Elke Wenzel's research while affiliated with Philipps University of Marburg and other places

... On the affected skin, the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-2, and interferon (IFN)-g along with the TNF receptor I is observed [10]. In the chronic type of the disease, cytotoxic T lymphocytes predominate while the phenomenon of apoptosis, i.e. the process of programmed cell death, increases [11,12]. Recent stud-ies raised the possibility that AA is not mediated only by the Th1 axis. ...

... This also could maintain the ability of proliferation of DP cells in vivo. MAC-EVs accelerate the motility of the DP cells in vitro and a previous study suggests that during the normal hair cycle, dermal sheath cup cells may also be a source of DP cells, via migration [49]. These results support the findings of our previous data on MSC-EVs [2]. ...

... IL-1R ligands have more recently been shown to enhance chronic inflammation, leading to an increased expression of pro-tumorigenic factors (Apte et al., 2006;Cataisson et al., 2012;Kasza, 2013). IL-1R ligands have also been shown to influence hair growth in vitro (Harmon and Nevins, 1993;Hoffmann et al., 1997;Philpott et al., 1996) and in vivo (Groves et al., 1995). Polymorphisms in IL1RA or IL-1β are related to susceptibility and severity of the alopecia areata (Alfadhli and Nanda, 2014;Tarlow et al., 1994). ...

... Recombinant human Dsg3 (extracellular domain, aa 1-566), produced in the baculovirus expression system (36,37), was fluorescently labeled using the AlexaFluor647 Labeling kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Schwerte, Germany) according to the manufacturers' protocol. ...

... Briefly, PBMC were thawed at 37°C and 10 6 cells/mL were cultured in RPMI-1640 (Capricorn, Ebsdorfergrund, Germany) supplemented with 10% pooled human serum, 100U/mL penicillin, 100μg/mL streptomycin and 2mmol/L L-Glutamine (all from PAA Laboratories). PBMC were stimulated with 10μg/mL of recombinant Dsg3 (produced in baculovirus expression vector system as previously described [30]) or recombinant collagen VII as control. For in vitro expansion of Dsg3-specific T cells, IL-2 (10U/mL; Roche, Mannheim, Germany) and IL-7 (10ng/mL; Miltenyi Biotech, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) were added to all wells after 48 hours. ...

... These results also show that this 'transferrinlike' substance may act in 'public' or through an extracellular autocrine mechanism (Browder et al, 1989; Lang and Burgess, 1990 ). Specialized cellular proliferation may be limited by insufficient delivery of transferrin-bound iron from plasma during situations when iron is being withheld from the circulation. To evade the difficulty of obtaining iron, certain malignant cells have the ability to produce the 'transferrin-like' substance (Kitada and Hays, 1985; Morrone et al, 1988; Dittman and Petrides, 1991; Gruber et al, 1993) as well as native serum transferrin (Vostrejs et al, 1988; Vandewalle et al, 1989; Ohkawa et al, 1990; Stackpole et al;). It could be hypothesized, therefore, that the capability of a specific subset of human bladder carcinomas to synthesize transferrin and/or a 'transferrin-like' substance might provide a source of available iron to support localized proliferation of bladder carcinoma cells in vivo in areas not well vascularized. ...

... After DPCP treatment, IL-10 was reported to be increased in scalp tissues 23 , and a continuous increase in the expression of IL-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was observed than controls, whereas this was not observed for IL-12 or IFN-gamma 12 . However, some consider AA relatively restrained in IL-10 knockout mice, which suggests IL-10 acts to both contain and promote sensitivity to AA 25 . On the other hand, it has also been reported that serum IL-10 levels in AA and controls were no different 9,10 . ...

... [15] Hair follicle epithelium also expresses FAS. [16] Apoptotic cell death may initiate and propagate autoimmune diseases as it may provide self-antigens or represent the target of the immune response. [17] It was postulated that polymorphisms of FAS and FASL genes reduce the ability of cells to undergo apoptosis [18] and/or induce exposure of abnormal amounts of apoptosis-related antigens. ...

... However, anti-Dsg1 and anti-Dsg3 titers remained positive in 36 and 64 percent of the patients, respectively. This is in agreement with other studies showing decreases in the anti-Dsg1 and anti-Dsg3 antibodies subsequent to rituximab therapy (Muller et al., 2010;Pfütze et al., 2009;Reguiai et al., 2012), but still positive titers in most of the patients (Reguiai et al., 2012). The persistence of cir-culating anti-Dsg1 and anti-Dsg3 autoantibodies during the remission of PV is still not fully understood. ...

... Keratinocytes both synthesize this cytokine and respond to it through cell surface receptors, suggesting that the IL-1 system may play an important role in epidermal physiology and inflammation. [29][30][31] IL-1α contributes to cell growth and repair functions in various epithelial cells and keratinocytes. During inflammation, injury, immunological challenge, or infection, it is overproduced and because of its multiple biological properties it contributes to disease. ...