Prof. Dr. Olaf Groß

The Metabolism and Inflammation Research Group investigates the fundamental mechanisms of inflammatory processes mediated by the innate immune system. A special focus lies on inflammasome biology. This intracellular signalling complex controls the production of the cytokine IL-1beta, thereby playing a central role in inflammation. In current projects, we are studying the role of the inflammasome in auto-inflammatory diseases and the interactions between cellular metabolism and the immune system.

10 selected publications:

• Tyrosine kinase inhibitors trigger lysosomal damage-associated cell lysis to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome.
  Neuwirt E, Magnani G, Ćiković T, Kostina A, Wöhrle S, Flemming S, Fischer L, Fischenich NJ, Saller BS, Gorka O, Renner S, Agarinis C, Parker C, Boettcher A, Farady CJ, Backofen R, Rodriguez-Franco M, Tholen M, Reinheckel T, Ott T, Groß CJ, Jost PJ, Groß O. (2023)
  Science Signaling 16 (768) DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abh1083
• Human TH17 cells engage gasdermin E pores to release IL-1α on NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
  Chao YY, Puhach A, Frieser D, Arunkumar M, Lehner L, Seeholzer T, Garcia-Lopez A, van der Wal M, Fibi-Smetana S, Dietschmann A, Sommermann T, Ćiković T, Taher L, Gresnigt MS, Vastert SJ, van Wijk F, Panagiotou G, Krappmann D, Groß O, Zielinski CE. (2023)
  Nat Immunol. 24(2):295-308. doi: 10.1038/s41590-022-01386-w.
• Metabolic reprogramming of donor T cells enhances graft-versus-leukemia effects in mice and humans.
  Uhl FM, Chen S, O'Sullivan D, Edwards-Hicks J, Richter G, Haring E, Andrieux G, Halbach S, Apostolova P, Büscher J, Duquesne S, Melchinger W, Sauer B, Shoumariyeh K, Schmitt-Graeff A, Kreutz M, Lübbert M, Duyster J, Brummer T, Boerries M, Madl T, Blazar BR, Groß O, Pearce EL, and Zeiser R. (2020)
  Sci Transl Med. 12(567):eabb8969.
• Oncogenic KrasG12D causes myeloproliferation via NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
  Hamarsheh S, Osswald L, Saller BS, Unger S, De Feo D, Vinnakota JM, Konantz M, Uhl FM, Becker H, Lübbert M, Shoumariyeh K, Schürch C, Andrieux G, Venhoff N, Schmitt-Graeff A, Duquesne S, Pfeifer D, Cooper MA, Lengerke C, Boerries M, Duyster J, Niemeyer CM, Erlacher M, Blazar BR, Becher B, Groß O, Brummer T, and Zeiser R. (2020)
  Nat Commun. 11(1):1659. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020- 15497-1.
• The inflammasome drives GSDMD-independent secondary pyroptosis and IL-1 release in the absence of caspase-1 protease activity.
  Schneider KS, Groß CJ, Dreier RF, Saller BS, Mishra R, Gorka O, Heilig R, Meunier E, Dick MS, Cikovic T, Sodenkamp J, Médard G, Naumann R, Ruland J, Kuster B, Broz P, Groß O. (2017).
  Cell Reports 21, 3846-3859.
• K+ efflux-independent NLRP3 inflammasome activation by small molecules targeting mitochondria.
  Groß CJ, Mishra R, Schneider KS, Médard G, Wettmarshausen J, Dittlein DC, Shi H, Gorka O, Koenig PA, Fromm S, Magnani G, Cikovic T, Hartjes L, Smollich J, Robertson AAB, Cooper MA, Schmidt-Supprian M, Schuster M, Schroder K, Broz P, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Beutler B,10 Kuster B, Ruland J, Schneider S, Perocchi F, Groß O (2016).
  Immunity 45, 761-773.
• Inflammasome activators induce interleukin-1α secretion via distinct pathways with differential requirement for the protease function of caspase-1.
  Groß O*, Yazdi AS*, Thomas CJ, Masin M, Heinz LX, Guarda G, Quadroni M, Drexler SK, and Tschopp J (2012).
  Immunity 36, 388-400.
• Recognition of RNA virus by RIG-I results in activation of CARD9 and inflammasome signaling for interleukin 1 beta production.
  Poeck H*, Bscheider M*, Groß O*, Finger K, Roth S, Rebsamen M, Hannesschlager N, Schlee M, Rothenfusser S, Barchet W, Kato H, Akira S, Inoue S, Endres S, Peschel C, Hartmann G, Hornung V, Ruland J (2010).
  Nat Immunol. 11, 63-69.
• Syk kinase signalling couples to the Nlrp3 inflammasome for anti-fungal host defence.
  Groß O*, Poeck H*, Bscheider M, Dostert C, Hannesschlager N, Endres S, Hartmann G, Tardivel A, Schweighoffer E, Tybulewicz V, Mocsai A, Tschopp J, Ruland J (2009).
  Nature 459, 433-436.
• Card9 controls a non-TLR signalling pathway for innate anti-fungal immunity.
  Groß O, Gewies A, Finger K, Schafer M, Sparwasser T, Peschel C, Forster I, Ruland J (2006).
  Nature 442, 651-656.