Immune-Lipid Crosstalk Research Group
Scientific Focus
The research group of Dr. Van der Vorst focusses on the interplay between lipids and the immune-system in the context of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, evidence is mounting, including from his own research that main driving factors of CVD, dyslipidemia and inflammation, are interdependent and that considerable crosstalk exists between these two. Combining his expertise on high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and chemokine receptors, he will investigate the interplay between these two factors. In addition, the interplay of various other lipids and lipid derivatives with key immunological factors will be investigated, hopefully elucidating new therapeutic targets.
Special interest of his research group also goes to a so far fairly neglected subgroup of patients in respect to cardiovascular risk, being chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. It has been clearly shown that CKD patients have a severely increased incidence of CVD, clearly demonstrated by the fact that almost half of the CKD patients die from CVD rather than from the primary kidney disease. Intriguingly, this increased CVD risk in CKD patients cannot be fully explained by the classical CVD risk factors like hypertension or dyslipidemia, suggesting the existence of CKD-specific cardiovascular risk factors. The aim is therefore to explore the role of immune-lipid crosstalk as pathological mechanism in CKD that could contribute to this increased CVD-risk.
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Emiel van der Vorst, Group Leader
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK)
Main corresponding address:
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-36914
evandervorstukaachende
Dr. Sanne Maas, Postdoctoral Fellow
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
smaasukaachende
Dr. Xiaodi Zhang, Postdoctoral Fellow
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
xiazhangukaachende
Andrea Bonnin Márquez, PhD student
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
anbonninmarqukaachende
Rosanna Huchzermeier, PhD student
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
rhuchzermeieukaachende
Melissa Corcini Berndt, PhD student
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
mcorcinibernukaachende
Caron Romel, PhD student
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
cromelukaachende
Hannah Gourevich, MD student
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
hgourevichukaachende
Kathrin Abschlag, Technical assistant
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
kabschlagukaachende
Chantal Maassen-Pöttgens, Technical assistant
Aachen-Maastricht Institute for CardioRenal Disease (AMICARE)
Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research (IMCAR)
Pauwelsstrasse 17
52074, Aachen
Tel: +49 241 80-38383
cmaassenpoetukaachende
Research publications (selection)
2024
Adam S*, Maas SL*, Huchzermeier R, Rakateli L, Abschlag K, Hohl M, Liao L, Bartneck M, Teunissen M, Wouters K, Santovito D, Jankowski J, Biessen EAL, van der Vorst EPC. The calcium-sensing-receptor (CaSR) in adipocytes contributes to sex-differences in the susceptibility to high fat diet induced obesity and atherosclerosis. EBioMedicine. 2024 Sep;107:105293.
Döring Y*, Van der Vorst EP*, Yan Y*, Neideck C*, Blanchet X, Jansen Y, Kemmerich M, Bayasgalan S, Peters LJ, Hristov M, Bidzhekov K, Yin C, Zhang X, Leberzammer J, Li Y, Park I, Kral M, Nitz K, Parma L, Gencer S, Habenicht AJ, Faussner A, Teupser D, Monaco C, Holdt L, Megens RT, Atzler D, Santovito D, Von Hundelshausen P, Weber C. Identification of a non-canonical chemokine-receptor pathway suppressing regulatory T cells to drive atherosclerosis. Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2024 Jan
Christ A*, Maas SL*, Jin H, Lu C, Legein B, Wijnands E, Temmerman L, Otten J, Isaacs A, Zenke M, Stoll M, Biessen EA*, Van der Vorst EP*. In situ lipid-loading activates peripheral dendritic cell subsets characterized by cellular ROS accumulation but compromises their capacity to prime naïve T cells. Free Radical and Medicine. 2024 Jan; 210:406-415
2023
Van der Vorst EP, Maas SL, Theodorou K, Peters LJ, Jin H, Rademakers T, Gijbels MJ, Rousch M, Jansen Y, Weber C, Lehrke M, Lebherz C, Yildiz D, Ludwig A, Bentzon JF, Biessen EA, Donners MM.
Endothelial ADAM10 controls cellular response to oxLDL and its deficiency exacerbates atherosclerosis with intraplaque haemorrhage and neovascularization in mice. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023 Jan; 10:974918
2022
Gencer S, Döring Y, Jansen Y, Bayasgalan S, Yan Y, Bianchini M, Cimen I, Müller M, Peters LJ, Megens RT, Aslani M, Von Hundelshausen P, Duchence J, Lemnitzer P, Soehnlein O, Weber C, Van der Vorst EP. Endothelial ACKR3 drives atherosclerosis by promoting immune cell adhesion to vascular endothelium. Basic Research in Cardiology. 2022 Jun; 117(1):30
Peters LJ, Baaten CC, Maas SL, Lu C, Nagy M, Jooss NJ, Bidzhekov K, Santovito D, Moreno-Andres D, Jankowski J, Biessen EA, Döring Y, Heemskerk JW, Weber C, Kuipers MJ, Van der Vorst EP. MicroRNA-26b attenuates platelet adhesion and aggregation in mice. Biomedicines. 2022 Apr; 10(5):983
2021
Sundararaman SS, Peters LJ, Nazir S, Bonnin Marquez A, Bouma JE, Bayasgalan S, Döring Y, Van der Vorst EP. PCSK9 imperceptibly affects chemokine receptor expression in vitro and in vivo.
International Journal Molecular Science. 2021 Dec; 22(23):13026
Van der Vorst EP*, Pepe MA*, Peters LJ, Haberbosch M, Jansen Y, Nauman R, Stathopoulos GT, Weber C, Bidzhekov K. Transcriptome signature of miRNA-16b KO mouse model suggests novel targets. BMC Genomic Data. 2021 Jun; 22(1):23
Sundararaman SS, Peters LJ, Jansen Y, Gencer S, Yan Y, Nazir S, Bonnin Marquez A, Kahles F, Lehrke M, Biessen EA, Jankowski J, Weber C, Döring Y, Van der Vorst EP. Adipocyte calcium sensing receptor is not involved in visceral adipose tissue inflammation or atherosclerosis development in hyperlipidemic Apoe-/- mice. Scientific Reports. 2021 May; 11(1):10409
Gencer S, Döring Y, Jansen Y, Bayasgalan S, Schengel O, Müller M, Peters LJ, Weber C, Van der Vorst EP. Adipocyte-specific ACKR3 regulates lipid levels in adipose tissue. Biomedicines. 2021 Apr; 9(4):394
2020
Döring Y, Jansen Y, Cimen I, Aslani M, Gencer S, Peters LJ, Duchene J, Weber C*, Van der Vorst EP*. B-cell specific CXCR4 protects against atherosclerosis development and increases plasma IgM levels.Circulation Research. 2020 Mar; 126(6): 787-788
Van der Vorst EP, Daissormont I, Aslani M, Seijkens T, Wijnands E, Lutgens E, Duchene J, Santovito D, Döring Y, Halvorsen B, Aukrust P, Weber C, Höpken UE, Biessen EA. Interruption of the CXCL13/CXCR5 chemokine axis enhances plasma IgM levels and attenuates atherosclerosis development. Thombosis & Heamostasis. 2020 Feb; 120(2): 344-347
2019
Kiouptsi K, Jäckel S, Pontarollo G, Grill A, Kuijpers MJ, Wilms E, Weber C, Sommer F, Nagy M, Neideck C, Jansen Y, Ascher S, Formes H, Karwot C, Bayer F, Kollar B, Subramaniam S, Molitor M, Wenzel P, Rosenstiel P, Todorov H, Gerber S, Walter U, Jurk K, Heemskerk JW, Van der Vorst EP*, Döring Y*, Reinhardt C*. The microbiota promotes arterial thrombosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. mBio. 2019 Oct; 10(5): e02298-19
Van der Vorst EP*, Döring Y*, Duchene J, Jansen Y, Gencer S, Bidzhekov K, Atzler D, Santovito D, Rader DJ, Saleheen D, Weber C. CXCL12 derived from endothelial cells promotes atherosclerosis to drive coronary artery disease. Circulation. 2019 Mar; 139(10): 1338-1340
Van der Vorst EP*, Mandl M*, Müller M, Neideck C, Jansen Y, Hristov M, Gencer S, Peters LJ, Meiler S, Feld M, Geiselhöringer AL, De Jong RJ, Ohnmacht C, Noels H, Soehnlein O, Drechsler M, Weber C, Döring Y. Hematopoietic ChemR23 (Chemerin Receptor 23) fuels atherosclerosis by sustaining an M1 macrophage-phenotype and guidance of plasmacytoid dendritic cells to murine lesions. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2019 Apr; 39(4): 685-693
Until 2018
Van der Vorst EP*, Theodorou K*, Gijbels MJ, Wolfs IM, Jeurissen M, Theelen TL, Sluimer JC, Wijnands E, Cleutjens JP, Li Y, Jansen Y, Weber C, Ludwig A, Bentzon JF, Bartsch JW, Biessen EA, Donners MM. Hematopoietic ADAM8 deficiency does not influence atherosclerotic plaque area or composition, despite its upregulation during plaque progression. Scientific Reports. 2017 Sep; 7(1)
Van der Vorst EP*, Rademakers T*, Daissormont IT*, Otten JJ, Theelen TL, Gijbels M, Anisimov A, Nurmi H, Lindeman JH, Schober A, Heeneman S, Alitalo K, Biessen EA. Adventitial lymphatic capillary expansion impacts on plaque T cell accumulation in atherosclerosis. Scientific Reports. 2017 Mar; 7
Van der Vorst EP*, Zhao Z*, Rami M, Holdt LM, Teupser D, Steffens S#, Weber C#. Contrasting effects of myeloid and endothelial ADAM17 on atherosclerosis development.Thrombosis & Heamostasis. 2017 Feb; 117(3): 644-646
Van der Vorst EP*, Theodorou K*, Wu Y, Hoeksema MA, Goossens P, Bursill CA, Aliyev T, Huitema LF, Tas SW, Wolfs IM, Kuijpers MJ, Gijbels MJ, Schalkwijk CG, Koonen, Abdollahi-Roodsaz S, McDaniels K, Wang CC, Leitges M, Lawrence T, Plat J, Van Eck M, Rye KA, Touqui L, De Winther MP, Biessen EA, Donners MM. High Density Lipoproteins exert pro-inflammatory effects on macrophages via passive cholesterol depletion and PKC-NF-κB/STAT1-IRF1 activation. Cell Metabolism. 2017 Jan; 25(1): 197-207
Van der Vorst EP, Wolfs IM, Jeurissen M, Keijbeck A, Wijnands E, Schurgers L, Weber S, Gijbels MJ, Dreymueller D, Hamers AA, Rose-John S, de Winther MP, Ludwig A, Saftig P, Biessen EA, Donners MM. Myeloid A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain 10 deficiency modulates atherosclerotic plaque composition by shifting the balance from inflammation toward fibrosis.
American Journal of Pathology. 2015 Apr; 185(4): 1145-1155
Van der Vorst EP*, Vanags LZ*, Dunn LL, Prosser HC, Rye KA, Bursill CA. High-Density Lipoproteins Suppress Chemokine Expression and Proliferation in Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.
FASEB Journal. 2013 Apr; 27(4): 1413-1425
*denotes shared authorship
Reviews (selection)
van der Vorst EPC, Rydén M. The double-edged impact of obesity on cancer risk and treatment response: implications for atherosclerosis? Cardiovascular Research. 2024 Nov 25;120(14):e54-e56.
Zhang X, van der Vorst EPC. High-Density Lipoprotein Modifications: Causes and Functional Consequences in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cells. 2024 Jun 27;13(13):1113.
Teuwen JTJ, van der Vorst EPC, Maas SL. Navigating the Maze of Kinases: CaMK-like Family Protein Kinases and Their Role in Atherosclerosis. International Journal Molecular Science. 2024 Jun 5;25(11):6213.
Döring Y*, Van der Vorst EP*, Weber C. Targeting immune cell recruitment in atherosclerosis. Nature Reviews Cardiology. 2024 Apr
Van der Vorst EP, Kovacic JC. Therapeutic targeting of cell transition: ready for clinical prime-time? Cardiovascular Research. 2024 Feb; cvae029
Van der Vorst EP, Badimon L. The unknown functions of a known protein: the case of coagulation factor XI. Cardiovascular Research. 2023 May; 4:cvac066
Van der Vorst EP, Lecour S. Finding the culprit for the failure of the immune clock as time goes by. Cardiovascular Research. 2022 Sep; 6:cvac146
Bonnin Marquez A, Van der Vorst EP, Maas SL. Key chemokine pathways in atherosclerosis and their therapeutic potential. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Aug; 10(17):3825
Sundararaman SS, Döring Y, Van der Vorst EP. PCSK9: a multi-faceted protein that is involved in cardiovascular biology. Biomedicines. 2021 Jul; 9(7):793
Peters LJ, Jans A, Bartneck M, Van der Vorst EP. Immunomodulatory nanomedicine for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Jul; 10(14):3185
Sundararaman SS, Van der Vorst EP. Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), its impact on inflammation and the consequences on cardiovascular health. International Journal Molecular Science. 2021 Mar; 22(5):2478
Bonnin Márquez B, Nazir S, Van der Vorst EP. High-density Lipoprotein modifications: A pathological consequence or cause of disease progression? Biomedicines. 2020 Nov; 8(12)
Nazir S, Jankowski V, Bender G, Zewinger S, Rye KA, Van der Vorst EP. Interaction between high-density lipoproteins and inflammation: Function matters more than concentration!
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 2020 Oct; 159: 94-119
Peters LJ, Floege J, Biessen EA, Jankowski J, Van der Vorst EP. MicroRNAs in chronic kidney disease: Four candidates for clinical application. International Journal Molecular Science. 2020 Sep; 21(18)
Peters LJ, Biessen EA, Hohl M, Weber C, Van der Vorst EP*, Santovito D*. Small thing matter: relevance of microRNAs in cardiovascular disease. Frontiers in Physiology. 2020 Jul; 11
