in central Germany

Selective Effects of mTOR Inhibitor Sirolimus on Naïve and CMV-Specific T Cells Extending Its Applicable Range Beyond Immunosuppression

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation remains among the most important complications of immunosuppression after transplantation. However, recent clinical observations indicate that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition with sirolimus may improve the outcome of CMV complications. Underlying mechanisms of this observation, particularly the effect of sirolimus on naïve- and CMV-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell (CMV-CTL) functionality is still undiscovered. Here, the influence of sirolimus on naïve and memory CMV-CTLs was determined by CD3/CD28 crosslinking and alloreactivity assays. After stimulating CMV-CTL with HLA-A*02:01-restricted CMVpp65-peptide loaded artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs), we measured the effect of sirolimus on T-cell proliferation, phenotype, and functionality. Sirolimus significantly improved CMV-specific effector memory T-cell function and negatively influenced naïve T cells. This unique mechanism of action was further characterized by increased secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), granzyme B (GzB) and enhanced target-cell-dependent cytotoxic capacity of activated CMV-CTLs. Next-generation-sequencing (NGS) was applied to monitor T-cell receptor (TCR)-repertoire dynamics and to verify, that the increased functionality was not related to sirolimus-resistant CTL-clones. Instead, modulation of environmental cues during CMV-CTL development via IL-2 receptor (IL-2R)-driven signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 (STAT-5) signaling under mTOR inhibition allowed fine-tuning of T-cell programming for enhanced antiviral response with stable TCR-repertoire dynamics. We show for the first time that sirolimus acts selectively on human naïve and memory T cells and improves CMV-specific T-cell function via modulation of the environmental milieu. The data emphasize the importance to extend immune monitoring including cytokine levels and T-cell functionality which will help to identify patients who may benefit from individually tailored immunosuppression

Reliability of medical students' vaccination histories for immunisable diseases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medical students come into contact with infectious diseases early on their career. Immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases is therefore vital for both medical students and the patients with whom they come into contact.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to compare the medical history and serological status of selected vaccine-preventable diseases of medical students in Germany.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall correlation between self-reported medical history statements and serological findings among the 150 students studied was 86.7 %, 66.7 %, 78 % and 93.3 % for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, conditional on sufficient immunity being achieved after one vaccination. Although 81.2 % of the students' medical history data correlated with serological findings, significant gaps in immunity were found.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings indicate that medical history alone is not a reliable screening tool for immunity against the vaccine-preventable diseases studied.</p