The Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg founded in 1743, is a research university with more than 23000 students and about 12000 employees in 11 faculties. The Institute for clinical and molecular virology belongs to the medical faculty (2700 students). The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg is a major player in the field of interdisciplinary research in molecular medicine in Germany. Starting with the academic year 1999/2000, the Faculty of Medicine in Erlangen has implemented a four-year full-time degree programme in Molecular Medicine. The institute for clinical and molecular virology links basic research in molecular biology and virology with clinical application in diagnostics and treatment of virus-associated diseases. It has a long-standing interest especially in research on oncogenic herpesviruses.

Dr. Frank Neipel

Dr. Frank Neipel is head of a group working on oncogenic gamma herpeshirus. The laboratory in Erlangen has long standing experience in the field of herpesvirology, particularly immunology and molecular biology. The group of Frank Neipel is working on HHV-8 since its discovery in 1994. By initially sequencing the complete genome of HHV-8 from a Kaposi’s sarcoma biopsy, the Erlangen laboratory discovered several genes with pathogenic potential (cytokines, putatively transforming genes) function. In addition, the group discovered K8.1, the gene encoding the major immunogenic glycoprotein and was able to show that this protein is required for binding to the target cell.
Heparansulphate is at least one of the components required for this interaction. In addition, the UERL laboratory discovered the second latent nuclear antigen of HHV-8, also termed K10.5 or vIRF-3. Using RNA-interference technology, we were recently able to show that K10.5 expression in HHV-8 transformed lymphoid cells is required for their continuous proliferation in culture. This is the basis of part of this application. The UERL laboratory has also expertise in recombinant protein expression and purification from eukaryotic cells as well as peptide mass spectrometry.

Relevant publications/patents

• Schmidt,B., Ashlock,B., Neipel,F. und Levy,J.A.: (2004). Potential screening assay for undetectable viruses on the basis of their capacity to induce alpha interferon production. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42, 4300-4302. (2004)
• Pellett,P.E., Wright,D.J., Engels,E.A., Ablashi,D.V., Dollard,S.C., Forghani,B., Glynn,S.A., Goedert,J.J., Jenkins,F.J., Lee,T.H., Neipel,F., Todd,D.S., Whitby,D., Nemo,G.J. und Busch,M.P.: Multicenter comparison of serologic assays and estimation of human herpesvirus-8 seroprevalence among US blood donors. Transfusion 43, 1260-1268. (2003)
• Kirchhoff,S., Sebens,T., Baumann,S., Krueger,A., Zawatzky,R., Li-Weber,M., Meinl,E., Neipel,F., Fleckenstein,B. und Krammer,P.H.: (2002). Viral IFN-regulatory factors inhibit activation-induced cell death via two positive regulatory IFN-regulatory factor 1-dependent domains in the CD95 ligand promoter. J Immunol 168, 1226-1234. (2002)
• Birkmann,A., Mahr,K., Ensser,A., Titgemeyer,F., Fleckenstein,B. und Neipel,F.: Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate Is a Receptor for Human herpesvirus-8 and Interacts with Envelope Glycoprotein K8.1. J Virol. 75, 11583-11593. (2001)
  

Contact:

Dr. Frank Neipel
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Tel.: +49 9131 85 23786
E-Mail: neipel@viro.med.uni-erlangen.de
Website: www.viro.med.uni-erlangen.de