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T Ludwig

Publications and source records attributed to T Ludwig.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

17beta-estradiol increases volume, apical surface and elasticity of human endothelium mediated by Na+/H+ exchange.

OBJECTIVE: 17beta-estradiol is known to delay the onset of atherosclerosis in women but cellular mechanisms are still unclear. Estrogens bind to specific receptors and initiate a signaling cascade that involves the activation of plasma membrane Na(+)/H(+) exchange. We hypothesized that estrogens interfere with ion transport across the plasma membrane and thus control endothelial structure and function. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the sex steroids 17beta-estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone on volume, apical surface and elasticity in human endothelium. METHODS: The atomic force microscope was used as an imaging tool and as an elasticity sensor. We applied the antiestrogen tamoxifen, the Na(+)/H(+) exchange blocker cariporide and the epithelial Na(+)channel blocker amiloride to elucidate the role of transmembrane ion transport in hormone-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). RESULTS: Incubation with 17beta-estradiol for 72 h led to a dose-dependent increase of endothelial cell volume (41%), apical cell surface (22%), and cell elasticity (53%) as compared to non-17beta-estradiol treated controls. Block of the 17beta-estradiol receptor by tamoxifen and of plasma membrane Na(+)/H(+) exchange by cariporide prevented the hormone-induced changes. Progesterone and testosterone were ineffective. CONCLUSIONS: 17beta-estradiol increases HUVEC water content and HUVEC elasticity mediated by activated estrogen receptors. The estrogen response depends on the activation of plasma membrane Na(+)/H(+) exchange. The increase in endothelial cell elasticity could be one of the vasoprotective mechanisms postulated for 17beta-estradiol.

Amiloride↗
PubMed2004

RAxML-III: a fast program for maximum likelihood-based inference of large phylogenetic trees.

MOTIVATION: The computation of large phylogenetic trees with statistical models such as maximum likelihood or bayesian inference is computationally extremely intensive. It has repeatedly been demonstrated that these models are able to recover the true tree or a tree which is topologically closer to the true tree more frequently than less elaborate methods such as parsimony or neighbor joining. Due to the combinatorial and computational complexity the size of trees which can be computed on a Biologist's PC workstation within reasonable time is limited to trees containing approximately 100 taxa. RESULTS: In this paper we present the latest release of our program RAxML-III for rapid maximum likelihood-based inference of large evolutionary trees which allows for computation of 1.000-taxon trees in less than 24 hours on a single PC processor. We compare RAxML-III to the currently fastest implementations for maximum likelihood and bayesian inference: PHYML and MrBayes. Whereas RAxML-III performs worse than PHYML and MrBayes on synthetic data it clearly outperforms both programs on all real data alignments used in terms of speed and final likelihood values. Availability SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RAxML-III including all alignments and final trees mentioned in this paper is freely available as open source code at http://wwwbode.cs.tum/~stamatak CONTACT: stamatak@cs.tum.edu.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Endothelial cell swelling by aldosterone.

There is accumulating evidence that mineralocorticoids not only act on kidney but also on the cardiovascular system. We investigated the response of human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) to aldosterone at a time scale of 20 minutes in absence and presence of the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone or other transport inhibitors. We applied atomic force microscopy (AFM), which measures cell volume and volume shifts between cytosol and cell nucleus. We observed an immediate cell volume increase (about 10%) approximately 1 min after addition of aldosterone (0.1 micromol/l), approaching a maximum (about 18%) 10 min after aldosterone treatment. Cell volume returned to normal 20 min after hormone exposure. Spironolactone (1 micromol/l) or amiloride (1 micromol/l) prevented the late aldosterone-induced volume changes but not the immediate change observed 1 min after hormone exposure. AFM revealed nuclear swelling 5 min after aldosterone addition, followed by nuclear shrinkage 15 min later. The Na(+)/H(+) exchange blocker cariporide (10 micromol/l) was ineffective. We conclude: (i). Aldosterone induces immediate (1 min) swelling independently of plasma membrane Na(+) channels and intracellular mineralocorticoid receptors followed by late mineralocorticoid receptor- and Na(+)-channel-dependent swelling. (ii). Intracellular macromolecule shifts cause the changes in cell volume. (iii). Both amiloride and spironolactone may be useful for medical applications to prevent aldosterone-induced vasculopathies.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Development of mammary adenocarcinomas by tissue-specific knockout of Brca2 in mice.

Cre-mediated deletion of exons 3 and 4 of the mouse Brca2 gene occurring specifically in mammary epithelial cells of conditional female mutants carrying a combination of loxP-modified and null Brca2 alleles resulted in a high incidence (77%) of breast tumors that were often palpable and developed in one or more glands after long latency (time for median tumor-free survival of approximately 1.4 years; total of 40 tumors in 20 animals). These invasive adenocarcinomas were histologically quite uniform, exhibiting predominantly a solid, nodular tumor pattern with very few variants, in striking contrast to the morphological heterogeneity of analogous Brca1-associated tumors. The karyotypes of tumor cells lacking Brca2 had various chromosomal aberrations and ranged from diploid to hypertetraploid, but this wide variability was incongruous with the histological appearance of carcinomas that was comparable between specimens. The implications of these observations in the context of models positing that Brca2 is involved in the maintenance of genomic stability are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Tumorigenesis in mice carrying a truncating Brca1 mutation.

We generated mouse mutants carrying in the Brca1 locus a modification (Brca1(tr)) that eliminates the C-terminal half of the protein product and obtained results indicating that, depending on genetic background, the missing BRCT and/or other domains are dispensable for survival, but essential for tumor suppression. Most of the apparently hypomorphic Brca1(tr/tr) mutants developed various tumors. Lymphomas were detected at all ages, whereas sarcomas and carcinomas, including breast cancer, appeared after a long latency. The mammary tumors showed striking variability in histopathological patterns suggesting stochastic engagement of tumorigenic pathways in their progression, to which the Brca1(tr/tr) mutation was apparently a late participant.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The stability of compromised interhemispheric processing in callosal dysgenesis and partial commissurotomy.

The persistence and stability of selective deficits in interhemispheric processing resulting from known callosal pathology have been monitored over periods ranging from ten to thirty five years. The present study included five patients: two with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum, one with partial dysgenesis, and two with a partial section of the corpus callosum. A crossed-uncrossed difference task and four bilateral visual matching tasks were administered to these patients and to groups of normal individuals matched on age and intelligence. As expected, all of the patients showed deficits in speed or accuracy relative to the performance of their control groups. The profile of performance for each patient across the five tasks demonstrated a systematic (but not perfectly consistent) relationship with the location and extent of callosal pathology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

High-resistance MDCK-C7 monolayers used for measuring invasive potency of tumour cells.

We describe an electrophysiological method for evaluating the intrinsic invasive potency of tumour cells using renal cells as an in vitro assay system. A high-resistance clone of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK-C7) was grown to confluency in a filter cup. Transepithelial electrical resistance across the MDCK-C7 monolayer was measured in a commercially available electrode chamber. After a transepithelial electrical resistance of about 4,000 omega cm2 had been reached, human melanoma or pancreatic carcinoma cells were co-cultivated with the MDCK-C7 monolayer. Both carcinoma cell lines induced resistance breakdown measured after 24 h or later depending on seeding density and cell type. Seeding carcinoma cells on the basolateral surface of MDCK-C7 cells caused a similar decrease in transepithelial resistance of the MDCK-C7 monolayer. Resistance breakdown indicates opening of tight junctions prior to tumour cell invasion. In conclusion, the high-resistance MDCK-C7 cell clone could serve as a valuable biological assay system to determine electrically the metastatic potency of tumour cells in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Intakes of thorium while using thoriated tungsten electrodes for TIG welding.

Thoriated electrodes are used in TIG welding. TIG welders, along with persons who grind thoriated electrodes and persons located near relevant welding and grinding sites, might be at risk of thorium intake. The isotopes of radiological relevance are 232Th, 230Th, and 228Th. The studies described in the literature do not provide a consistent picture of the actual hazards, and changes in European and German radiological protection laws have now made it necessary to determine the risks. To accomplish this, a field test was conducted under real working conditions in 26 different welding shops. The airborne activity generated through welding, and through grinding of electrodes, was measured using personal air samplers. Stationary samplers were also used. The filters' samples were evaluated by means of direct alpha spectrometry with proportional counting and by means of gamma spectrometry following neutron activation. The results clearly showed that considerable intake can occur during both alternating-current welding and electrode grinding, if no suction systems are used. The range of 232Th intakes to welders were estimated from 0.1 Bq y(-1) to 144 Bq y(-1) during welding and from 0.02 Bq y(-1) to 30.2 Bq y(-1) during grinding. In 6 of the 26 cases the recent annual limit on intake derived from the most recent ICRP publications was exceeded--in the worst case it was exceeded by a factor of 10--if it is assumed that the persons studied were not exposed workers (not routinely monitored for radiation exposure). When the significantly more restrictive German limits are applied, the amounts by which the limits were exceeded were even greater. Because many qualified welders have very long careers, the risks can thus be considerable. The paper also discusses parameters that influence exposure, and it presents a catalogue of recommended measures for dosage reduction.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1998

Mouse mutants lacking the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor are impaired in lysosomal enzyme transport: comparison of cation-independent and cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor-deficient mice.

Two proteins have been implicated in the mannose 6-phosphate-dependent transport of lysosomal enzymes to lysosomes: the 300kDa cation-independent and the 46kDa cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptors (CI- and CD-MPRs). The mammalian CI-MPR also mediates endocytosis and clearance of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). Mutant mice that lack the CD-MPR are viable, mice that lack the CI-MPR accumulate high levels of IGF-II and usually die perinatally, whereas mice that lack both IGF-II and CI-MPR are viable. To investigate the relative roles of the MPRs in the targeting of lysosomal enzymes in vivo, we analysed the effect of a deficiency of either MPR on lysosomal enzyme activities in animals lacking IGF-II. In CD-MPR-deficient mice, most activities were relatively normal in solid tissues and some were marginally elevated in serum. In CI-MPR-deficient mice, some enzyme activities were moderately decreased in solid tissues and multiple enzymes were markedly elevated in serum. Finally, total levels of serum mannose 6-phosphorylated glycoproteins were approximately 45-fold and approximately 15-fold higher than wild type in CI- and CD-MPR-deficient mice respectively, and there were specific differences in the pattern of these proteins when comparing CI- and CD-MPR deficient animals. These results indicate that while lack of the CI-MPR appears to perturb lysosome function to a greater degree than lack of the CD-MPR, each MPR has distinct functions for the targeting of lysosomal enzymes in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Mouse mutant embryos overexpressing IGF-II exhibit phenotypic features of the Beckwith-Wiedemann and Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndromes.

In mice, the imprinted Igf2 gene (expressed from the paternal allele), which encodes a growth-promoting factor (IGF-II), is linked closely to the reciprocally imprinted H19 locus on chromosome 7. Also imprinted (expressed from the maternal allele) is the Igf2r gene on chromsome 17 encoding the type 2 IGF receptor that is involved in degradation of excess IGF-II. Double mutant embryos carrying a deletion around the H19 region and also a targeted Igf2r allele, both inherited maternally, have extremely high levels of IGF-II (7- and 11-fold higher than normal in tissues and serum, respectively) as a result of biallelic Igf2 expression (imprint relaxation by deletion of H19-associated sequence) in combination with lack of the IGF2R-mediated IGF-II turnover. This excess of IGF-II causes somatic overgrowth, visceromegaly, placentomegaly, omphalocele, and cardiac and adrenal defects, which are also features of the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), a genetically complex human disorder associated with chromosomal abnormalities in the 11p15.5 region where the IGF2 gene resides. In addition, the double mutant mouse embryos exhibit skeletal defects and cleft palate, which are manifestations observed frequently in the Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome, another overgrowth disorder overlapping phenotypically, but not genetically, with BWS.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1997

Targeted mutations of breast cancer susceptibility gene homologs in mice: lethal phenotypes of Brca1, Brca2, Brca1/Brca2, Brca1/p53, and Brca2/p53 nullizygous embryos.

Mutations of the human BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes encoding tumor suppressors have been implicated in inherited predisposition to breast and other cancers. Disruption of the homologous mouse genes Brca1 and Brca2 by targeting showed that they both have indispensable roles during embryogenesis, because nullizygous embryos become developmentally retarded and disorganized, and die early in development. In Brca1 mutants, the onset of abnormalities is earlier by one day and their phenotypic features and time of death are highly variable, whereas the phenotype of Brca2 null embryos is more uniform, and they all survive for at least 8.5 embryonic days. Observations with Brca1/Brca2 double nullizygotes raise the possibility that the two developmental pathways could be linked. Interestingly, the impact of the Brca1 or Brca2 null mutation is less severe in a p53 null background.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Differential sorting of lysosomal enzymes out of the regulated secretory pathway in pancreatic beta-cells.

In cells specialized for secretory granule exocytosis, lysosomal hydrolases may enter the regulated secretory pathway. Using mouse pancreatic islets and the INS-1 beta-cell line as models, we have compared the itineraries of procathepsins L and B, two closely related members of the papain superfamily known to exhibit low and high affinity for mannose-6-phosphate receptors (MPRs), respectively. Interestingly, shortly after pulse labeling INS cells, a substantial fraction of both proenzymes exhibit regulated exocytosis. After several hours, much procathepsin L remains as precursor in a compartment that persists in its ability to undergo regulated exocytosis in parallel with insulin, while procathepsin B is efficiently converted to the mature form and can no longer be secreted. However, in islets from transgenic mice devoid of cation-dependent MPRs, the modest fraction of procathepsin B normally remaining within mature secretory granules is increased approximately fourfold. In normal mouse islets, immunoelectron microscopy established that both cathepsins are present in immature beta-granules, while immunolabeling for cathepsin L, but not B, persists in mature beta-granules. By contrast, in islets from normal male Sprague-Dawley rats, much of the proenzyme sorting appears to occur earlier, significantly diminishing the stimulus-dependent release of procathepsin B. Evidently, in the context of different systems, MPR-mediated sorting of lysosomal proenzymes occurs to a variable extent within the trans-Golgi network and is continued, as needed, within immature secretory granules. Lysosomal proenzymes that fail to be sorted at both sites remain as residents of mature secretory granules.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Mouse mutants lacking the type 2 IGF receptor (IGF2R) are rescued from perinatal lethality in Igf2 and Igf1r null backgrounds.

The cation-dependent and cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptors (CD- and CI-MPRs) bind the phosphomannosyl recognition marker of lysosomal hydrolases, but in mammals the latter also interacts with insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). While IGF signaling is mediated by the type 1 IGF receptor (IGF1R), the type 2 receptor (IGF2R/CI-MPR) serves IGF-II turnover. Mouse mutants inheriting maternally a targeted disruption of the imprinted Igf2r gene, which is normally expressed only from the maternal allele, have increased serum and tissue levels of IGF-II and exhibit overgrowth (135% of normal birthweight) and generalized organomegaly, kinky tail, postaxial polydactyly, heart abnormalities, and edema. These mutants usually die perinatally, but a small minority can survive depending on genetic background and can occasionally reproduce, except for some females characterized by an imperforate vagina and hydrometrocolpos. Consistent with the hypothesis that lethality in the absence of IGF2R-mediated turnover is caused by excess of IGF-II overstimulating IGF1R, Igf2r mutants are completely rescued when they carry a second mutation eliminating either IGF-II or IGF1R. Normal embryonic development of the Igf1r/Igf2r double mutants, which differ from wild-type siblings only in the pattern of postnatal growth, appears to occur by signaling of IGF-II, being in excess, through a genetically identified unknown receptor, since triple mutants lacking IGF1R, IGF2R, and IGF-II are nonviable dwarfs (30% of normal size). In contrast with the Igf2r/Igf2 double mutants, mice lacking IGF2R/CI-MPR and CD-MPR survive in an IGF-II null background at a very low frequency and only for a few postnatal weeks, indicating that the mannose 6-phosphate-mediated lysosomal enzyme trafficking is essential for viability.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Expression of the mouse and rat mas proto-oncogene in the brain and peripheral tissues.

We isolated the mas proto-oncogene from a mouse genomic library. Sequence analysis showed that it contains an open reading frame without intervening sequences. The amino acid sequence deduced confirms the seven-transmembrane-domain structure and exhibits 97% and 91% amino acid homology with the rat and the human Mas, respectively. In mice and rats, mas mRNA was detected in the testis, kidney, heart, and in the brain regions: hippocampus, forebrain, piriform cortex, and olfactory bulb. Testicular mas mRNA from rats increases markedly during development, while cerebellar mRNA is high postnatally but completely disappears at later stages. We conclude that the product of the mouse mas gene may be involved in the development of the brain and testis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Roles for mannose-6-phosphate receptors in lysosomal enzyme sorting, IGF-II binding and clathrin-coat assembly.

Two related transmembrane proteins in mammalian cells bind the mannose 6-phosphate recognition marker present on all soluble lysosomal hydrolases. Recent studies of cells that express only one or neither of these proteins have shed light not only on their function in directing lysosomal enzymes into the endocytic pathway but also on their critical role in transport vesicle formation in the trans Golgi network. One of these proteins also binds insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and may be an important part of the IGF-dependent system that regulates development.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Role of mannose-6-phosphate receptors in herpes simplex virus entry into cells and cell-to-cell transmission.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein D (gD) is essential for virus entry into cells, is modified with mannose-6-phosphate (M-6-P), and binds to both the 275-kDa M-6-P receptor (MPR) and the 46-kDa MPR (C. R. Brunetti, R. L. Burke, S. Kornfeld, W. Gregory, K. S. Dingwell, F. Masiarz, and D. C. Johnson, J. Biol. Chem. 269:17067-17074, 1994). Since MPRs are found on the surfaces of mammalian cells, we tested the hypothesis that MPRs could serve as receptors for HSV during virus entry into cells. A soluble form of the 275-kDa MPR, derived from fetal bovine serum, inhibited HSV plaques on monkey Vero cells, as did polyclonal rabbit anti-MPR antibodies. In addition, the number and size of HSV plaques were reduced when cells were treated with bovine serum albumin conjugated with pentamannose-phosphate (PM-PO4-BSA), a bulky ligand which can serve as a high-affinity ligand for MPRs. These data imply that HSV can use MPRs to enter cells; however, other molecules must also serve as receptors for HSV because a reasonable fraction of virus could enter cells treated with even the highest concentrations of these inhibitors. Consistent with the possibility that there are other receptors, HSV produced the same number of plaques on MPR-deficient mouse fibroblasts as were produced on normal mouse fibroblasts, but there was no inhibition with PM-PO4-BSA with either of these embryonic mouse cells. Together, these results demonstrate that HSV does not rely solely on MPRs to enter cells, although MPRs apparently play some role in virus entry into some cell types and, perhaps, act as one of a number of cell surface molecules that can facilitate entry. We also found that HSV produced small plaques on human fibroblasts derived from patients with pseudo-Hurler's polydystrophy, cells in which glycoproteins are not modified with M-6-P residues and yet production of infectious HSV particles was not altered in the pseudo-Hurler cells. In addition, HSV plaque size was reduced by PM-PO4-BSA; therefore, it appears that M-6-P residues and MPRs are required for efficient transmission of HSV between cells, a process which differs in some respects from entry of exogenous virus particles.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Differential sorting of lysosomal enzymes in mannose 6-phosphate receptor-deficient fibroblasts.

In higher eukaryotes, the transport of soluble lysosomal enzymes involves the recognition of their mannose 6-phosphate signal by two receptors: the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (CI-MPR) and the cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CD-MPR). It is not known why these two different proteins are present in most cell types. To investigate their relative function in lysosomal enzyme targeting, we created cell lines that lack either or both MPRs. This was accomplished by mating CD-MPR-deficient mice with Thp mice that carry a CI-MPR deleted allele. Fibroblasts prepared from embryos that lack the two receptors exhibit a massive missorting of multiple lysosomal enzymes and accumulate undigested material in their endocytic compartments. Fibroblasts that lack the CI-MPR, like those lacking the CD-MPR, exhibit a milder phenotype and are only partially impaired in sorting. This demonstrates that both receptors are required for efficient intracellular targeting of lysosomal enzymes. More importantly, comparison of the phosphorylated proteins secreted by the different cell types indicates that the two receptors may interact in vivo with different subgroups of hydrolases. This observation may provide a rational explanation for the existence of two distinct mannose 6-phosphate binding proteins in mammalian cells.

Animals↗