Institute of Immune Pharmacology -
Prof. Dr. med. Heinfried H. Radeke

(Dr.-Schleussner-Foundation of Immune Pharmacology)

Profile

The Dr.-Hans-Schleussner-Foundation of Immune Pharmacology offers sophisticated expertise in in vitro test systems and models of chronic inflammation as well as expertise in immune therapy of e.g. nephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, dermatitis, transplantation and tumour immunology. With this background the group is focused on developing targeted delivery techniques for disease modifying recombinant proteins, oligonucleotides and viral shuttle vectors.

Expertise

Detailed assessment and monitoring of immunological parameters in human patients, especially in Nephritis, Kidney Transplantation, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Autoimmune Endocrinopathy and Lymphatic Leukemia after Stem Cell Transplantation
Single cell immune assays to determine dendritic cell maturation parameters and antigen-specific T lymphocyte responses
Primary human and murine tissue cells serving as in vitro models of chronic inflammation and autoimmune disease, such as nephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, dermatitis, transplantation, and tumour immunology
Static and dynamic test systems to measure adhesion, chemotaxis and transmigration of immune cells in vitro and in vivo to identify new targets and develop molecular biological strategies for an anti-inflammatory therapy
Examination of signal transduction pathways and Gene and Protein expression patterns in inflammation with the goal to identify novel therapeutic targets
Screening and evaluation of novel Gene and Protein delivery systems, e.g. combination of retroviral expression vectors for TFO or siRNA with immunoliposome targeting towards endothelial cells in static and dynamic flow chamber systems
Profound molecular biological knowledge: i.e. vector-development , gene silencing und gene regulation (triple helix forming ODNs, RNA interference as well as the construction of designer transcriptions-factors

Resources and Abilities

96 well „high throughput“ single cell analysis microscope-video-computer system (Zeiss/ Hamamatsu/ Improvision) for automated chemotaxis assay analysis and fluorochrome-based signal transduction studies
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cloning and protein expression system
High-volume Sartorius Cross-Flow Protein Purification System (DFG loan)
MACS Magnetic Bead cell enrichment system (Miltenyl)
Automated ELISA Spot Assay Video Analysis System: single and dual color ELISPOT to measure cytokine secreting cell frequency
Circular flow chamber and in cooperation with W.H. Boehncke intravital video microscopy
96 well luminometer: „High Throughput“ Gene Reporter Assay with Prof. Dr. J.M. Pfeilschifter

Publications

Radeke HH, von Wenckstern H, Stoidtner K, Sauer B, and Kleuser B. Overlapping signaling pathways of sphingosine 1-phosphate and TGF-ß in murine Langerhans cells. Journal of Immunology, 2004, in revision
Kautz K, Schwarz M and Radeke HH. Interference with MCP-1 gene expression by vector generated triple helix-forming RNA oligonucleotides. Human Gene Therapy, 2004, in revision
Xu D, Falke D and Junliano RL. P53-Dependent Cell-Killing by selective repression of thymidine kinase and reduced prodrug activation. Molecular Pharmacology, 2003, 64:289-297
Falke D, Fisher M, Ye D and Juliano RL. Design of artificial transcription factors to selectively regulate the pro-apoptotic Bax gene. Nucleic Acids Research, 2003, 31:3 e10
Radeke HH; Janssen-Graalfs I; Sowa EN; Chouchakova N; Skokowa J; Löscher F; Schmidt RE; Heeringa P; Gessner JE. Opposite regulation of type II and III receptors for immunoglobulin G in mouse glomerular mesangial cells and in the induction of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) nephritis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277:27535-27544, 2002
Radeke HH; Tschernig T; Karulin A; Schumm G; Emancipator SN; Resch K; Tary-Lehmann M. CD4+ T cells recognizing specific antigen deposited in glomeruli cause glomerulonephritis-like kidney injury. Clinical Immunology, 104(2):161-173, 2002
Marchand P; Resch K; Radeke HH. Selective Inhibition of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) gene transcription in embryonic kidney cells by specific triple helix-forming oligonucleotides. Journal of Immunology, 2000, 164:2070-2076

Staff:

Head of the Foundation:

Prof. Dr. med. Heinfried H. Radeke

Co-Worker:

Dr. rer. nat. Dietmar Falke, Group Leader (molecular biology, delivery systems)
Dr. med. Frank Behrens (human tissue and immune cell isolation, ELISPOT)
Dr. rer.nat. Judith Calderwood (static and dynamic adhesion and chemotactic assays)

ZAFES-coordinator: