Macrophages significantly enhance wound healing in a vascularized skin model.

Tissue-engineered dermo-epidermal skin grafts could be applied for the treatment of large skin wounds or used as an in vitro wound-healing model. However, there is currently no skin replacement model that includes both, endothelial cells to simulate vascularization, and macrophages to regulate wound healing and tissue regeneration. Here, we describe for the first time a tissue-engineered, fully vascularized dermo-epidermal skin graft based on a fibrin hydrogel scaffold, using exclusively human primary cells.

Associated factors and comorbidities in patients with pyoderma gangrenosum in Germany: a retrospective multicentric analysis in 259 patients.

Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rarely diagnosed ulcerative neutrophilic dermatosis with unknown origin that has been poorly characterized in clinical studies so far. Consequently there have been significant discussions about its associated factors and comorbidities. The aim of our multicenter study was to analyze current data from patients in dermatologic wound care centers in Germany in order to describe associated factors and comorbidities in patients with PG.

Treatment of diabetic macular edema with a designed ankyrin repeat protein that binds vascular endothelial growth factor: a phase I/II study.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and bioactivity of MP0112, a designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) that specifically binds vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). DARPins are a novel class of proteins selected for specific, high-affinity binding to a target protein.

Design: Phase I/II, open-label, multicenter dose-escalation trial.

CD5+ B cells from individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus express granzyme B.

Recently, we reported that IL-21 induces granzyme B (GzmB) and GzmB-dependent apoptosis in malignant CD5(+) B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Several autoimmune diseases (AD) are associated with enhanced frequencies of CD5(+) B cells. Since AD are also associated with elevated IL-21 and GzmB levels, we postulated a link between CD5(+) B cells, IL-21 and GzmB.

A highly stable polyethylene glycol-conjugated human single-chain antibody neutralizing granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor at low nanomolar concentration.

GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor) plays a central role in inflammatory processes. Treatment with antibodies neutralizing murine GM-CSF showed significant therapeutic effects in mouse models of inflammatory diseases. We constructed by phage display technology a human scFv, which could potently neutralize human GM-CSF.

A human monoclonal IgG1 potently neutralizing the pro-inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF.

The pro-inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF is aberrantly produced in many autoimmune and chronic inflammatory human diseases. GM-CSF neutralization by antibodies has been shown to have a profound therapeutic effect in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory lung diseases, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. Moreover, the absence of GM-CSF in null mutant mice ameliorates or prevents certain of these diseases.