@article{SeitzSchumacherBakeretal.2019, author = {Seitz, Aaron P. and Schumacher, Fabian and Baker, Jennifer and Soddemann, Matthias and Wilker, Barbara and Caldwell, Charles C. and Gobble, Ryan M. and Kamler, Markus and Becker, Katrin Anne and Beck, Sascha and Kleuser, Burkhard and Edwards, Michael J. and Gulbins, Erich}, title = {Sphingosine-coating of plastic surfaces prevents ventilator-associated pneumonia}, series = {Journal of molecular medicine}, volume = {97}, journal = {Journal of molecular medicine}, number = {8}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0946-2716}, doi = {10.1007/s00109-019-01800-1}, pages = {1195 -- 1211}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Here, we employed the broad antibacterial effects of sphingosine to prevent VAP by developing a novel method of coating surfaces of endotracheal tubes with sphingosine and sphingosine analogs. Sphingosine and phytosphingosine coatings of endotracheal tubes prevent adherence and mediate killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus, even in biofilms. Most importantly, sphingosine-coating of endotracheal tubes also prevented P. aeruginosa and S. aureus pneumonia in vivo. Coating of the tubes with sphingosine was stable, without obvious side effects on tracheal epithelial cells and did not induce inflammation. In summary, we describe a novel method to coat plastic surfaces and provide evidence for the application of sphingosine and phytosphingosine as novel antimicrobial coatings to prevent bacterial adherence and induce killing of pathogens on the surface of endotracheal tubes with potential to prevent biofilm formation and VAP.Key messagesNovel dip-coating method to coat plastic surfaces with lipids.Sphingosine and phytosphingosine as novel antimicrobial coatings on plastic surface.Sphingosine coatings of endotracheal tubes prevent bacterial adherence and biofilms.Sphingosine coatings of endotracheal tubes induce killing of pathogens.Sphingosine coatings of endotracheal tubes ventilator-associated pneumonia.}, language = {en} } @article{PewznerJungTabazavarehGrassmeetal.2014, author = {Pewzner-Jung, Yael and Tabazavareh, Shaghayegh Tavakoli and Grassme, Heike and Becker, Katrin Anne and Japtok, Lukasz and Steinmann, Joerg and Joseph, Tammar and Lang, Stephan and Tuemmler, Burkhard and Schuchman, Edward H. and Lentsch, Alex B. and Kleuser, Burkhard and Edwards, Michael J. and Futerman, Anthony H. and Gulbins, Erich}, title = {Sphingoid long chain bases prevent lung infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa}, series = {EMBO molecular medicine}, volume = {6}, journal = {EMBO molecular medicine}, number = {9}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1757-4676}, doi = {10.15252/emmm.201404075}, pages = {1205 -- 1214}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Cystic fibrosis patients and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, trauma, burn wound, or patients requiring ventilation are susceptible to severe pulmonary infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Physiological innate defense mechanisms against this pathogen, and their alterations in lung diseases, are for the most part unknown. We now demonstrate a role for the sphingoid long chain base, sphingosine, in determining susceptibility to lung infection by P.aeruginosa. Tracheal and bronchial sphingosine levels were significantly reduced in tissues from cystic fibrosis patients and from cystic fibrosis mouse models due to reduced activity of acid ceramidase, which generates sphingosine from ceramide. Inhalation of mice with sphingosine, with a sphingosine analog, FTY720, or with acid ceramidase rescued susceptible mice from infection. Our data suggest that luminal sphingosine in tracheal and bronchial epithelial cells prevents pulmonary P.aeruginosa infection in normal individuals, paving the way for novel therapeutic paradigms based on inhalation of acid ceramidase or of sphingoid long chain bases in lung infection.}, language = {en} } @article{NaserKadowSchumacheretal.2021, author = {Naser, Eyad and Kadow, Stephanie and Schumacher, Fabian and Mohamed, Zainelabdeen H. and Kappe, Christian and Hessler, Gabriele and Pollmeier, Barbara and Kleuser, Burkhard and Arenz, Christoph and Becker, Katrin Anne and Gulbins, Erich and Carpinteiro, Alexander}, title = {Characterization of the small molecule ARC39}, series = {Journal of Lipid Research}, volume = {61}, journal = {Journal of Lipid Research}, number = {6}, publisher = {American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology}, address = {Bethesda}, issn = {1539-7262}, doi = {10.1194/jlr.RA120000682}, pages = {896 -- 910}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), a lysosomal enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin into ceramide and phosphorylcholine, may serve as an investigational tool or a therapeutic intervention to control many diseases. Specific ASM inhibitors are currently not sufficiently characterized. Here, we found that 1-aminodecylidene bis-phosphonic acid (ARC39) specifically and efficiently (>90\%) inhibits both lysosomal and secretory ASM in vitro. Results from investigating sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 (SMPD1/Smpd1) mRNA and ASM protein levels suggested that ARC39 directly inhibits ASM's catalytic activity in cultured cells, a mechanism that differs from that of functional inhibitors of ASM. We further provide evidence that ARC39 dose- and time-dependently inhibits lysosomal ASM in intact cells, and we show that ARC39 also reduces platelet- and ASM-promoted adhesion of tumor cells. The observed toxicity of ARC39 is low at concentrations relevant for ASM inhibition in vitro, and it does not strongly alter the lysosomal compartment or induce phospholipidosis in vitro. When applied intraperitoneally in vivo, even subtoxic high doses administered short-term induced sphingomyelin accumulation only locally in the peritoneal lavage without significant accumulation in plasma, liver, spleen, or brain. These findings require further investigation with other possible chemical modifications. In conclusion, our results indicate that ARC39 potently and selectively inhibits ASM in vitro and highlight the need for developing compounds that can reach tissue concentrations sufficient for ASM inhibition in vivo.}, language = {en} } @article{MeinersPalmieriKlopfleischetal.2019, author = {Meiners, Jana and Palmieri, Vittoria and Klopfleisch, Robert and Ebel, Jana-Fabienne and Japtok, Lukasz and Schumacher, Fabian and Yusuf, Ayan Mohamud and Becker, Katrin Anne and Z{\"o}ller, Julia and Hose, Matthias and Kleuser, Burkhard and Hermann, Dirk Matthias and Kolesnick, Richard N. and Buer, Jan and Hansen, Wiebke and Westendorf, Astrid M.}, title = {Intestinal acid sphingomyelinase protects from severe Pathogen-Driven Colitis}, series = {Frontiers in immunology}, volume = {10}, journal = {Frontiers in immunology}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-3224}, doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2019.01386}, pages = {14}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are emerging as a global problem with increased evidence and prevalence in numerous countries. A dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism occurs in patients with ulcerative colitis and is discussed to contribute to its pathogenesis. In the present study, we determined the impact of acid sphingomyelinase (Asm), which catalyzes the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide, on the course of Citrobacter (C.) rodentium-driven colitis. C. rodentium is an enteric pathogen and induces colonic inflammation very similar to the pathology in patients with ulcerative colitis. We found that mice with Asm deficiency or Asm inhibition were strongly susceptible to C. rodentium infection. These mice showed increased levels of C. rodentium in the feces and were prone to bacterial spreading to the systemic organs. In addition, mice lacking Asm activity showed an uncontrolled inflammatory T(h)1 and T(h)17 response, which was accompanied by a stronger colonic pathology compared to infected wild type mice. These findings identified Asm as an essential regulator of mucosal immunity to the enteric pathogen C. rodentium.}, language = {en} } @article{HollmannWernerAvotaetal.2016, author = {Hollmann, Claudia and Werner, Sandra and Avota, Elita and Reuter, Dajana and Japtok, Lukasz and Kleuser, Burkhard and Gulbins, Erich and Becker, Katrin Anne and Schneider-Schaulies, J{\"u}rgen and Beyersdorf, Niklas}, title = {Inhibition of Acid Sphingomyelinase Allows for Selective Targeting of CD4(+) Conventional versus Foxp3(+) Regulatory T Cells}, series = {The journal of immunology}, volume = {197}, journal = {The journal of immunology}, publisher = {American Assoc. of Immunologists}, address = {Bethesda}, issn = {0022-1767}, doi = {10.4049/jimmunol.1600691}, pages = {3130 -- 3141}, year = {2016}, abstract = {CD4(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) depend on CD28 signaling for their survival and function, a receptor that has been previously shown to activate the acid sphingomyelinase (Asm)/ceramide system. In this article, we show that the basal and CD28-induced Asm activity is higher in Tregs than in conventional CD4(+) T cells (Tconvs) of wild-type (wt) mice. In Asm-deficient (Smpd1(-/-); Asm(-/-)) mice, as compared with wt mice, the frequency of Tregs among CD4(+) T cells, turnover of the effector molecule CTLA-4, and their suppressive activity in vitro were increased. The biological significance of these findings was confirmed in our Treg-sensitive mouse model of measles virus (MV) CNS infection, in which we observed more infected neurons and less MV-specific CD8(+) T cells in brains of Asm(-/-) mice compared with wt mice. In addition to genetic deficiency, treatment of wt mice with the Asm inhibitor amitriptyline recapitulated the phenotype of Asm-deficient mice because it also increased the frequency of Tregs among CD4(+) T cells. Reduced absolute cell numbers of Tconvs after inhibitor treatment in vivo and extensive in vitro experiments revealed that Tregs are more resistant toward Asm inhibitor-induced cell death than Tconvs. Mechanistically, IL-2 was capable of providing crucial survival signals to the Tregs upon inhibitor treatment in vitro, shifting the Treg/Tconv ratio to the Treg side. Thus, our data indicate that Asm-inhibiting drugs should be further evaluated for the therapy of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.}, language = {en} } @article{HenryNeillBeckeretal.2015, author = {Henry, Brian D. and Neill, Daniel R. and Becker, Katrin Anne and Gore, Suzanna and Bricio-Moreno, Laura and Ziobro, Regan and Edwards, Michael J. and Muehlemann, Kathrin and Steinmann, Joerg and Kleuser, Burkhard and Japtok, Lukasz and Luginbuehl, Miriam and Wolfmeier, Heidi and Scherag, Andre and Gulbins, Erich and Kadioglu, Aras and Draeger, Annette and Babiychuk, Eduard B.}, title = {Engineered liposomes sequester bacterial exotoxins and protect from severe invasive infections in mice}, series = {Nature biotechnology : the science and business of biotechnology}, volume = {33}, journal = {Nature biotechnology : the science and business of biotechnology}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {New York}, issn = {1087-0156}, doi = {10.1038/nbt.3037}, pages = {81 -- U295}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Gram-positive bacterial pathogens that secrete cytotoxic pore-forming toxins, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, cause a substantial burden of disease. Inspired by the principles that govern natural toxin-host interactions, we have engineered artificial liposomes that are tailored to effectively compete with host cells for toxin binding. Liposome-bound toxins are unable to lyse mammalian cells in vitro. We use these artificial liposomes as decoy targets to sequester bacterial toxins that are produced during active infection in vivo. Administration of artificial liposomes within 10 h after infection rescues mice from septicemia caused by S. aureus and S. pneumoniae, whereas untreated mice die within 24-33 h. Furthermore, liposomes protect mice against invasive pneumococcal pneumonia. Composed exclusively of naturally occurring lipids, tailored liposomes are not bactericidal and could be used therapeutically either alone or in conjunction with antibiotics to combat bacterial infections and to minimize toxin-induced tissue damage that occurs during bacterial clearance.}, language = {en} } @article{GulbinsPalmadaReicheletal.2013, author = {Gulbins, Erich and Palmada, Monica and Reichel, Martin and Lueth, Anja and Boehmer, Christoph and Amato, Davide and Mueller, Christian P. and Tischbirek, Carsten H. and Groemer, Teja W. and Tabatabai, Ghazaleh and Becker, Katrin Anne and Tripal, Philipp and Staedtler, Sven and Ackermann, Teresa F. and van Brederode, Johannes and Alzheimer, Christian and Weller, Michael and Lang, Undine E. and Kleuser, Burkhard and Grassme, Heike and Kornhuber, Johannes}, title = {Acid sphingomyelinase-ceramide system mediates effects of antidepressant drugs}, series = {Nature medicine}, volume = {19}, journal = {Nature medicine}, number = {7}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {New York}, issn = {1078-8956}, doi = {10.1038/nm.3214}, pages = {934 -- +}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Major depression is a highly prevalent severe mood disorder that is treated with antidepressants. The molecular targets of antidepressants require definition. We investigated the role of the acid sphingomyelinase (Asm)-ceramide system as a target for antidepressants. Therapeutic concentrations of the antidepressants amitriptyline and fluoxetine reduced Asm activity and ceramide concentrations in the hippocampus, increased neuronal proliferation, maturation and survival and improved behavior in mouse models of stress-induced depression. Genetic Asm deficiency abrogated these effects. Mice overexpressing Asm, heterozygous for acid ceramidase, treated with blockers of ceramide metabolism or directly injected with C16 ceramide in the hippocampus had higher ceramide concentrations and lower rates of neuronal proliferation, maturation and survival compared with controls and showed depression-like behavior even in the absence of stress. The decrease of ceramide abundance achieved by antidepressant-mediated inhibition of Asm normalized these effects. Lowering ceramide abundance may thus be a central goal for the future development of antidepressants.}, language = {en} } @article{GulbinsSchumacherBeckeretal.2018, author = {Gulbins, Anne and Schumacher, Fabian and Becker, Katrin Anne and Wilker, Barbara and Soddemann, Matthias and Boldrin, Francesco and M{\"u}ller, Christian P. and Edwards, Michael J. and Goodman, Michael and Caldwell, Charles C. and Kleuser, Burkhard and Kornhuber, Johannes and Szabo, Ildiko and Gulbins, Erich}, title = {Antidepressants act by inducing autophagy controlled by sphingomyelin-ceramide}, series = {Molecular psychiatry}, volume = {23}, journal = {Molecular psychiatry}, number = {12}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {1359-4184}, doi = {10.1038/s41380-018-0090-9}, pages = {2324 -- 2346}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and severe disease characterized by mood changes, somatic alterations, and often suicide. MDD is treated with antidepressants, but the molecular mechanism of their action is unknown. We found that widely used antidepressants such as amitriptyline and fluoxetine induce autophagy in hippocampal neurons via the slow accumulation of sphingomyelin in lysosomes and Golgi membranes and of ceramide in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). ER ceramide stimulates phosphatase 2A and thereby the autophagy proteins Ulk, Beclin, Vps34/Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, p62, and Lc3B. Although treatment with amitriptyline or fluoxetine requires at least 12 days to achieve sphingomyelin accumulation and the subsequent biochemical and cellular changes, direct inhibition of sphingomyelin synthases with tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609) results in rapid (within 3 days) accumulation of ceramide in the ER, activation of autophagy, and reversal of biochemical and behavioral signs of stress-induced MDD. Inhibition of Beclin blocks the antidepressive effects of amitriptyline and D609 and induces cellular and behavioral changes typical of MDD. These findings identify sphingolipid-controlled autophagy as an important target for antidepressive treatment methods and provide a rationale for the development of novel antidepressants that act within a few days.}, language = {en} } @article{CarpinteiroBeckerJaptoketal.2015, author = {Carpinteiro, Alexander and Becker, Katrin Anne and Japtok, Lukasz and Hessler, Gabriele and Keitsch, Simone and Pozgajova, Miroslava and Schmid, Kurt W. and Adams, Constantin and M{\"u}ller, Stefan and Kleuser, Burkhard and Edwards, Michael J. and Grassme, Heike and Helfrich, Iris and Gulbins, Erich}, title = {Regulation of hematogenous tumor metastasis by acid sphingomyelinase}, series = {EMBO molecular medicine}, volume = {7}, journal = {EMBO molecular medicine}, number = {6}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1757-4676}, pages = {714 -- 734}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Metastatic dissemination of cancer cells is the ultimate hallmark of malignancy and accounts for approximately 90\% of human cancer deaths. We investigated the role of acid sphingomyelinase (Asm) in the hematogenous metastasis of melanoma cells. Intravenous injection of B16F10 melanoma cells into wild-type mice resulted in multiple lung metastases, while Asm-deficient mice (Smpd1(-/-) mice) were protected from pulmonary tumor spread. Transplanting wild-type platelets into Asm-deficient mice reinstated tumor metastasis. Likewise, Asm-deficient mice were protected from hematogenous MT/ret melanoma metastasis to the spleen in a mouse model of spontaneous tumor metastasis. Human and mouse melanoma cells triggered activation and release of platelet secretory Asm, in turn leading to ceramide formation, clustering, and activation of 51 integrins on melanoma cells finally leading to adhesion of the tumor cells. Clustering of integrins by applying purified Asm or C-16 ceramide to B16F10 melanoma cells before intravenous injection restored trapping of tumor cells in the lung in Asm-deficient mice. This effect was revertable by arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptides, which are known inhibitors of integrins, and by antibodies neutralizing 1 integrins. These findings indicate that melanoma cells employ platelet-derived Asm for adhesion and metastasis.}, language = {en} } @article{BeckmannKadowSchumacheretal.2018, author = {Beckmann, Nadine and Kadow, Stephanie and Schumacher, Fabian and Goethert, Joachim R. and Kesper, Stefanie and Draeger, Annette and Schulz-Schaeffer, Walter J. and Wang, Jiang and Becker, Jan U. and Kramer, Melanie and Kuehn, Claudine and Kleuser, Burkhard and Becker, Katrin Anne and Gulbins, Erich and Carpinteiro, Alexander}, title = {Pathological manifestations of Farber disease in a new mouse model}, series = {Biological chemistry}, volume = {399}, journal = {Biological chemistry}, number = {10}, publisher = {De Gruyter}, address = {Berlin}, issn = {1431-6730}, doi = {10.1515/hsz-2018-0170}, pages = {1183 -- 1202}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Farber disease (FD) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder resulting from acid ceramidase deficiency and subsequent ceramide accumulation. No treatments are clinically available and affected patients have a severely shortened lifespan. Due to the low incidence, the pathogenesis of FD is still poorly understood. Here, we report a novel acid ceramidase mutant mouse model that enables the study of pathogenic mechanisms of FD and ceramide accumulation. Asah1(tmEx1) mice were generated by deletion of the acid ceramidase signal peptide sequence. The effects on lysosomal targeting and activity of the enzyme were assessed. Ceramide and sphingomyelin levels were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and disease manifestations in several organ systems were analyzed by histology and biochemistry. We show that deletion of the signal peptide sequence disrupts lysosomal targeting and enzyme activity, resulting in ceramide and sphingomyelin accumulation. The affected mice fail to thrive and die early. Histiocytic infiltrations were observed in many tissues, as well as lung inflammation, liver fibrosis, muscular disease manifestations and mild kidney injury. Our new mouse model mirrors human FD and thus offers further insights into the pathogenesis of this disease. In the future, it may also facilitate the development of urgently needed therapies.}, language = {en} } @article{BeckmannBeckerKadowetal.2019, author = {Beckmann, Nadine and Becker, Katrin Anne and Kadow, Stephanie and Schumacher, Fabian and Kramer, Melanie and Kuehn, Claudine and Schulz-Schaeffer, Walter J. and Edwards, Michael J. and Kleuser, Burkhard and Gulbins, Erich and Carpinteiro, Alexander}, title = {Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency Ameliorates Farber Disease}, series = {International journal of molecular sciences}, volume = {20}, journal = {International journal of molecular sciences}, number = {24}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {1422-0067}, doi = {10.3390/ijms20246253}, pages = {18}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Farber disease is a rare lysosomal storage disorder resulting from acid ceramidase deficiency and subsequent ceramide accumulation. No treatments for Farber disease are clinically available, and affected patients have a severely shortened lifespan. We have recently reported a novel acid ceramidase deficiency model that mirrors the human disease closely. Acid sphingomyelinase is the enzyme that generates ceramide upstream of acid ceramidase in the lysosomes. Using our acid ceramidase deficiency model, we tested if acid sphingomyelinase could be a potential novel therapeutic target for the treatment of Farber disease. A number of functional acid sphingomyelinase inhibitors are clinically available and have been used for decades to treat major depression. Using these as a therapeutic for Farber disease, thus, has the potential to improve central nervous symptoms of the disease as well, something all other treatment options for Farber disease can't achieve so far. As a proof-of-concept study, we first cross-bred acid ceramidase deficient mice with acid sphingomyelinase deficient mice in order to prevent ceramide accumulation. Double-deficient mice had reduced ceramide accumulation, fewer disease manifestations, and prolonged survival. We next targeted acid sphingomyelinase pharmacologically, to test if these findings would translate to a setting with clinical applicability. Surprisingly, the treatment of acid ceramidase deficient mice with the acid sphingomyelinase inhibitor amitriptyline was toxic to acid ceramidase deficient mice and killed them within a few days of treatment. In conclusion, our study provides the first proof-of-concept that acid sphingomyelinase could be a potential new therapeutic target for Farber disease to reduce disease manifestations and prolong survival. However, we also identified previously unknown toxicity of the functional acid sphingomyelinase inhibitor amitriptyline in the context of Farber disease, strongly cautioning against the use of this substance class for Farber disease patients.}, language = {en} }