Working Group:
Tumor immunology
Supervisor: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Roland Geisberger
Immune cells not only protect us from invading bacterial and viral pathogens, but also combat tranformed malignant cancer cells. The subject of our tumor-immunology research is to decipher the mechanisms by which cancer cells succeed in circumventing clearance by the immune system or even exploit immune cells for tumor growth. In this context, CLL induces an exhausted T cell phenotype marked by Programmed Death 1 (PD!) expression in patients and in the Tcl1 mouse model, which is in the center of our research. Another focus of our group is the quest for the origin of malignant cells and the nature of the mutations underlying malignant transformation and clonal evolution of tumor cells. In this context, we are especially interested in APOBECs, a group of DNA-deaminating enzymes. APOBECs play a crucial role in the immune system but increasing evidence shows that they are also implicated in lymphomagenesis and clonal cancer evolution due to their DNA-damaging activity.
+ Antigen-presenting cells are able to internalize cancer cells, and to present parts of these cells on the cell surface. If these parts are recognized by naive T cells as “dangerous”, they mature into activated effector T cells which can eliminate all cancer cells. Expression of the molecule PD-L1 on the surface of cancer cells protects these cells from a T cell attack. A therapeutic intervention, for example, by a PD-L1 specific antibody makes the cancer cells again vulnerable to an immune attack and leads to a reduction in cancer cells.
Our laboratory mice are maintained at the central laboratory animal facility (ZTH) of the PLUS.
For more information please visit the hompage of the ZTH: https://www.plus.ac.at/zth
Projects
The LIMCR/SCRI is supported by a grant from Gilead Sciences GesmbH entitled “Inferring HLA-haplotypes from existing whole exome and RNA-sequencing datasets to predict neoantigen presentation and anti-CLL immunity”
Grant ID number 06813
Juli 2019
2015
Gold medal for scientific publications, Scientific Award PMU Salzburg, 2015
Dr. Stefan Rebhandl
Research Group: Geisberger
Silver medal for scientific publications, Scientific Award PMU Salzburg, 2015
Michael Huemer, MSc
Research Group: Geisberger
2013
Sanofi Award, 2013
Dr. Nathalie Wacht
Research Group: Geisberger
2020
RNA editing contributes to epitranscriptome diversity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Buchumenski I, Levanon EY, Gatterbauer M, Schubert M, Rauscher S, Hebenstreit D, Nadeu F, Campo E, Egle A, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Leukemia. 2020
View this publication in the PUBMED database
RNA Editing Alters miRNA Function in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Feldbacher D, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Cancers (Basel). 2020
View this publication in the PUBMED database
Combination Strategies for Immune-Checkpoint Blockade and Response Prediction by Artificial Intelligence.
Huemer F, Leisch M, Geisberger R, Melchardt T, Rinnerthaler G, Zaborsky N, Greil R.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020
2018
Exome sequencing of the TCL1 mouse model for CLL reveals genetic heterogeneity and dynamics during disease development.
Zaborsky, N, Gassner, FJ, Höpner, JP, Schubert, M, Hebenstreit, D, Stark, R, Asslaber, D, Steiner, M, Geisberger, R, Greil, R, Egle, A.
Leukemia. 2018.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
Correction to: Fludarabine and rituximab with escalating doses of lenalidomide followed by lenalidomide/rituximab maintenance in previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL): the REVLIRIT CLL-5 AGMT phase I/II study.
Egle, A, Steurer, M, Melchardt, T, Weiss, L, Gassner, FJ, Zaborsky, N, Geisberger, R, Catakovic, K, Hartmann, TN, Pleyer, L, Voskova, D, Thaler, J, Lang, A, Girschikofsky, M, Petzer, A, Greil, R.
Ann Hematol. 2018.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
Fludarabine and rituximab with escalating doses of lenalidomide followed by lenalidomide/rituximab maintenance in previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL): the REVLIRIT CLL-5 AGMT phase I/II study.
Egle, A, Steurer, M, Melchardt, T, Weiss, L, Gassner, FJ, Zaborsky, N, Geisberger, R, Catakovic, K, Hartman, TN, Pleyer, L, Voskova, D, Thaler, J, Lang, A, Girschikofsky, M, Petzer, A, Greil, R.
Ann Hematol. 2018.
2017
The Human NADPH Oxidase, Nox4, Regulates Cytoskeletal Organization in Two Cancer Cell Lines, HepG2 and SH-SY5Y.
Auer, S, Rinnerthaler, M, Bischof, J, Streubel, MK, Breitenbach-Koller, H, Geisberger, R, Aigner, E, Cadamuro, J, Richter, K, Sopjani, M, Haschke-Becher, E, Felder, TK, Breitenbach, M.
Front Oncol. 2017, 7:111.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
T cell exhaustion: from pathophysiological basics to tumor immunotherapy.
Catakovic, K, Klieser, E, Neureiter, D, Geisberger, R.
Cell Commun Signal. 2017, 15(1).
2016
Mesenchymal Stem and Progenitor Cells in Normal and Dysplastic Hematopoiesis -Masters of Survival and Clonality?.
Zaborsky, N, Gassner, FJ, Asslaber, D, Reinthaler, P, Denk, U, Flenady, S, Hofbauer, JP, Danner, B, Rebhandl, S, Harrer, A, Geisberger, R, Greil, R, Egle, A.
Oncotarget. 2016.
CD1d expression on chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells affects disease progression and induces T cell skewing in CD8 positive and CD4CD8 double negative T cells.
Zaborsky, N, Gassner, FJ, Asslaber, D, Reinthaler, P, Denk, U, Flenady, S, Hofbauer, JP, Danner, B, Rebhandl, S, Harrer, A, Geisberger, R, Greil, R, Egle, A.
Oncotarget. 2016.
2015
AID/APOBEC deaminases and cancer.
Rebhandl, S, Huemer, M, Greil, R, Geisberger, R.
Oncoscience. 2015, 2(4): 320-333.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
CD4+ T cells, but not non-classical monocytes, are dispensable for the development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the TCL1-tg murine model.
Kocher, T, Asslaber, D, Zaborsky, N, Flenady, S, Denk, U, Reinthaler, P, Ablinger, M, Geisberger, R, Bauer, JW, Seiffert, M, Hartmann, TN, Greil, R, Egle, A, Hofbauer, JP.
Leukemia. 2015, xx.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
AIDing cancer treatment: Reducing AID activity via HSP90 inhibition.
Rebhandl, S, Geisberger, R.
Eur J Immunol. 2015, 45(8): 2208-2211.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia induces an exhausted T cell phenotype in the TCL1 transgenic mouse model.
Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Catakovic K, Rebhandl S, Huemer M, Egle A, Hartmann TN, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Br J Haematol. 2015 Aug,170(4):515-22. doi: 10.1111/bjh.13467. Epub 2015 May 4.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
AID/APOBEC deaminases and cancer.
Rebhandl S, Huemer M, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Oncoscience. 2015 Apr 28,2(4):320-33. eCollection 2015. Review.
2014
Chemotherapy-induced augmentation of T cells expressing inhibitory receptors is reversed by treatment with lenalidomide in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Neureiter D, Huemer M, Melchardt T, Egle A, Rebhandl S, Catakovic K, Hartmann TN, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Haematologica. 2014 May,99(5):67-9. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2013.098459. Epub 2014 Feb 21.
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AID induces intraclonal diversity and genomic damage in CD86(+) chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.
Huemer M, Rebhandl S, Zaborsky N, Gassner FJ, Hainzl S, Weiss L, Hebenstreit D, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Eur J Immunol. 2014 Dec,44(12):3747-57. doi: 10.1002/eji.201344421. Epub 2014 Oct 18.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
APOBEC3 signature mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Rebhandl S, Huemer M, Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Hebenstreit D, Catakovic K, Grössinger EM, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Leukemia. 2014 Sep,28(9):1929-32. doi: 10.1038/leu.2014.160. Epub 2014 May 20.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
Alternative splice variants of AID are not stoichiometrically present at the protein level in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Rebhandl S, Huemer M, Zaborsky N, Gassner FJ, Catakovic K, Felder TK, Greil R, Geisberger R.
Eur J Immunol. 2014 Jul,44(7):2175-87. doi: 10.1002/eji.201343853. Epub 2014 Apr 15.
2013
Lenalidomide/Rituximab Maintenance After Induction With Fludarabine/Rituximab In Combination With Escalating Doses Of Lenalidomide In Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): The Revlirit CLL5 AGMT Phase I/II Study, Final Results
Vornamen sind ausgeschrieben-ändern? Alexander Egle, Michael Steurer, Franz Josef Gassner, Roland Geisberger, Thomas Melchardt, Lisa Pleyer, Lukas Weiss, Michael A. Fridrik, Josef Thaler, Alois Lang, Richard Greil,
Blood (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts). 2013. #4164:
A modified Phenol-chloroform extraction method for isolating circulating cell free DNA of tumor patients.
Hufnagl C, Stöcher M, Moik M, Geisberger R, Greil R.
Journal of Nucleic Acids Investigation. 2013. DOI: 10.4081/jnai.2013.e1
2012
Lysine residue at position 22 of the AID protein regulates its class switch activity.
Geisberger R, Huemer M, Gassner FJ, Zaborsky N, Egle A, Greil R.
PLoS One. 2012,7(2):e30667. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030667. Epub 2012 Feb 20.
2011
Fludarabine modulates composition and function of the T cell pool in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Gassner FJ, Weiss L, Geisberger R, Hofbauer JP, Egle A, Hartmann TN, Greil R, Tinhofer I.
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2011 Jan,60(1):75-85. doi: 10.1007/s00262-010-0920-3. Epub 2010 Sep 21.
View this publication in the PUBMED database
A Combination of Fludarabine/Rituximab with Escalating Doses of Lenalidomide in Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): The REVLIRIT CLL5 AGMT Phase I/II Study, Clinical and Exploratory Analyses of Induction Results
Egle, A, Steurer, M, Gassner, F, Geisberger, R, Melchardt, T, Weiss, L, Fridrik, MA, Thaler, J, Lang, A, Greil, R
BLOOD. 2011, 118(21): 135-136.
“Leukemic cells benefit from deactivating other immune cells. We study the underlying mechanisms and search for ways to reactivate the immune system to combat leukemia.”
Team
Priv-Doz. Dr. Roland Geisberger
(Supervisor)
Dr. Franz Gassner
(Post-Doc)
Dr. Ekaterina Akimova-Höpner
(Post-Doc)
Dominik Baumgartner, MSc
(PhD Student)
Philine Hoven, MSc
(PhD Student)
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