MD A3: Structural characterization of skin-directed autoantibodies and their interaction with the antigen to gain insights into autoimmune pre-disease
Structural characterization of proteins, including antibodies and antigens, is invaluable for understanding the relation between structural properties and biological function (and activity), allowing for design of new drug molecules and elucidation of pathophysiological mechanisms. It has been suggested that the NC16A domain of BP180, the immunodominant epitope in bullous pemphigoid, undergoes significant structural/conformational changes when anti-BP180 abs bind, potentially leading to a much better (but detrimental) exposure of the autoantigen towards the adaptive immune system in an early, rather subclinical phase of disease initiation (i.e., autoimmune pre-disease), and potentially activating intracellular signaling cascades. Likewise, little is known about structural changes induced by anti-Dsg3/1 antibodies during binding to their autoantigens Dsg3/1 in pemphigus diseases and its effects on eliciting an aberrant immune response. Importantly, in-silico modeling is not available for most of the above described monoclonal antibodies (and their protein interactions), and new crystallization data are vital for enabling such predictions. We here set out to establish efficient procedures for (i) protein crystallization of monoclonal antibodies directed against skin antigens, (ii) protein crystallization of complexes of antigen and antibody, and (iii) analysis of obtained data. All antibodies and antigens are available in recombinant form.

- Projects
- 1st Generation
- A: Defining Autoimmune Pre-Disease
- B: Targeting of Autoimmune Pre-Disease
- Associated projects
- Medical doctoral researcher projects
- Concluded projects
- Doctoral researchers
- Medical doctoral researchers
- MD A1: Investigation of the influence of specific CDK inhibitors on neutrophil activation
- MD A2: Anatomical expression of target antigens in autoimmune blistering dermatoses as markers for lesion formation
- MD A3: Structural characterization of skin-directed autoantibodies and their interaction with the antigen to gain insights into autoimmune pre-disease
- MD A4: Do interactions between AT1R autoantibodies derived from patients with systemic sclerosis and endothelial cells lead to endothelial dysfunction?
- MD A5: Establishing a human 3D skin model for pemphigus vulgaris
- MD A6: Assessing vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis using optical coherence tomography
- MD A7: Identification of autoantibodies contributing to the break of immunotolerance in immunization induced mucous membrane pemphigus mouse model
- MD A8: Impact of angiotensin II type 1 receptor antibodies on endothelial dysfunction in systemic sclerosis
- MD A9: Impact of glycosylation on IgG4-induced signaling in neutrophils
- MD A10: Testing a new single chain variable fragment for pemphigus foliaceus in the human skin organ culture model
- MD A11: Impact of glycosylation on IgG3-induced signaling in neutrophiles
- MD A12: Screening for inhibitors to prevent keratinocyte dissociation
- MD A13: Investigation of the local and systemic complement activation in bullous pemphigoid patients
- MD A14: Impact of different IgG subclasses and glycosylation patterns on immune complex-induced signaling in neutrophils
- MD A15: Novel target antigens of the lower basal membrane zone as inducers of autoimmunity of bullous autoimmune dermatoses
- MD A16: Identification of the major epitope of the BP180 ectodomain recognized by serum IgA autoantibodies of patients with pemphigoid diseases – IgA autoantibodies as prognostic marker?
- MD A17: Autoantibody-mediated effects on endothelial and immune cell signaling in systemic sclerosis
- MD A18: Molecular and cellular characterization of pre-autoimmune effects induced by aging in mice
- MD A19: Immunogenic effects of Staphylococcus aureus toxins in autoimmune vasculitis
- MD B1: Testing the effect of kinase inhibitors in the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus vulgaris
- MD B2: Investigation of cigarette smoking-induced autoantibodies against human airway epithelial cells in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease
- MD B3: Contribution of taurine, pyridoxine and pantothenic acid to the pathomechanism of pemphigus vulgaris
- MD B4: The influence of prednisolone treatment on split formation in the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus vulgaris
- MD B5: Molecular characterization of the pre-autoimmune effects of Western diet in healthy mice
- MD B6: Testing established MAP kinase inhibitors in a different approach of the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus vulgaris
- MD B7: Testing the effect of kinase inhibitors in the human skin organ culture model for pemphigus foliaceus
- Ass. doctoral researchers
- Ass. medical doctoral researchers
- 2nd Generation
- 1st Generation