Tumor Rejection by Disturbing Tumor Stroma Cell Interactions

The stroma of solid tumors is a complex network of different cell types. We analyzed stroma cell interactions in two tumor models during cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced tumor rejection. In growing tumors, tumor infiltrating macrophages (TIMs) produced interleukin (IL)-10. Beginning 6 h after Cy-treatment T cells in the tumor were inactivated and TIMs switched to interferon (IFN)-γ production. Both, IL-10 production before and IFN-γ production after Cy-treatment by TIMs required T cells. With the same kinetics as TIMs started to produce IFN-γ the tumor vasculature was destroyed which required IFN-γ receptor expression on host but not tumor cells. These events preceded hemorrhagic necrosis and residual tumor cell elimination by T cells. Together, T cells regulate the function of TIMs and tumor rejection can be induced by disturbing the stroma network

Generation of Tumor-associated Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Requires Interleukin 4 from CD8+ T Cells

Activation of tumor-associated CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) often requires antigen representation, e.g., by dendritic cells (DCs), and CD4+ T cell help. Previously, we showed that CTL-mediated tumor immunity required interleukin 4 (IL-4) during the immunization but not effector phase. To determine the source and target cells of IL-4, we performed adoptive T cell transfers using CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from IL-4−/− and IL-4R−/− mice and analyzed CTL generation. Even though necessary for CTL generation, CD4+ T cells did not need to express IL-4 or IL-4R. Surprisingly, CTL generation required IL-4 but not IL-4R expression by CD8+ T cells. As IL-4 (a) was expressed by naive CD8+ T cells within 24 h after antigen encounter, (b) IL-4 induced DC maturation, and (c) CTL development was impaired in T cell–reconstituted IL-4R−/− mice, CD8+ T cell–derived IL-4 appears to act on DCs. We conclude that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells provide different signals for DC activation during CTL generation

Erfolgsfaktoren in der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung. Ergebnisse einer Erhebung an bayerischen Hochschulen

Ziel der in der DGWF Engagierten ist es, hochwertige und dauerhaft erfolgreiche Weiterbildungsangebote zu schaffen. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert die Ergebnisse einer quantitativen Umfrage mit Verantwortlichen für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an Hochschulen im Freistaat Bayern zum Thema Erfolgsfaktoren. Darin wird die Facheinschätzung jener 34 Expert*innen zu den wichtigsten Elementen in Konzeption, Organisation und Angebotsausführung wiedergegeben, auf dass eine erfolgreiche Etablierung gelingt. Darüber hinaus liefern die Autorinnen einen Überblick zur aktuellen bayerischen Situation der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung mit Verortung auf nationaler Ebene und vergleichen die zentralsten Forschungsergebnisse mit thematisch verwandten Studien. Der Beitrag schließt mit Diskussionsanregungen zu aktuellen Entwicklungsperspektiven. (DIPF/Orig.

Targeted reactivation during sleep differentially affects negative memories in socially anxious and healthy children and adolescents

Cognitive models propose a negative memory bias as one key factor contributing to the emergence and maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The long-term consolidation of memories relies on memory reactivations during sleep. We investigated in SAD patients and healthy controls the role of memory reactivations during sleep in the long-term consolidation of positive and negative information. Socially anxious and healthy children and adolescents learnt associations between pictures showing ambiguous situations and positive or negative words defining the situations' outcome. Half of the words were re-presented during post-learning sleep (i.e. they were cued). Recall of picture-word associations and subjective ratings of pleasantness and arousal in response to the pictures was tested for cued and uncued stimuli. In the morning after cueing, cueing facilitated retention of positive and negative memories equally well in SAD patients and healthy controls. One week later, cueing led to reduced ratings of pleasantness of negative information in SAD but not in healthy controls. These findings were coincided by more pronounced EEG theta activity over frontal, temporal and parietal regions in response to negative stimuli in SAD patients. Our findings suggest that the preferential abstraction of negative emotional information during sleep might represent one factor underlying the negative memory bias in SAD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We aim to uncover mechanisms underlying the characteristic negative memory bias in social anxiety disorder (SAD). The formation of long-lasting memories - a process referred to as memory consolidation - depend on the reactivation of newly acquired memories during sleep. We could demonstrate that experimentally induced memory reactivation during sleep renders long-term memories of negative experiences more negative in SAD patients but not in healthy controls. In parallel, reactivating negative experiences was coincided by more pronounced oscillatory theta activity in these patients. These results provide first evidence that memory reactivation during sleep might contribute to the negative memory bias in SAD

Erfolgsfaktoren in der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung: Ergebnisse einer Erhebung an bayerischen Hochschulen

Ziel der in der DGWF Engagierten ist es, hochwertige und dauerhaft erfolgreiche Weiterbildungsangebote zu schaffen. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert die Ergebnisse einer quantitativen Umfrage mit Verantwortlichen für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an Hochschulen im Freistaat Bayern zum Thema Erfolgsfaktoren. Darin wird die Facheinschätzung jener 34 Expert*innen zu den wichtigsten Elementen in Konzeption, Organisation und Angebotsausführung wiedergegeben, auf dass eine erfolgreiche Etablierung gelingt. Darüber hinaus liefern die Autorinnen einen Überblick zur aktuellen bayerischen Situation der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung mit Verortung auf nationaler Ebene und vergleichen die zentralsten Forschungsergebnisse mit thematisch verwandten Studien. Der Beitrag schließt mit Diskussionsanregungen zu aktuellen Entwicklungsperspektiven