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Thorsten Klamp

Bio: Thorsten Klamp is an academic researcher from University of Cologne. The author has contributed to research in topics: GTPase & Antigen presentation. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 6 publications receiving 3266 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Much of the cellular response to IFN-gamma can be described in terms of a set of integrated molecular programs underlying well-defined physiological systems, for example the induction of efficient antigen processing for MHC-mediated antigen presentation, which play clearly defined roles in pathogen resistance.
Abstract: Interferons are cytokines that play a complex and central role in the resistance of mammalian hosts to pathogens. Type I interferon (IFN-alpha and IFN-beta) is secreted by virus-infected cells. Immune, type II, or gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) is secreted by thymus-derived (T) cells under certain conditions of activation and by natural killer (NK) cells. Although originally defined as an agent with direct antiviral activity, the properties of IFN-gamma include regulation of several aspects of the immune response, stimulation of bactericidal activity of phagocytes, stimulation of antigen presentation through class I and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, orchestration of leukocyte-endothelium interactions, effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis, as well as the stimulation and repression of a variety of genes whose functional significance remains obscure. The implementation of such a variety of effects by a single cytokine is achieved by complex patterns of cell-specific gene regulation: Several IFN-gamma-regulated genes are themselves components of transcription factors. The IFN-gamma response is itself regulated by interaction with responses to other cytokines including IFN-alpha/beta, TNF-alpha, and IL-4. Over 200 genes are now known to be regulated by IFN-gamma and they are listed in a World Wide Web document that accompanies this review. However, much of the cellular response to IFN-gamma can be described in terms of a set of integrated molecular programs underlying well-defined physiological systems, for example the induction of efficient antigen processing for MHC-mediated antigen presentation, which play clearly defined roles in pathogen resistance. A promising approach to the complexity of the IFN-gamma response is to extend the analysis of the less understood IFN-gamma-regulated genes in terms of molecular programs functional in pathogen resistance.

2,956 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Two small unrelated families of GTPases appear to be dedicated to the IFN-gamma response, since resting levels are negligible and since neither family shows any significant relationship to any other described family of G TPases.
Abstract: IFN-γ induces a number of cellular programs functional in innate and adaptive resistance to infectious pathogens. It has recently become clear that the complete cellular response to IFN-γ is extraordinarily complex, with >500 genes (i.e., ∼0.5% of the genome) activated. We made suppression-subtractive hybridization differential libraries from IFN-γ-stimulated primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and from a mouse macrophage cell line, ANA-1, in each case with reference to unstimulated cells. Of ∼250 clones sequenced at random from the two libraries, >35% were representatives of one or the other of two small unrelated families of GTPases, the 65-kDa and 47-kDa families. These families dominate the IFN-γ-induced response in both cell types. We report here the full-length sequences of one new 65-kDa and two new 47-kDa family members. The 65-kDa family members are under transcriptional control of IRF-1, whereas the 47-kDa family members are inducible in embryonic fibroblasts from IRF-1 −/− mice. Members of both GTPase families are strongly up-regulated in livers of wild-type mice infected with the pathogenic bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes , but not in IFN-γR 0/0 mice. These GTPases appear to be dedicated to the IFN-γ response, since resting levels are negligible and since neither family shows any significant relationship to any other described family of GTPases. Understanding the role of these GTPases in IFN-γ-mediated resistance against pathogens is the task for the future.

236 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The identification and characterization of human and mouse homologues of the yeast proteasome maturating factor Ump1p are reported and it is shown that the transcript level of mammalian UMP1 is increased after IFN-gamma treatment and that mammalian U MP1 is functionally related to but not interchangeable with its yeast homologue.
Abstract: The assembly of individual mammalian proteasome subunits into catalytically active 20S proteasome is not well understood. Herein, we report the identification and characterization of human and mouse homologues of the yeast proteasome maturating factor Ump1p. We delineate the region of hUMP1 implicated in the specific interaction with proteasome precursors and show that hUMP1 protein is absent from the mature form of the 20S proteasome. We also show that the transcript level of mammalian UMP1 is increased after IFN-γ treatment and that mammalian UMP1 is functionally related to but not interchangeable with its yeast homologue.

90 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The identification and characterization of a new GTPase family that contributes to the cellular response to both type I and type II IFNs is reported and this family is named the very large inducible GTPases (VLIGs), which is more closely related to IFN-inducibles mediating cell-autonomous resistance than to other G TPase families.
Abstract: The complex, partially overlapping, cellular responses to IFN type I (IFN-α and -β) and IFN type II (IFN-γ) involve several hundred genes that can be largely classified in terms of specific cellular programs functional in innate and adaptive immunity. Among these programs are previously unconsidered mechanisms of cell-autonomous resistance against various pathogens mediated by dedicated, largely novel families of GTPases. We report here the identification and characterization of a new GTPase family that contributes to the cellular response to both type I and type II IFNs. We name this family the very large inducible GTPases (VLIGs). The prototype VLIG, VLIG-1, is a strongly IFN-inducible, soluble, cytosolic and nuclear protein of 280 kDa. The open reading frame of VLIG-1 is encoded on a single very large exon, and outside the canonical GTP-binding motifs, sequence and structural prediction suggest a unique family without significant relationship to other known protein families. Within the GTPase superfamily the VLIG family is more closely related to IFN-inducible GTPases mediating cell-autonomous resistance than to other GTPase families. In addition, we provide evidence that VLIG-1 is polymorphic in mice of different genetic backgrounds and is a member of a small gene family on mouse chromosome 7 with a conserved homologue located on human chromosome 11.

66 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that secondary transcription factors are necessary for a maximal stimulation of tapasin expression upon IFN-gamma stimulation, and the sequential induction of TAP1, LMP2, and tapasin before the stimulated expression of class I heavy chain is discussed.

34 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent progress has been made in understanding the details of the signaling pathways that regulate NF-kappaB activity, particularly those responding to the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1.
Abstract: NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) is a collective name for inducible dimeric transcription factors composed of members of the Rel family of DNA-binding proteins that recognize a common sequence motif. NF-κ...

4,724 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Janus kinases and signal transducers and activators of transcription, and many of the interferon-induced proteins, play important alternative roles in cells, raising interesting questions as to how the responses to the interFERons intersect with more general aspects of cellular physiology and how the specificity of cytokine responses is maintained.
Abstract: Interferons play key roles in mediating antiviral and antigrowth responses and in modulating immune response. The main signaling pathways are rapid and direct. They involve tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription factors by Janus tyrosine kinases at the cell membrane, followed by release of signal transducers and activators of transcription and their migration to the nucleus, where they induce the expression of the many gene products that determine the responses. Ancillary pathways are also activated by the interferons, but their effects on cell physiology are less clear. The Janus kinases and signal transducers and activators of transcription, and many of the interferon-induced proteins, play important alternative roles in cells, raising interesting questions as to how the responses to the interferons intersect with more general aspects of cellular physiology and how the specificity of cytokine responses is maintained.

4,026 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The current understanding of IFN‐γ ligand, receptor, ignal transduction, and cellular effects with a focus on macrophage responses and to a lesser extent, responses from other cell types that influence macrophages function during infection are reviewed.
Abstract: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) coordinates a diverse array of cellular programs through transcriptional regulation of immunologically relevant genes. This article reviews the current understanding of IFN-gamma ligand, receptor, signal transduction, and cellular effects with a focus on macrophage responses and to a lesser extent, responses from other cell types that influence macrophage function during infection. The current model for IFN-gamma signal transduction is discussed, as well as signal regulation and factors conferring signal specificity. Cellular effects of IFN-gamma are described, including up-regulation of pathogen recognition, antigen processing and presentation, the antiviral state, inhibition of cellular proliferation and effects on apoptosis, activation of microbicidal effector functions, immunomodulation, and leukocyte trafficking. In addition, integration of signaling and response with other cytokines and pathogen-associated molecular patterns, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-4, type I IFNs, and lipopolysaccharide are discussed.

3,589 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is anticipated that an increased understanding of the contributions of these recently identified pathways will advance current thinking about how interferons work.
Abstract: Interferons are cytokines that have antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory effects. Because of these important properties, in the past two decades, major research efforts have been undertaken to understand the signalling mechanisms through which these cytokines induce their effects. Since the original discovery of the classical JAK (Janus activated kinase)-STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) pathway of signalling, it has become clear that the coordination and cooperation of multiple distinct signalling cascades - including the mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 cascade and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase cascade - are required for the generation of responses to interferons. It is anticipated that an increased understanding of the contributions of these recently identified pathways will advance our current thinking about how interferons work.

2,912 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The main functions of polarized macrophages are reviewed and the perspectives of this field are discussed, which include high endocytic clearance capacities and trophic factor synthesis, accompanied by reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion.
Abstract: Macrophages are widely distributed immune system cells that play an indispensable role in homeostasis and defense. They can be phenotypically polarized by the microenvironment to mount specific functional programs. Polarized macrophages can be broadly classified in two main groups: classically activated macrophages (or M1), whose prototypical activating stimuli are IFNgamma and LPS, and alternatively activated macrophages (or M2), further subdivided in M2a (after exposure to IL-4 or IL-13), M2b (immune complexes in combination with IL-1beta or LPS) and M2c (IL-10, TGFbeta or glucocorticoids). M1 exhibit potent microbicidal properties and promote strong IL-12-mediated Th1 responses, whilst M2 support Th2-associated effector functions. Beyond infection M2 polarized macrophages play a role in resolution of inflammation through high endocytic clearance capacities and trophic factor synthesis, accompanied by reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Similar functions are also exerted by tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), which also display an alternative-like activation phenotype and play a detrimental pro-tumoral role. Here we review the main functions of polarized macrophages and discuss the perspectives of this field.

2,836 citations