AG Westermann | Lindner


Name: Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann
Clinic/Institute: Department of Cardiology
Email: d.westermann@uke.de
Phone: +49 (0) 40 7410 - 58206

Name: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Diana Lindner
Clinic/Institute: Department of Cardiology
Email: d.lindner@uke.de
Phone: +49 (0) 40 7410 - 54864

Research Focus and Main research questions

Heart failure is a consequence of various cardiovascular diseases and typically associated with cardiac remodeling in which inflammation and fibrosis play crucial roles. In a healthy heart, the extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a scaffold for cardiac cells and thereby ensures the structural integrity of the heart but also serves as a reservoir for latent growth factors. Under pathological conditions, excessive deposition of ECM proteins can result in enhanced stiffness of the myocardial tissue which is linked to systolic and diastolic dysfunction. In contrast, dampened fibrotic remodeling in the context of myocardial infarction may lead to insufficient scar formation, which can be associated with ventricular dilation or even rupture.

Our research group is focused on the regulation of cardiac inflammation and fibrotic remodeling in different types of heart failure. Therefore, animal models were used to experimentally induce HF by e.g. myocardial infarction or viral myocarditis. Furthermore, we combine in vivo animal models with in vitro cell culture experiments to describe molecular mechanisms involved in heart failure pathology.

  • Methods
  • Methods

    Methods:

    In vivo heart failure models and technics:

    • Hemodynamic measurements to characterize LV function
    • Myocardial infarction (LAD-ligation and ischemia/reperfusion)
    • Cardiac hypertrophy by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or by DOCA/nephrectomy
    • Viral myocarditis induced by Coxsackie-Virus B3
    • Diabetic cardiomyopathy (STZ model)
    In vitro models and technics:
    • Primary cardiac cells (fibroblasts, cardiomyocytes)
    • Migration assays and co-culture experiments, ischemic cell culture system
    • Histology (immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization), Confocal microscopy
    • FACS analyses , gene expression analyses

  • Publications:

    Lindner, D, Fitzek, A, Brauninger, H, Aleshcheva, G, Edler, C, Meissner, K, Scherschel, K, Kirchhof, P, Escher, F, Schultheiss, HP, Blankenberg, S, Puschel, K, and Westermann, D, Association of Cardiac Infection With SARS-CoV-2 in Confirmed COVID-19 Autopsy Cases. JAMA Cardiol, 2020. 5(11): p. 1281-1285. IF (2019): 12.794

    Hinrichs, S, Scherschel, K, Kruger, S, Neumann, JT, Schwarzl, M, Yan, I, Warnke, S, Ojeda, FM, Zeller, T, Karakas, M, Keller, T, Meyer, C, Blankenberg, S, Westermann, D*, and Lindner, D*, Precursor proadrenomedullin influences cardiomyocyte survival and local inflammation related to myocardial infarction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2018. 115(37): p. E8727-E8736. IF : 9.580

    Voss, S, Kruger, S, Scherschel, K, Warnke, S, Schwarzl, M, Schrage, B, Girdauskas, E, Meyer, C, Blankenberg, S, Westermann, D, and Lindner, D, Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) Expression Increases during Myocardial Infarction and Supports Pro-Inflammatory Signaling in Cardiac Fibroblasts. Biomolecules, 2019. 9(2). IF: 4.082

    Bacmeister, L, Schwarzl, M, Warnke, S, Stoffers, B, Blankenberg, S, Westermann, D, and Lindner, D, Inflammation and fibrosis in murine models of heart failure. Basic Res Cardiol, 2019. 114(3): p. 19. IF: 11.981

    Westermann, D, Neumann, JT, Sorensen, NA, and Blankenberg, S, High-sensitivity assays for troponin in patients with cardiac disease. Nat Rev Cardiol, 2017. 14(8): p. 472-483. IF: 15.162

    Neumann, JT, Twerenbold, R, Ojeda, F, Sorensen, NA, Chapman, AR, Shah, ASV, Anand, A, Boeddinghaus, J, Nestelberger, T, Badertscher, P, Mokhtari, A, Pickering, JW, Troughton, RW, Greenslade, J, Parsonage, W, Mueller-Hennessen, M, Gori, T, Jernberg, T, Morris, N, Liebetrau, C, Hamm, C, Katus, HA, Munzel, T, Landmesser, U, Salomaa, V, Iacoviello, L, Ferrario, MM, Giampaoli, S, Kee, F, Thorand, B, Peters, A, Borchini, R, Jorgensen, T, Soderberg, S, Sans, S, Tunstall-Pedoe, H, Kuulasmaa, K, Renne, T, Lackner, KJ, Worster, A, Body, R, Ekelund, U, Kavsak, PA, Keller, T, Lindahl, B, Wild, P, Giannitsis, E, Than, M, Cullen, LA, Mills, NL, Mueller, C, Zeller, T, Westermann, D*, and Blankenberg, S*, Application of High-Sensitivity Troponin in Suspected Myocardial Infarction. N Engl J Med, 2019. 380(26): p. 2529-2540. IF: 74.699

    Schrage, B, Becher, PM, Bernhardt, A, Bezerra, H, Blankenberg, S, Brunner, S, Colson, P, Cudemus Deseda, G, Dabboura, S, Eckner, D, Eden, M, Eitel, I, Frank, D, Frey, N, Funamoto, M, Gossling, A, Graf, T, Hagl, C, Kirchhof, P, Kupka, D, Landmesser, U, Lipinski, J, Lopes, M, Majunke, N, Maniuc, O, McGrath, D, Mobius-Winkler, S, Morrow, DA, Mourad, M, Noel, C, Nordbeck, P, Orban, M, Pappalardo, F, Patel, SM, Pauschinger, M, Pazzanese, V, Reichenspurner, H, Sandri, M, Schulze, PC, R, HGS, Sinning, JM, Aksoy, A, Skurk, C, Szczanowicz, L, Thiele, H, Tietz, F, Varshney, A, Wechsler, L, and Westermann, D, Left Ventricular Unloading Is Associated With Lower Mortality in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Results From an International, Multicenter Cohort Study. Circulation, 2020. 142(22): p. 2095-2106. IF (2019): 23.603

  • Recent Funding:

    2021-2025: Molecular characterization of target genes in heart failure. DZHK.

    2020-2021: Identifizierung von neuen Pathomechanismen der Entstehung der koronaren Herzerkrankung (KHK). Dampf-Stiftung.

    2020-2021: Kardiale Inflammation durch direkte Virusinfektion bei verstorbenen COVID-19 Patienten. Herzstiftung.

    2019-2020: Molecular characterization of target genes in heart failure. DZHK. EUR 2018 – 2019 COMBAT-CAD. Else-Kröner-Stiftung.

    2017-2018: Role of Carboxypeptidase X, member-2 in left ventricular hypertrophy. DZHK.

    2015-2018: Molekulare Mechanismen der Herzinsuffizienz. DZHK.

Zurück zur Übersicht