Monika Ehrhart-Bornstein

Multi-potent chromaffin progenitor cells

Previous and current research

Our previous research defined basic mechanisms and clinical implications of cellular crosstalk in endocrine tissues with a special focus on the adrenal gland.

One major focus of the lab now is adrenal medullary chromaffin progenitor cells. Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla are neural crest-derived cells of the sympathoadrenal lineage. Unlike the closely-related sympathetic neurons, chromaffin cells proliferate throughout live and a subpopulation of proliferation-competent cells exists even in the adult. The isolation of proliferation and differentiation competent chromaffin progenitor cells from adult adrenal medulla might harbour the potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Parkinson’s disease.

We therefore focus on the isolation, expansion, in vitro characterization and differentiation of proliferation-competent progenitor cells from the adrenal medulla. A strategy for isolating chromaffin progenitor cells from the adrenal medulla has now successfully been established. Similar to neurospheres, these cells, when prevented from adherence to the culture dish, grew in spheres, which we named chromospheres.

Future projects and goals

•    To define the differentiation potential of these cells; especially to induce neural and dopaminergic differentiation.
•    Transplantation of these cells to animal models of neurodegenerative or adrenal diseases.
•    Perspective: To use these cells for novel therapeutic approaches for adrenal and neurodegenerative diseases

Chromosphere (A) and neural differentiation of chromosphere cells (B)

About

1979-1985: University of Ulm, Biology Faculty, Diploma degree in Biology 1985-1988: Ph.D. thesis, University of Ulm, Department of Anatomy and Cellbiology 1989: Postdoctoral research, Panum Institute, Department of Physiology, Copenhagen, Denmark 1990-1993: Research associate, University of Ulm, Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm, Germany 1994-1997: Research associate, University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic, Leipzig, Germany 1999-2001: NICHD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA 2001-2004: Group leader, German Diabetes Center, Düsseldorf, Germany since 2005: Group leader, TU Dresden, Medical Clinic III

Selected publications

Chung KF, Sicard F, Vukicevic V, Hermann A, Storch A, Huttner WB, Bornstein SR, Ehrhart-Bornstein M (2009): Isolation of neural crest derived chromaffin progenitors from adult adrenal medulla. Stem Cells Jul 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Ehrhart-Bornstein M, Chung KF, Vukicevic V, Bornstein SR (2009): Is there a role for chromaffin progenitor cells in neurodegenerative diseases? Mol Psychiatry 14:1-4

Sicard F, Ehrhart-Bornstein M, Corbeil D, Sperber S, Krug AW, Ziegler CG, Rettori V, McCann SM, Bornstein SR. (2007): Age-dependent regulation of chromaffin cell proliferation by growth factors, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:2007-12

Ehrhart-Bornstein M, Lamounier-Zepter V, Schraven A, Langenbach J, Willenberg HS, Barthel A, Hauner H, McCann SM, Scherbaum WA, Bornstein SR (2003): Human adipocytes secrete mineralocorticoid releasing factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:14211-14216

Alesci S, Ramsey WJ, Bornstein SR, Chrousos GP, Hornsby PJ, Benvenga S, Trimarchi F, Ehrhart-Bornstein M (2002): Adenoviral vectors can impair adrenocortical steroidogenesis: clinical implications for natural infections and gene therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:7484-7489

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