Molecular diagnostics

Belova59/Pixabay

Project management: Prof. Dr. R. Lichtinghagen, Prof. Dr. K. Brand

 

Research concept: The aim of these projects is to develop molecular approaches for various diagnostic procedures.

The following objectives are currently being worked on:

  • Pharmacogenetic investigations for individualized drug therapy: a multicentre study is to demonstrate the clinical value of investigations of the relevant polymorphisms in the cytochrome P450 genes CYP2D6, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 in psychiatric patients.

  • Use of array technology: In this project, gene expression analysis is used to search for markers to detect immune paralysis.

  • Gene polymorphisms associated with a predisposition to acute or chronic inflammatory events: Investigations are currently underway into the significance of a genetic predisposition for the development of cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis (target genes: IL-1, -4 and -10, IL-1RA, TNF, TGF-β).

  • Studies on the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs): The present project investigates the functional significance of MMP dysregulation in fibrotic diseases in order to gain prognostic starting points.

 

PhD student:

Josefin Klos (M. Sc. Biomedicine)
Phone: 0511 532 5388
email: josefin.klos@stud.mh-hannover.de

 

Funding in recent years: DGKL

 

Selected original work

Cooperation with hepatology on liver fibrosis:

  • Petriv N, Neubert L, Vatashchuk M, Timrott K, Suo H, Hochnadel I, Huber R, Petzold C, Hrushchenko A, Yatsenko AS, Shcherbata HR, Wedemeyer H, Lichtinghagen R, Falfushynska H, Lushchak V, Manns MP, Bantel H, Semchyshyn H, Yevsa T. Increase of α-dicarbonyls in liver and receptor for advanced glycation end products on immune cells are linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver cancer. Oncoimmunology. 2021 Feb 8;10(1):1874159.
  • Ebert T, Linder N, Schaudinn A, Busse H, Berger J, Lichtinghagen R, Keim V, Wiegand J, Karlas T. Association of fetuin B with markers of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Endocrine. 2017 Nov;58(2):246-252.
  • Lutterkort GL, Wranke A, Yurdaydin C, Budde E, Westphal M, Lichtinghagen R, Stift J, Bremer B, Hardtke S, Keskin O, Idilman R, Koch A, Manns MP, Dienes HP, Wedemeyer H, Heidrich B. Non-invasive fibrosis score for hepatitis delta. Liver Int. 2017 Feb;37(2):196-204.
  • Karlas T, Dietrich A, Peter V, Wittekind C, Lichtinghagen R, Garnov N, Linder N, Schaudinn A, Busse H, Prettin C, Keim V, Tröltzsch M, Schütz T, Wiegand J. Evaluation of Transient Elastography, Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging (ARFI), and Enhanced Liver Function (ELF) Score for Detection of Fibrosis in Morbidly Obese Patients. PLoS One. 2015 Nov 3;10(11):e0141649.
  • Lichtinghagen R, Pietsch D, Bantel H, Manns MP, Brand K, Bahr MJ. The Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) score: normal values, influence factors and proposed cut-off values. J Hepatol. 2013 Aug;59(2):236-42.

 

Cooperation with neurology for stroke diagnostics:

  • van Gemmeren T, Schuppner R, Grosse GM, Fering J, Gabriel MM, Huber R, Worthmann H, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K. Early Post-Stroke Infections Are Associated with an Impaired Function of Neutrophil Granulocytes. J Clin Med. 2020 Mar 23;9(3):872.
  • Huber R, Attili/Abedalkhader R, Küper D, Hauke L, Lüns B, Brand K, Weissenborn K, Lichtinghagen R. Cellular and Molecular Effects of High-Molecular-Weight Heparin on Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Expression. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 30;20(7). pii: E1595.
  • Schuppner R, Dirks M, Grosse GM, Böckmann M, Goetz F, Pasedag T, Bode-Böger SM, Martens-Lobenhoffer J, Budde U, Lanfermann H, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K, Worthmann H. ADAMTS-13 Activity Predicts Outcome in Acute Ischaemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Endovascular Treatment. Thromb Haemost. 2018 Apr;118(4):758-767.
  • Worthmann H, Tryc AB, Dirks M, Schuppner R, Brand K, Klawonn F, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein, interleukin-10, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein blood levels in acute ischemic stroke patients with post-stroke infection. J Neuroinflammation. 2015 Jan 23;12:13.
  • Grosse GM, Tryc AB, Dirks M, Schuppner R, Pflugrad H, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K, Worthmann H. The temporal dynamics of plasma fractalkine levels in ischemic stroke: association with clinical severity and outcome. J Neuroinflammation. 2014 Apr 10;11:74.
  • Worthmann H, Dengler R, Schumacher H, Schwartz A, Eisert WG, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K. Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 as a potential biomarker for early anti-thrombotic therapy after ischemic stroke. Int J Mol Sci. 2012;13(7):8670-8.
  • Rababah M, Worthmann H, Deb M, Tryc AB, Ma YT, El Bendary OM, Hecker H, Goldbecker A, Heeren M, Brand K, Weissenborn K, Lichtinghagen R. Anticoagulants affect matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels in blood samples of stroke patients and healthy controls. Clin Biochem. 2012 Apr;45(6):483-9.
  • Worthmann H, Tryc AB, Deb M, Goldbecker A, Ma YT, Tountopoulou A, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K. Linking infection and inflammation in acute ischemic stroke. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Oct;1207:116-22.
  • Worthmann H, Tryc AB, Goldbecker A, Ma YT, Tountopoulou A, Hahn A, Dengler R, Lichtinghagen R, Weissenborn K. The temporal profile of inflammatory markers and mediators in blood after acute ischemic stroke differs depending on stroke outcome. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2010;30(1):85-92.
  • Goldbecker A, Buchert R, Berding G, Bokemeyer M, Lichtinghagen R, Wilke F, Ahl B, Weissenborn K. Blood-brain barrier permeability for ammonia in patients with different grades of liver fibrosis is not different from healthy controls. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010 Jul;30(7):1384-93.

 

Cooperation with nephrology:

  • Greite R, Thorenz A, Chen R, Jang MS, Rong S, Brownstein MJ, Tewes S, Wang L, Baniassad B, Kirsch T, Bräsen JH, Lichtinghagen R, Meier M, Haller H, Hueper K, Gueler F. Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury causes hypertension and renal perfusion impairment in the CD1 mice which promotes progressive renal fibrosis. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2018 May 1;314(5):F881-F892.

 

Other:

  • Zierk J, Hirschmann J, Toddenroth D, Arzideh F, Haeckel R, Bertram A, Cario H, Frühwald MC, Groß HJ, Groening A, Grützner S, Gscheidmeier T, Hoff T, Hoffmann R, Klauke R, Krebs A, Lichtinghagen R, Mühlenbrock-Lenter S, Neumann M, Nöllke P, Niemeyer CM, Razum O, Ruf HG, Steigerwald U, Streichert T, Torge A, Rascher W, Prokosch HU, Rauh M, Metzler M. Next-generation reference intervals for pediatric hematology. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2019 Sep 25;57(10):1595-1607.
  • Jassam N, Lake J, Dabrowska M, Queralto J, Rizos D, Lichtinghagen R, Baum H, Ceriotti F, O'Mullane J, Homšak E, Charilaou C, Ohlson M, Rako I, Vitkus D, Kovac G, Verschuure P, Racek J, Chifiriuc MC, Wieringa G. The European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine syllabus for postgraduate education and training for Specialists in Laboratory Medicine: version 5 - 2018. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2018 Oct 25;56(11):1846-1863.
  • Kaiser T, Kinny-Köster B, Gnewuch C, Karailieva D, Kiehntopf M, Kessler A, Ritter-Sket C, Schmidt M, Brand K, Thiery J, Lichtinghagen R. Limited comparability of creatinine assays in patients with liver cirrhosis and their impact on the MELD score. Pract Lab Med. 2017 Apr 14;8:41-48.
  • Zierk J, Arzideh F, Haeckel R, Cario H, Frühwald MC, Groß HJ, Gscheidmeier T, Hoffmann R, Krebs A, Lichtinghagen R, Neumann M, Ruf HG, Steigerwald U, Streichert T, Rascher W, Metzler M, Rauh M. Pediatric reference intervals for alkaline phosphatase. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2017 Jan 1;55(1):102-110.
  • Kaiser T, Zeuzem S, Lichtinghagen R, Welker MW, Geilenkeuser WJ, Kruse R, Neumaier M, Thiery J, Schmidt M. Multi-center proficiency tests for Lab-MELD score diagnostics to improve the quality and safety for patients awaiting liver transplantation. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2014 Dec;52(12):e287-9.
  • Nickel NP, Lichtinghagen R, Golpon H, Olsson KM, Brand K, Welte T, Hoeper MM. Circulating levels of copeptin predict outcome in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Respir Res. 2013 Nov 19;14:130.
  • Lichtinghagen R, Pietsch D, Brand K. Evaluation of an automated capillary electrophoresis system for serum protein electrophoresis with the determination of gender-specific reference values. Clin Lab. 2010;56(3-4):119-26.
  • Wehmeier M, Petrich T, Brand K, Lichtinghagen R, Hesse E. Oncofetal fibronectin mRNA is highly abundant in the blood of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and correlates with high-serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. Thyroid. 2010 Jun;20(6):607-13.