Prof. Dr. Christoph Borner

We are interested in elucidating the interactions between anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1) and pro-apoptotic (Bim, Puma, Bax/Bak) Bcl-2 family members, uncovering components of apoptosis signaling induced by the RNA virus Semliki Forest (SFV) and the A. fumigatus fungal gliotoxin and studying their relevance in vivo, and identifying the mechanisms by which TNFα sensitizes primary hepatocytes and the liver to FasL-induced apoptosis.

10 selected publications:

• Identification of a novel anoikis signaling pathway using the fungal virulence factor gliotoxin.
  Haun F, Neumann S, Peintner L, Wieland K, Habicht J, Schwan C, Østevold, K, Koczorowska, MM, Biniossek M, Kist M, Busch H, Boerries M, Davis, RJ, Maurer U, Schilling O, Aktories K, Borner C (2018).
  Nat Commun. 9(1):3524.
• TNFα sensitizes hepatocytes to FasL-induced apoptosis by NFκB-mediated Fas upregulation.
  Faletti L, Peintner L, Neumann S, Sandler S, Grabinger T, Mac Nelly S, Merfort I, Huang CH, Tschaharganeh D, Kang TW, Heinzmann F, D’Artista L, Maurer U, Brunner T, Lowe S, Zender L, Borner C (2018).
  Cell Death Dis 9:909.
• Dynein light chain 1 induces assembly of large Bim complexes on mitochondria that stabilize Mcl-1 and regulate apoptosis.
  Kumar Singh P, Roukounakis A, Frank DO, Kirschnek S, Kumar Das K, Neumann S, Madl, J, Römer W, Zorzin C, Borner C, Haimovici A, Garcia-Saez A, Weber A, Häcker G (2017).
  Genes Dev 31:1754-1769.
• SPATA2 promotes CYLD activity and regulates TNF-induced NF-κB signaling and cell death.
  Schlicher L, Wissler M, Preiss F, Brauns-Schubert P, Jakob C, Dumit V, Borner C, Dengjel J, Maurer U (2016).
  EMBO Rep. 17(10):1485-1497.
• Viruses use the BH3-only protein Puma to trigger Bax/Bak-dependent apoptosis of infected mouse and human cells.
  Papaianni E, El Maadidi S, Schejtman A, Neumann S, Maurer U, Marino-Merlo F, Mastino A, Borner C (2015).
  PLoS One 10(6):e0126645.
• A novel mitochondrial MAVS/caspase-8 platform links RNA virus-induced innate antiviral signaling to Bax/Bak-independent apoptosis.
  El Maadidi S, Faletti L, Berg B, Wenzl C, Wieland K, Chen ZJ, Maurer U, Borner C (2014).
  J. Immunol. 192, 1171-1183.
• TNFα-induced lysosomal membrane permeability (LMP) is downstream of MOMP and triggered by caspase-mediated p75 cleavage and ROS formation.
  Huai J, Vögtle FN, Jöckel L, Li Y, Kiefer T, Ricci JE, Borner C (2013).
  J. Cell Sci. 126, 4015-4025.
• Apoptosis induced by the fungal pathogen gliotoxin requires a triple phosphorylation of Bim by JNK.
  Geissler A, Haun F, Frank D, Wieland K, Simon MM, Idzko M, Davis R, Maurer U, Borner C (2013).
  Cell Death Differ. 20, 1317-1329.
• Cytosolic Bax: does it require binding proteins to keep its pro-apoptotic activity in check?
  Vogel S, Raulf N, Bregenhorn S, Biniossek M, Maurer U, Czabotar P, Borner C (2012).
  J. Biol. Chem. 287, 9112-9127.
• Phosphorylation of Tip60 by GSK-3 determines the induction of PUMA and apoptosis by p53.
  Charvet C, Wissler M, Tang Y, Wang SJ, Brauns-Schubert P, Wang SJ, Tang Y, Sigloch FC, Mellert H, Brandenburg M, Lindner S, Breit B, Green DR, McMahon SB, Borner C, Gu W, Maurer U (2011).
  Mol Cell 42, 584-596. 5.