Biology subjects

Hein, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Hein, S..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Long-Term Human Skin Platform for Modeling Chronic Inflammation, Environmental Stress, and Therapeutic Intervention

Chronic inflammation drives tissue dysfunction and aging, yet the dynamic interplay between persistent inflammatory signaling and structural deterioration remains difficult to study in human-relevant systems. Here, an advanced long-term human skin platform is presented that preserves native tissue architecture and epidermal, stromal, and immune-associated molecular programs for up to 4 weeks. Using this system, sustained cytokine-driven inflammation was modeled, demonstrating chronic inflammatory transcriptional programs, progressive histopathological changes, and persistent inflammatory mediator secretion that were broadly suppressed by the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib. Using aged donor tissue, prolonged senolytic-associated treatment attenuated inflammatory and remodeling pathways. Finally, UVB exposure triggered coordinated stress and inflammatory responses that were partially mitigated using topical sunscreen, demonstrating compatibility with environmental stress modeling and topical intervention within preserved tissue architecture. Together, these findings establish a versatile human skin platform for modeling chronic inflammation, aging-associated tissue remodeling, and environmental stress, providing a translational framework for investigating skin tissue dysfunction and evaluating therapeutic interventions.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Multi-omics of barley Fusarium Head Blight converge on pathogen-triggered biosynthesis of aromatic amino acid derived chemical defense compounds

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease of small grain cereals like wheat and barley, causing substantial yield and quality losses each year worldwide. FHB is caused by Fusarium species that produce mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) that impairs protein biosynthesis. Although defense responses in barley to Fusarium infection have been described at the transcriptional level, it remains unclear to what extent these responses are translated into functional changes at the protein and metabolite levels. In this study, we employed comprehensive transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to dissect the defense responses of barley heads during infection with Fusarium culmorum. Our integrated analyses revealed a set of significantly regulated gene-protein pairs linked to biosynthetic pathways that consistently correspond to upregulated defense-related metabolites. These include tryptophan-derived stress metabolites such as tryptamine and serotonin, as well as barley-specific hydroxycinnamylamides, including conjugates from the trypthophan metabolism, hordatines, and their biosynthetic precursors. Integrating data across multiple omics layers identifies the upregulation of aromatic amino acid derived secondary metabolism as the most consistent barley response to FHB infection across diverse barley varieties that share barley-typical type II resistance to fungal spreading in the head rachis.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

BNT162b vaccines are immunogenic and protect non-human primates against SARS-CoV-2

A safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 is urgently needed in quantities sufficient to immunise large populations. We report the preclinical development of two BNT162b vaccine candidates, which contain lipid-nanoparticle (LNP) formulated nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein-derived immunogens. BNT162b1 encodes a soluble, secreted, trimerised receptor-binding domain (RBD-foldon). BNT162b2 encodes the full-length transmembrane spike glycoprotein, locked in its prefusion conformation (P2 S). The flexibly tethered RBDs of the RBD-foldon bind ACE2 with high avidity. Approximately 20% of the P 2S trimers are in the two-RBD down, one-RBD up state. In mice, one intramuscular dose of either candidate elicits a dose-dependent antibody response with high virus-entry inhibition titres and strong TH1 CD4+ and IFN{gamma}+ CD8+ T-cell responses. Prime/boost vaccination of rhesus macaques with BNT162b candidates elicits SARS-CoV-2 neutralising geometric mean titres 8.2 to 18.2 times that of a SARS-CoV-2 convalescent human serum panel. The vaccine candidates protect macaques from SARS-CoV-2 challenge, with BNT162b2 protecting the lower respiratory tract from the presence of viral RNA and with no evidence of disease enhancement. Both candidates are being evaluated in phase 1 trials in Germany and the United States. BNT162b2 is being evaluated in an ongoing global, pivotal Phase 2/3 trial (NCT04380701, NCT04368728).

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

A prefusion SARS-CoV-2 spike RNA vaccine is highly immunogenic and prevents lung infection in non-human primates

To contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a safe and effective vaccine against the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is urgently needed in quantities sufficient to immunise large populations. In this study, we report the design, preclinical development, immunogenicity and anti-viral protective effect in rhesus macaques of the BNT162b2 vaccine candidate. BNT162b2 contains an LNP-formulated nucleoside-modified mRNA that encodes the spike glycoprotein captured in its prefusion conformation. After expression of the BNT162b2 coding sequence in cells, approximately 20% of the spike molecules are in the one-RBD up, two-RBD down state. Immunisation of mice with a single dose of BNT162b2 induced dose level-dependent increases in pseudovirus neutralisation titers. Prime-boost vaccination of rhesus macaques elicited authentic SARS-CoV-2 neutralising geometric mean titers 10.2 to 18.0 times that of a SARS-CoV-2 convalescent human serum panel. BNT162b2 generated strong TH1 type CD4+ and IFN{gamma}+ CD8+ T-cell responses in mice and rhesus macaques. The BNT162b2 vaccine candidate fully protected the lungs of immunised rhesus macaques from infectious SARS-CoV-2 challenge. BNT162b2 is currently being evaluated in a global, pivotal Phase 2/3 trial (NCT04368728).

immunology↗