B04-Extracellular vesicles and regulatory RNAs as intercellular messengers in aortic disease
This project aims to decipher RNA-mediated mechanisms of intercellular communication via extracellular vesicles (EVs)/ncRNAs in the aortic valve (AV) and heart in aortic valve stenosis (AS). Our recent work shows that miRNAs can control gene expression of disease-relevant genes and cellular function during AS. Other heterogeneous subclasses of ncRNAs, namely circRNAs, and lncRNAs, have also been shown to control gene expression (epigenetically) and regulate cellular functions in many CVDs. The transcriptome signature of patient-derived EVs, AV cells, and AV tissues, using NGS and PCR-based arrays, revealed numerous dysregulated genes (mRNAs), miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in comparison to controls. By using primary valvular cells from patient AV explants and the murine AS model, we aim to gain more mechanistic insight into the mode of action of ncRNAs and develop potential RNA-based therapeutics. Furthermore, we will study the effects of extrinsic factors (e.g., shear stress and mechanical strain) since changes in flow dynamics, mechanical forces, and epigenetic regulators can be conveyed via the noncoding transcriptome and appear to be central to the development and progression of AS.
Contacts
PD Dr. Felix Jansen
Heart Center, Building 26, room 152
Venusberg-Campus 2
53127 Bonn
Clinic for Internal Medicine II
Dr.rer. nat. M. Rabiul Hosen
PhD
Biomedical Center I, Building 13, 3OG
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
AG: Cardiovascular epigenetics, RNA Biology, and RNA-therapeutics
Molecular Cardiology, Heart Center Bonn
Dr. Philip Roger Goody
Biomedical Center I, Building 13, 1OG
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Department of Molecular Cardiology and Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology
Dr. Andreas Zietzer
Biomedical Center I, Building 13, 3OG
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Department of Molecular Cardiology
Katharina Maus
Biomedical Center I, Building 13, 3OG, room 14
Venusberg-Campus 1
53127 Bonn
Department of Molecular Cardiology
BTA/MTA:
Ms. Anna Flender, BTA
Ms. Sarah Arahouan, BTA
MD Students:
Dr. med. Monika Baumschabl
Ms. Ling Zhou
Ms. Yujia Zhang
Ms. Zhexi Li
Mr. Yuan Zhou
Alumini:
Dr. med. Xu Xiang
Dr. med. Qian Li
Dr. med. Atur Illie
Dr. med. Yangyang Liu
Denise Nehl
Dr. Mona Malek Mohammadi, Dr. Sarah Rieck, Prof. Dr. Fleischmann (Institute for Physiology),
Dr. Staffan Hildebrand, Prof. Dr. Alexander Pfeifer (Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology)
Prof. Dr. Farhad Baktiary (Department for Heart Surgery)
Prof. Dr. Bernardo Franklin, Prof. Dr. Eicke Latz (Institute for Innate Immunity)
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Welhelm-Jüngling (Endothelial Metabolism, Inst. Cardiovascular Science)
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Leppek (Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology)
Dr. Marc Sylvester (Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, Medical Faculty)
Dr. Heimbach (Institute of Human Genetics, NGS core facility)
Prof. Dr. med. Sebastian Zimmer, PD. Dr. med. Felix Jansen, Dr. med. Philip Goody, Dr. med. Andreas Zietzer, Dr. med. Adem Aksoy, Dr. med. Baravan Al-Kassou (Heart Center Bonn)
Prof. Dr. Steven P. Jones (Diabetes and Obesity Center, University of Louisville, KY, USA)
Prof. Dr. Joseph B. Moore (Department of Medicine, The Christina Lee Brown Environment Institute, University of Louisville, KY, USA)
Prof. Dr. Shizuka Uchida (University of Aalborg, Copenhagen, Denmark)
Prof. Dr. Wenzel (System Biology, University of Bochum)
Dr. Ramesh Chennupati, Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Christian Jung (Cardiology, Pneumonology and Angiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf)
Dr. Giuseppe Militello (Yale University, CT, USA)
Dr. Tyler Weirick (RIKEN Institute, Japan)
Prof. Dr. Reinier Boon (Department of Physiology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Dimmeler (Institute for Cardiovascular Regeneration, University of Frankfurt)