de
  • Deutsch - de
  • English - en
  • Über uns
      Über uns
        Maßnahmen
          Mitglieder
            Cluster Management
              PhD und Postdoc-Vertreter
                Wissenschaftlicher Beirat
                  Internationale Kooperationspartner
                    Timeline
                      Pressekit
                        Kontakt
                      • Aktuelles
                          News
                            Veranstaltungen
                              Presseecho
                                Stellenausschreibungen
                              • Forschung
                                  Publikationen
                                    Unser Forschungsschwerpunkt
                                      Technology Hubs
                                        "Research Spotlight"
                                          Datenmanagement & -austausch
                                            Sustainability Initiative
                                              Verhaltenskodex
                                            • Wissenschaft & Gesellschaft
                                                Für Schulen und Schüler
                                                  Öffentliche Veranstaltungen
                                                    Podcasts
                                                      Videos
                                                    • Support für Diversity & Equity
                                                        Newcomer Center
                                                          Gender Equality Program
                                                            Early Career Investigator Programm
                                                          1. Home
                                                          2. Aktuelles
                                                          3. News
                                                          4. Stroke triggers epigenetic changes in immune system 
                                                          News | 01.08.2024 | Research Spotlight

                                                          Stroke triggers epigenetic changes in immune system 

                                                          A stroke not only causes immediate damage to the brain, but it can also have long-term health effects on other organs, such as the heart. In a recent study published in Cell, researchers demonstrate that persistent pro-inflammatory changes in myeloid cells after stroke play a direct role in the development of cardiac fibrosis, independent of other factors that can lead to cardiovascular issues.

                                                          This is a summary of Simats, A., Zhang, S., Messerer, D. et al. (2024). Innate immune memory after brain injury drives inflammatory cardiac dysfunction. Published in Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.028


                                                          The challenge

                                                          A stroke not only causes immediate damage to the brain, but it can also have long-term health implications for other organs, such as the heart. However, unlike the acute inflammatory response within hours to a few days, the chronic effects of brain injury on systemic immunity are largely unknown. We hypothesized that the high rate of additional health conditions that develop after a stroke could have a common immunological cause, and result from long-term changes in the function of innate immune cells.


                                                          Our approach

                                                          To study epigenetic changes we used single-cell sequencing and mouse models. We validated our observations using clinical data from three representative stroke patients recruited by the Stroke Induced Cardiac FAILure (SICFAIL) study consortium that were followed up by cardiac echocardiography at three and 6 months after their stroke. In addition, we obtained myocardial autopsy samples from patients that had died 1–3 months after stroke or from age-matched control subjects that had died without cardiac or brain disorder


                                                          Our findings

                                                          We demonstrated that certain immune cells (monocytes/macrophages) in various organs undergo permanent proinflammatory changes in their transcriptome for up to three months after a stroke. Essentially, specific gene segments are transcribed differently, leading to an imbalance in the proteome. These epigenetic modifications most commonly occur in the heart, where they can result in cardiac fibrosis and impaired pumping function. Our research has pinpointed the protein IL-1b as the main contributor to these epigenetic alterations, which influences immunological memory after a stroke. We were able to demonstrate the connection between modified blood formation in bone marrow through overexpressed IL-1b and cardiac dysfunctions in a mouse model. Furthermore, we showed that blocking IL-1b, as well as inhibiting migration of the proinflammatory cells to the heart, successfully prevented cardiac problems after stroke.


                                                          The implications

                                                          Our findings suggest new avenues for treating and preventing heart problems that can occur after a stroke. The reprogramming of the immune system in the brain and the heart, as revealed by our research, could be the key to understanding and addressing health issues related to IL-1b.


                                                          Creating SyNergies

                                                          The research was led by Arthur Liesz and included SyNergy members Martin Dichgans, Nikolaus Plesnila, and Eduardo Beltrán and was supported by several SyNergy Hubs. Follow-up studies investigating the brain – bone marrow axis after stroke are already planned and will involve further SyNergy members to leverage their unique expertise in innate immunity and systems biology.

                                                          Teilnehmende Universitäten
                                                           LMU logo in white
                                                           TUM logo in white
                                                          Partnerinstitute
                                                           Logo DZNE in white
                                                          Helmholtz Munich logo in white 
                                                           Logo Max Planck Gesellschaft 

                                                          SyNergy wird von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft im Rahmen der deutschen Exzellenzstrategie gefördert (EXC 2145 SyNergy - ID 390857198). Die Exzellenzstrategie fördert herausragende Forschung an deutschen Universitäten. 

                                                          Kontakt

                                                          Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy)

                                                          Feodor-Lynen-Str. 17
                                                          81377 Munich
                                                          +49 (0)89 4400-46497
                                                          yüubgybcјui,pxјrvDfulyz-Smi
                                                          Redakteurs Login
                                                          Impressum | Datenschutz
                                                          de
                                                          • Deutsch - de
                                                          • English - en

                                                          SyNergy - Mu...

                                                          • Über uns
                                                            • Über uns
                                                            • Maßnahmen
                                                            • Mitglieder
                                                            • Cluster Management
                                                            • PhD und Postdoc-Vertreter
                                                            • Wissenschaftlicher Beirat
                                                            • Internationale Kooperationspartner
                                                            • Timeline
                                                            • Pressekit
                                                            • Kontakt
                                                          • Aktuelles
                                                            • News
                                                            • Veranstaltungen
                                                            • Presseecho
                                                            • Stellenausschreibungen
                                                          • Forschung
                                                            • Publikationen
                                                            • Unser Forschungsschwerpunkt
                                                            • Technology Hubs
                                                            • "Research Spotlight"
                                                            • Datenmanagement & -austausch
                                                            • Sustainability Initiative
                                                            • Verhaltenskodex
                                                          • Wissenschaft & Gesellschaft
                                                            • Für Schulen und Schüler
                                                            • Öffentliche Veranstaltungen
                                                            • Podcasts
                                                            • Videos
                                                          • Support für Diversity & Equity
                                                            • Newcomer Center
                                                            • Gender Equality Program
                                                            • Early Career Investigator Programm