German Red Cross

About: German Red Cross is a healthcare organization based out in Berlin, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Transplantation & Mesenchymal stem cell. The organization has 653 authors who have published 1146 publications receiving 40111 citations. The organization is also known as: Deutsches Rotes Kreuz & DRK.

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells are sensitive to thermic stress – potential implications for therapeutic hyperthermia

Abstract: Purpose: Hyperthermia demonstrated clinical efficacy in multimodal cancer treatment. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of the tumor-supporting stroma modulate tumor response and ...

Spirometric reference values in urban children in madagascar: Poverty is a risk factor for low lung function

Abstract: Background Studies about children with respiratory diseases in Africa are impeded by the dearth of reliable data for the vast majority of countries on the continent. This study was conducted to establish representative reference values, therefore allowing a more accurate evaluation of lung function in Malagasy children. Methods One thousand two hundred thirty-six students from three public and five private schools aged 8–12 years were recruited. A total of 1,093 children were healthy, had a valid lung function measurement and were thus deemed evaluable for this study. Lung function data were collected on consecutive days in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital, using spirometry and a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Results The lung volumes found were substantially lower compared to Caucasian and African equations. The mean Z-score (Stanojevic) for the forced vital capacity (FVC) found was −1.45 and −0.93 for the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) with significant differences between private and public schools (FVC: P = 0.0023, FEV1: P = 0.0004). Conclusions The equations established for school children in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo showed lung function values were lower than reference values for the same age group seen not only in European, but also in African American and African children. The unique ethnicity of the Malagasy people, which combines Southeast-Asian with substantial African influences, the heavy burden of pollution and poverty may explain these differences. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:76–83. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

B cell numbers predict humoral and cellular response upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among patients treated with rituximab

Abstract: Objectives Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases receiving rituximab (RTX) therapy show substantially impaired anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine humoral but partly inducible cellular immune responses. However, the complex relationship between antigen-specific B and T cells and the level of B cell repopulation necessary to achieve anti-vaccine responses remain largely unknown. Methods Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and induction of antigen-specific B and CD4/CD8 T cell subsets were studied in 19 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients receiving RTX, 12 RA patients on other therapies and 30 healthy controls after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with either mRNA or vector based vaccines. Results A minimum of 10 B cells/µL in the peripheral circulation was necessary in RTX patients to mount seroconversion to anti-S1 IgG upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. RTX patients lacking IgG seroconversion showed reduced antigen-specific B cells, lower frequency of TfH-like cells as well as less activated CD4 and CD8 T cells compared to IgG seroconverted RTX patients. Functionally relevant B cell depletion resulted in impaired IFNγ secretion by spike-specific CD4 T cells. In contrast, antigen-specific CD8 T cells were reduced in patients independently of IgG formation. Conclusions Patients receiving rituximab with B cell numbers above 10 B cells/µl were able to mount humoral and more robust cellular responses after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination that may permit optimization of vaccination in these patients. Mechanistically, the data emphasize the crucial role of co-stimulatory B cell functions for the proper induction of CD4 responses propagating vaccine-specific B and plasma cell differentiation.

Typically asymptomatic but with robust antibody formation: Childrens unique humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Abstract: Background Long-term persistence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, particularly the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimer, determines individual protection against infection and potentially viral spread. The quality of children’s natural humoral immune response following SARS-CoV-2 infection is yet incompletely understood but crucial to guide pediatric SARS-CoV-2 vaccination programs. Methods In this prospective observational multi-center cohort study, we followed 328 households, consisting of 548 children and 717 adults, with at least one member with a previous laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The serological response was assessed at 3-4 months and 11-12 months after infection using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay for 23 human coronavirus antigens including SARS-CoV-2 and its Variants of Concern (VOC) and endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs), and additionally by three commercial SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays. Results Overall, 33.76% of SARS-CoV-2 exposed children and 57.88% adults were seropositive. Children were five times more likely to have seroconverted without symptoms compared to adults. Despite the frequently asymptomatic course of infection, children had higher specific antibody levels, and their antibodies persisted longer than in adults (96.22% versus 82.89% still seropositive 11-12 months post infection). Of note, symptomatic and asymptomatic infections induced similar humoral responses in all age groups. In symptomatic children, only dysgeusia was found as diagnostic indicator of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred independent of HCoV serostatus. Antibody binding responses to VOCs were similar in children and adults, with reduced binding for the Beta variant in both groups. Conclusions The long-term humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is robust and may provide long-term protection even after asymptomatic infection. (Study ID at German Clinical Trials Register: 00021521)