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News Preiffer 06.2020
Prof. Dr. Alexander Pfeifer (left) and Dr. Thorsten Gnad (right) from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University Hospital Bonn.
© Katharina Wislsperger/UKBonn

Publication

Receptor makes mice strong and slim

Study by the University of Bonn identifies molecule that regulates two side effects of aging

Increasing abdominal girth and shrinking muscles are two common side effects of aging. Researchers at the University of Bonn from the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation have discovered a receptor in mice that regulates both effects. Experiments with human cell cultures suggest that the corresponding signaling pathways might also exist in humans. The study, which also involved researchers from Spain, Finland, Belgium, Denmark and the USA, has now been published in the renowned journal "Cell Metabolism".

Publication

Thorsten Gnad, Gemma Navarro, Minna Lahesmaa, Laia Reverte-Salisa, Francesca Copperi, Arnau Cordomi, Jennifer Naumann, Aileen Hochhäuser, Saskia Haufs-Brusberg, Daniela Wenzel, Frank Suhr, Naja Zenius Jespersen, Camilla Scheele, Volodymyr Tsvilovskyy, Christian Brinkmann, Joern Rittweger, Christian Dani, Mathias Kranz, Winnie Deuther-Conrad, Holger K. Eltzschig, Tarja Niemi, Markku Taittonen, Peter Brust, Pirjo Nuutila, Leonardo Pardo, Bernd K. Fleischmann, Matthias Blüher, Rafael Franco, Wilhelm Bloch, Kirsi A. Virtanen, Alexander Pfeifer: Adenosine/A2B receptor signaling ameliorates the effects of ageing and counteracts obesity. Cell Metabolism, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2020.06.006

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Decoding the Effects of Obesity

—A group of innate immune cells known as group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are essential for maintaining a healthy metabolic balance in adipose tissue. Obesity significantly impairs the number and function of ILC2s. How ILC2s are disrupted by obesity has so far remained unclear. Researchers from the UKB and the University of Bonn have now shown in obese mice that acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, a key enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis, is a crucial regulator of the maintenance and function of ILC2 immune cells in adipose tissue. The results have now been published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
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Image 1: Malaria is not transmitted directly from person to person. Infection requires the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito carrying the malaria parasite. Image 2: Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf, Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at Bonn University Hospital (UKB), is an established expert in tropical diseases, among other fields.

Publication

As Temperatures Fall, so does the Risk of Malaria Transmission

—The good news comes with autumn: As temperatures fall, the risk of further malaria transmission in Germany also decreases significantly. However, the current cases reported in the vicinity of Frankfurt Airport show that, in very rare cases, malaria can occur in Germany even without previous travel abroad. In such cases, early diagnosis is crucial.
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New Findings on Information Processing in the Brain: - Examples of Dendritic Shaft Constrictions (DSCs) imaged used high resolution microscopy techniques, expansion microscopy (left), STED (middle) and electron microscopy (right). Arrowheads indicate the position of DSCs.

Publication

New Findings on Information Processing in the Brain

—Neurons receive thousands of signals via tree-like extensions called dendrites. Until now, these dendrites were thought to be relatively smooth cables that conduct electrical signals to the cell body. Using various advanced microscopy techniques, an international research team has identified tiny, previously overlooked constrictions along the dendrites. The study results have now been published in the journal Science Advances.
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