B3

Targeting cell-intrinsic mechanisms of neutrophil functions

Image

The response of neutrophils to microbial challenges involves both intracellular and extracellular immune pathways. The translation of external signals into appropriate transcriptional immune response programs is highly dependent on transcription factors. We have recently shown that the transcription factor PU.1 not only controls the transcription of immune genes, but also ensures immune defence by promoting the proteasomal degradation of the pre-synthesized immune proteome. Hence, our results have revealed a novel, pathogen- dependent, transcription-driven yet post-translationally controlled immune response network that offers new perspectives for neutrophil immunomodulation. We will build on these findings to interfere with cell-intrinsic control programs of neutrophil immune functions by targeting both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional axes. Our goal is to identify epigenetic and proteasomal pathways that are central to the immune activities of neutrophils and, as such, could be effective targets in immunotherapeutic settings. In addition, we investigate a novel mechanism by which the proteasome could induce immune status-dependent epigenomic remodelling via controlling the stabilization of the transcription factor ETS2 protein.

Team

Publications

Divergent Granulopoiesis at Extramedullary Sites Safeguards Antibacterial Host Defense

Silvestre-Roig, C.; Chevre, R.; Farjia, M.; Bender, A.; Vöcking, L. M.; Richter, M.; Hageb, A.; Suerdieck, V.; Arenas Cerro, F. J.; Braster, Q.; Guzman, M.; Sintes, J.; Sharma, S.; Lemnitzer, P.; Tulotta, C.; Börgeling, Y.; Herrero-Cervera, A.; Flueter, H.; Reinartz Groba, S. N.; Ahern, D.; Osei-Sarpong, C.; Zimmer, R.; Alonso-Gonzalez, N.; Ortega, E.; Lienenklaus, S.; Kalinke, U.; Ludwig, S.; Engel, D. R.; Rosenbauer, F.; Monaco, C.; Dersch, P.; Kibler, A.; Cerutti, A.; Chavakis, T.; Benedito, R.; Hidalgo, A.; Jablonska, J.; Palomino-Segura, M.; Soehnlein, O.

2026 Sci Immunol

The Nuclear Receptor NR4A1 Serves as a Neutrophil-Intrinsic Regulator Mitigating Stroke Severity

Strecker, J.-K.; Schmidt, Y.; Liebmann, M.; Walter, C.; Roth, S.; Aleth, H.; Börsch, A.-L.; Schmidt-Pogoda, A.; Beuker, C.; Yusuf, A. M.; Revenstorff, J.; Osei-Sarpong, C.; Krafft, L.; Schwarze, A.-S.; Heming, M.; Richter, M.; Kuhlmann, T.; Hucke, S.; Heming, J.-N.; Hansen, U.; Hagemann, N.; Bader, A.; Gao, J.; Walzog, B.; Maier-Begandt, D.; Chevre, R.; Hanschmann, E.-M.; Lücke, M.; Sommer, C.; Hermann, D. M.; Roth, J.; Thomas, C.; Meyer Zu Hörste, G.; Gunzer, M.; Vogl, T.; Zarbock, A.; Rosenbauer, F.; Silvestre-Roig, C.; Söhnlein, O.; Klotz, L.; Minnerup, J.

2025 bioRxiv

Neutrophil Progenitor Mobilization Is a Distinct Feature of STEMI and Predicts Survival

Richter, M.; Von Göwels*, J.; Fähndrich*, M.; Fernandez*, C. L.; Grohn*, K.; Schwarz, D.; Lang, A.; Polzin, A.; Farinola, L.; Gosh, S.; Groba, S. R.; Heming, J.-N.; Aleth, H.; Rübsamen, N.; Radecke, T.; Rosenbauer, F.; Sickmann, A.; Karch, A.; Zarbock, A.; Minnerup, J.; Sindermann, J.; Bender, A.; Rossaint, J.; Ormanns, S.; Gunzer, M.; Reinecke, H.; Makowski, L.; Jung, C.; Silvestre-Roig, C.; Kelm, M.; Gerdes, N.; Chevre, R.; Lange, S.; Soehnlein, O.

2025 Research Square

Neutrophils - Biology and Diversity

Maier-Begandt, D.; Alonso-Gonzalez, N.; Klotz, L.; Erpenbeck, L.; Jablonska, J.; Immler, R.; Hasenberg, A.; Mueller, T. T.; Herrero-Cervera, A.; Aranda-Pardos, I.; Flora, K.; Zarbock, A.; Brandau, S.; Schulz, C.; Soehnlein, O.; Steiger, S.; the TRR332 consortium.

2023 Nephrol Dial Transplant