Prof. Dr. Lutz Hein

Research activities of the group of Lutz Hein are focussed on signaling mechanisms in the cardiovascular system. Previous studies have determined the physiological and pharmacological significance of angiotensin and adrenoceptor subtypes (e.g. AT₂- and a_2A,B,C-receptors) and signaling molecules (e.g. phosducin) which are important for neuroendocrine control in chronic heart failure. More recently, the group has identified epigenetic mechanisms (e.g. miR-143/145, MeCP2) of cardiovascular regulation. In order to better understand cell type-specific signaling mechanisms, we have developed methods to purify cardiomyocyte nuclei from intact cardiac tissue by fluorescence-assisted sorting and to generate whole genome DNA methylation and chromatin modification maps by methylC-seq and ChIP-seq. We will apply these methods to generate epigenomes of essential cardiac cell types during development, postnatal maturation and disease and integrate these maps with signaling mechanisms which are relevant during disease development.

10 selected publications:

• Gene expression in immortalized versus primary isolated cardiac endothelial cells.
  Deng L, Pollmeier L, Zhou Q, Bergemann S, Bode C, Hein L, Lother A (2020)
  Sci Rep, 10, 2241, 1-9
• An Early mtUPR: Redistribution of the Nuclear Transcription Factor Rox1 to Mitochondria Protects against Intramitochondrial Proteotoxic Aggregates.
  Poveda-Huertes D, Matic S, Marada A, Habernig L, Licheva M, Myketin L, Gilsbach R, Tosal-Castano S, Papinski D, Mulica P, Kretz O, Kücükköse C, Taskin AA, Hein L, Kraft C, Büttner S, Meisinger C, Vögtle FN (2020).
  Mol Cell, 77, 180-8
• Eomes and Brachyury control pluripotency exit and germ-layer segregation by changing the chromatin state.
  Tosic J, Kim GJ, Pavlovic M, Schröder CM, Mersiowsky SL, Barg M, Hofherr A, Probst S, Köttgen M, Hein L, Arnold SJ (2019).
  Nat Cell Biol, 21, 1518-31
• Endothelial cell mineralocorticoid receptors oppose VEGF-induced gene expression and angiogenesis.
  Lother A, Deng L, Huck M, Fürst D, Kowalski J, Esser JS, Moser M, Bode C, Hein L (2019).
  J Endocrinol, 240, 15–26
• Distinct epigenetic programs regulate cardiac myocyte development and disease in the human heart in vivo.
  Gilsbach R, Schwaderer M, Preissl S, Grüning BA, Kranzhöfer D, Schneider P, Nührenberg TG, Mulero-Navarro S, Weichenhan D, Braun C, Dreßen M, Jacobs AR, Lahm H, Doenst T, Backofen R, Krane M, Gelb BD, Hein L (2018).
  Nat Commun. 9, 391, 1-14
• The Transcription Factor ETV1 Induces Atrial Remodeling and Arrhythmia.
  Rommel C, Rösner S, Lother A, Barg M, Schwaderer M, Gilsbach R, Bömicke T, Schnick T, Mayer S, Doll S, Hesse M, Kretz O, Stiller B, Neumann FJ, Mann M, Krane M, Fleischmann BK, Ravens U, Hein L (2018).
  Circ. Res. 123, 550-63
• DNA methylation signatures follow preformed chromatin compartments in cardiac myocytes.
  Nothjunge S, Nührenberg TG, Grüning BA, Doppler SA, Preissl S, Schwaderer M, Rommel C, Krane M, Hein L, Gilsbach R (2017).
  Nat Commun. 8, 1667, 1-9
• MOF Acetyl Transferase Regulates Transcription and Respiration in Mitochondria.
  Chatterjee A, Seyfferth J, Lucci J, Gilsbach R, Preissl S, Böttinger L, Mårtensson CU, Panhale A, Stehle T, Kretz O, Sahyoun AH, Avilov S, Eimer S, Hein L, Pfanner N, Becker T, Akhtar A (2016).
  Cell 167, 722-38
• Cardiac RKIP induces a beneficial β-adrenoceptor-dependent positive inotropy.
  Schmid E, Neef S, Berlin C, Tomasovic A, Kahlert K, Nordbeck P, Deiss K, Denzinger S, Herrmann S, Wettwer E, Weidendorfer M, Becker D, Schäfer F, Wagner N, Ergün S, Schmitt JP, Katus HA, Weidemann F, Ravens U, Maack C, Hein L, Ertl G, Müller OJ, Maier LS, Lohse MJ, Lorenz K (2015).
  Nat Med 21, 1298-306
• Dynamic DNA methylation orchestrates cardiomyocyte development, maturation and disease.
  Gilsbach R, Preissl S, Grüning BA, Schnick T, Burger L, Benes V, Würch A, Bönisch U, Günther S, Backofen R, Fleischmann BK, Schübeler D, Hein L (2014).
  Nat Commun. 5, 5288, 1-13