| Qualifications and capacity: |
Prof. Achim Krüger (PhD) is Head of the Molecular Oncology Unit at the Institute for Experimental
Oncology and Therapeutic Research. He has extensive expertise in in vivo models investigating
the molecular biology of metastasis as well as testing (and holding patents) in modern anti-metastatic
therapeutic intervention. His group revealed the role of individual
proteases and natural protease
inhibitors in metastasis and provided an explanation for the paradoxical pro-metastatic effect of
broad spectrum protease inhibition. In a system-biology approach his group focuses on the role of
the protease-web in the process of metastasis with a special interest in understanding
interdependencies between different protease systems. To specifically modulate the expression
of protease-web genes, viral (adeno-, lenti-, and retroviral) vectors are used to introduce
either cDNAs (increased expression) or shRNAis (suppressed expression) into tumour and/or host
cells followed by analysis of metastatic patterns in vivo. Recently, his group investigated
the role of the protease-web on the formation of pre-metastatic niches in target organs of
metastasis and demonstrated that elevated stromal levels of tissue inhibitor of
metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), a broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor, led to formation of a
novel pre-metastatic niche in the liver, increasing susceptibility to metastasis.
Hepatocyte growth factor-signalling was identified as underlying mechanism, indicating
the influence of the extracellular proteolytic system on signal transduction.
Charlotte Kopitz (PhD) is a Research Associate of the EU FP6
Cancer Degradome and expert
in manipulating the host micro-environment and in analyses of the formation of pre-metastatic niches.
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| Most relevant publications: |
Hydroxamate-type matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor batimastat promotes liver metastasis.
Krüger A, Soeltl R, Sopov I, Kopitz C, Arlt M, Magdolen V, Harbeck N, Gansbacher B and Schmitt M
Cancer Res, 61: 1272-1275, 2001
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Reduction of Experimental Human Fibrosarcoma Metastasis in Mice by Adenovirus-Mediated Cystatin C Overexpression in the Host.
Kopitz C, Anton M, Gansbacher B and Krüger A
Cancer Res, 65(19): 8608-8612, 2005
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Anti-metastatic activity of a novel mechanism-based gelatinase inhibitor.
Krüger A, Arlt MJE, Gerg M, Kopitz C, Bernardo MM, Chang M, Mobashery S and Fridman R
Cancer Res, 65: 1-4, 2005
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TIMP-1 promotes liver metastasis by induction of HGF-signaling.
Kopitz C, Gerg M, Bandapalli OR, Ister D, Pennington C, Hauser S, Flechsig C, Krell, HW, Antolovic D, Brew K, Nagase H, Stangl M, Hann von Weyhern CW, Brücher BLDM, Brand K, Coussens LM, Edwards D and Krüger A.
Cancer Res, 67: 8615-8623, 2007
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Distinct functionality of tumor cell-derived gelatinases during formation of liver metastases.
Gerg, M, Kopitz C, Schaten S, Tschukes A, Kahlert C, Stangl M, von Weyhern CWH, Brücher BL, Edwards DR, Brand K, and Krüger A.
Mol Cancer Res 6 : 341-351, 2008
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