AG Wischhusen

Jörg Wischhusen: Experimental Tumor Immunology

Summary

Our group is interested in tumor-host interactions in ovarian and breast cancer. A strong focus is placed on tumor-initiating cells and their ability to escape from immunosurveillance. Strategies to relieve local suppression of NK and T cell effector functions by cytokines and other soluble factors are investigated for their potential therapeutic use. In this context, a proprietary antibody targeting a divergent and highly tumour-specific member of the TGF- superfamily is developed for clinical studies. In addition, we have found cancer-associated miRNA profiles from peripheral blood which are of considerable interest for the diagnostics of ovarian cancer.

Recent Publications

Diessner J, Bruttel V, Stein RG, Horn E, Häusler SFM, Dietl J, Hönig A, Wischhusen J. Targeting of preexisting and induced breast cancer stem cells with trastuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Cell Death & Disease DOI:10.1038/cddis.2014.115, 2014. IF: 6.04

Dietl J, Wischhusen J (2011) The forgotten fallopian tube. Nature Rev. Cancer 11:227.

Keller A, Leidinger P, Bauer A, Elsharawy A, Haas J, Backes C, Wendschlag A, Giese N, Tjaden C, Ott K, Werner J, Hackert T, Ruprecht K, Huwer H, Huebers J, Jacobs G, Rosenstiel P, Dommisch H, Schaefer A, Müller-Quernheim J, Wullich B, Keck B, Graf N, Reichrath J, Vogel B, Nebel A, Jager SU, Staehler P, Amarantos I, Boisguerin V, Staehler C, Beier M, Scheffler M, Büchler MW, Wischhusen J, Haeusler SF, Dietl J, Hofmann S, Lenhof HP, Schreiber S, Katus HA, Rottbauer W, Meder B, Hoheisel JD, Franke A, Meese E (2011) Toward the blood-borne miRNome of human diseases. Nat. Methods. 8:841-3.

Häusler SF, Montalbán Del Barrio I, Strohschein J, Chandran PA, Engel JB, Hönig A, Ossadnik M, Horn E, Fischer B, Krockenberger M, Heuer S, Seida AA, Junker M, Kneitz H, Kloor D, Klotz KN, Dietl J, Wischhusen J (2011) Ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 on OvCA cells are potent adenosine-generating enzymes responsible for adenosine receptor 2A-dependent suppression of T cell function and NK cell cytotoxicity. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 60:1405-18.

Roth P, Junker M, Tritschler I, Mittelbronn M, Dombrowski Y, Breit SN, Tabatabai G, Wick W, Weller M, Wischhusen J (2010) GDF-15 contributes to proliferation and immune escape of malignant gliomas. Clin Cancer Res. 16:3851-9.

Reim F, Dombrowski Y, Ritter C, Buttmann M, Häusler S, Ossadnik M, Krockenberger M, Beier D, Beier CP, Dietl J, Becker JC, Hönig A, Wischhusen J. Immunoselection of breast and ovarian cancer cells with trastuzumab and NK cells: Selective escape of CD44high/CD24low/HER2low breast cancer stem cells. Cancer Res. 69:8058-66.