@article{ZirafiKimStaendkeretal.2015,
  author    = {Zirafi, Onofrio and Kim, Kyeong-Ae and St{\"a}ndker, Ludger and Mohr, Katharina B. and Sauter, Daniel and Heigele, Anke and Kluge, Silvia F. and Wiercinska, Eliza and Chudziak, Doreen and Richter, Rudolf and M{\"o}pps, Barbara and Gierschik, Peter and Vas, Virag and Geiger, Hartmut and Lamla, Markus and Weil, Tanja and Burster, Timo and Zgraja, Andreas and Daubeuf, Francois and Frossard, Nelly and Hachet-Haas, Muriel and Heunisch, Fabian and Reichetzeder, Christoph and Galzi, Jean-Luc and Perez-Castells, Javier and Canales-Mayordomo, Angeles and Jimenez-Barbero, Jesus and Gimenez-Gallego, Guillermo and Schneider, Marion and Shorter, James and Telenti, Amalio and Hocher, Berthold and Forssmann, Wolf-Georg and Bonig, Halvard and Kirchhoff, Frank and M{\"u}nch, Jan},
  title     = {Discovery and Characterization of an Endogenous CXCR4 Antagonist},
  series = {Cell reports},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Cell reports},
  number    = {5},
  publisher = {Cell Press},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {2211-1247},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.celrep.2015.03.061},
  pages     = {737 -- 747},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling controls multiple physiological processes and its dysregulation is associated with cancers and inflammatory diseases. To discover as-yet-unknown endogenous ligands of CXCR4, we screened a blood-derived peptide library for inhibitors of CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 strains. This approach identified a 16 amino acid fragment of serum albumin as an effective and highly specific CXCR4 antagonist. The endogenous peptide, termed EPI-X4, is evolutionarily conserved and generated from the highly abundant albumin precursor by pH-regulated proteases. EPI-X4 forms an unusual lasso-like structure and antagonizes CXCL12-induced tumor cell migration, mobilizes stem cells, and suppresses inflammatory responses in mice. Furthermore, the peptide is abundant in the urine of patients with inflammatory kidney diseases and may serve as a biomarker. Our results identify EPI-X4 as a key regulator of CXCR4 signaling and introduce proteolysis of an abundant precursor protein as an alternative concept for chemokine receptor regulation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ForssmannTillmannHocketal.2016,
  author    = {Forssmann, Wolf-Georg and Tillmann, Hanns-Christian and Hock, Dieter and Forssmann, Kristin and Bernasconi, Corrado and Forssmann, Ulf and Richter, Rudolf and Hocher, Berthold and Pfuetzner, Andreas},
  title     = {Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Subcutaneously Applied PTH-1-37},
  series = {German politics},
  volume    = {41},
  journal   = {German politics},
  publisher = {Karger},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {1420-4096},
  doi       = {10.1159/000443453},
  pages     = {507 -- 518},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Background/Aims: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) derivatives exert pronounced renal and osteoanabolic properties when given intermittently. The current study was performed to assess the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties as well as safety of subcutaneously applied PTH-1-37 after repeated dosing in healthy subjects. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, dose-escalating, placebo and active comparator controlled study was conducted in 33 healthy postmenopausal women. Subjects were allocated to one of five treatment options: 10, 20, or 40 mu g PTH-1-37, 20 mu g PTH-1-34 or placebo, administered as once daily subcutaneous doses for three days. Plasma drug concentrations and serum levels of endogenous PTH-1-84, and calcium as markers of biological activity were monitored during the treatment. Results: PTH was absorbed rapidly from the subcutaneous tissue with a median t(max) of 30 minutes for 20 and 40 mu g of PTH-1-37. t(max) was 45 minutes for 20 mu g PTH-1-34. Elimination half-lives were estimated as 76 +/- 34 min and 70 +/- 13 min for 20 mu g and 40 mu g PTH-1-37 (mean +/- SD), and 78 +/- 34 for 20 mu g PTH-1-34. Both PTH fragments (PTH-1-37 and PTH-1-34) increased serum calcium. For PTH-1-37 the effect on serum calcium was dose-dependent. Suppression of endogenous PTH-1-84 was seen after the application of both PTH-1-37 and PTH-1-34. During the study period, the subjects experienced no unexpected or serious adverse events. Conclusions: PTH-1-37 is rapidly absorbed after s.c. injection, has a short plasma elimination half-life, and does not accumulate during multiple dosing. Biological activity was demonstrated by rising serum calcium and decreasing endogenous PTH-1-84 in blood plasma. The study drugs were well tolerated and safe. Our investigation presents data that PTH-1-37 is an excellent drug candidate for intervening with syndromes of dysregulation of calcium metabolism. (C) 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DschietzigKrauseRelleHennequinetal.2015,
  author    = {Dschietzig, Thomas Bernd and Krause-Relle, Katharina and Hennequin, Maud and von Websky, Karoline and Rahnenfuhrer, Jan and Ruppert, Jana and Groena, Hans Juergen and Armbruster, Franz Paul and Bathgate, Ross A. D. and Aschenbach, Joerg R. and Forssmann, Wolf-Georg and Hocher, Berthold},
  title     = {Relaxin-2 does not Ameliorate Nephropathy in an experimental model of Type-1 Diabetes},
  series = {Kidney \& blood pressure research : official organ of the Gesellschaft f{\"u}r Nephrologie},
  volume    = {40},
  journal   = {Kidney \& blood pressure research : official organ of the Gesellschaft f{\"u}r Nephrologie},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Karger},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {1420-4096},
  doi       = {10.1159/000368484},
  pages     = {77 -- 88},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background/Aims: In diabetic nephropathy (DN), the current angiotensin-II-blocking pharmacotherapy is frequently failing. For diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC), there is no specific remedy available. Relaxin-2 (Rlx) - an anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and vasoprotecting peptide - is a candidate drug for both. Methods: Low-dose (32 mu g/kg/day) and high-dose (320 mu g/kg/day) Rlx were tested against vehicle (n = 20 each) and non-diabetic controls (n = 14) for 12 weeks in a model of type-1 diabetes induced in endothelial nitric oxide synthase knock-out (eNOS-KO) mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Results: Diabetic animals showed normal plasma creatinine, markedly increased albuminuria and urinary malonyldialdehyde, elevated relative kidney weight, glomerulosclerosis, and increased glomerular size, but no relevant interstitial fibrosis. Neither dose of Rlx affected these changes although the drug was active and targeted plasma levels were achieved. Of note, we found no activation of the renal TGF-beta pathway in this model. In the hearts of diabetic animals, no fibrotic alterations indicative of DC could be determined which precluded testing of the initial hypothesis. Conclusions: We investigated a model showing early DN without overt tubulo-interstitial fibrosis and activation of the TGF-beta-Smad-2/3 pathway. In this model, Rlx proved ineffective; however, the same may not apply to other models and types of diabetes.},
  language  = {en}
}