The laboratory of Prof. Gerd Meyer zu Hörste, MD (the MzH lab) is part of the Department of Neurology at the University Clinic Münster and the Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster in Germany. We employ a wide range of experimental techniques to study disease mechanisms in neuro-immunological disorders. The specific aims of our research are:

1. Understand the interaction between T helper cells and parenchymal cells of the nervous system.
2. Characterize the interaction between recently discovered subsets of T helper cells with B cells in autoimmunity of the nervous system.
3. Define how the brain microenvironment shapes the phenotype and function of immune cells.

Areas of special interest include multiple sclerosis, inflammatory myopathy and inflammatory neuropathy and their animal models. In addition, we actively develop novel techniques and adapt them to neuroimmunological diseases including high-throughput single cell expression profiling and proteomic profiling. Information on our most recent projects and publications can be found here.

Meyer Zu Hörste G, Gross CC, Klotz  L, Schwab  N, Wiendl H. Next-Generation Neuroimmunology: New Technologies to Understand Central Nervous System Autoimmunity. Trends Immunol. 2020 Apr;41(4):341-354.

Wolbert J*, Li X*, Heming M*, Mausberg AK, Akkermann D, Frydrychowicz C, Fledrich R, Groeneweg L, Schulz C, Stettner M, Alonso Gonzalez N, Wiendl H, Stassart R§, Meyer zu Hörste G§. Redefining the heterogeneity of peripheral nerve cells in health and autoimmunity. PNAS. 2020 Apr 15;117(17): 9466–9476. (*equally contributing first authorship, §equally contributing last authorship.)

Wolbert J*, Cheng MI*, Meyer Zu Horste G§, Su MA§. Deciphering Immune Mechanisms in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathies. JCI Insight. 2020 Feb 13;5(3):e132411. (*equally contributing first authorship, §equally contributing last authorship)

Schafflick D*, Xu CA*, Hartlehnert M*, Cole M*, Schulte-Mecklenbeck A, Lautwein T, Wolbert J, Heming M, Meuth SG, Kuhlmann T, Gross CC, Wiendl H, Yosef N§, Meyer zu Horste G§. Integrated single cell analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid leukocytes in multiple sclerosis. Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 14;11:247. (*equally contributing first authorship, §equally contributing last authorship)

Heming M, Schulte-Mecklenbeck A, Brix T, Wolbert J, Ruland T, Klotz L, Meuth SG, Gross CC, Wiendl H, Meyer zu Hörste G. Immune Cell Profiling of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Provides Pathogenetic Insights Into Inflammatory Neuropathies. Front Immunol. 2019 Mar 21;10:515.

Hartlehnert M*, Derksen A*, Hagenacker T, Kindermann D, Schäfers M, Pawlak M, Kieseier BC, Meyer zu Horste G. Schwann cells promote post-traumatic nerve inflammation and neuropathic pain through MHC class II. Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 2;7:12518. (*equally contributing first authorship)

Meyer Zu Horste G, Przybylski D, Schramm MA, Wang C, Schnell A, Lee Y, Sobel R, Regev A, Kuchroo VK. Fas Promotes T Helper 17 Cell Differentiation and Inhibits T Helper 1 Cell Development by Binding and Sequestering Transcription Factor STAT1. Immunity. 2018 Mar 20;48(3):556-569.e7.

Meyer Zu Horste G, Wu C, Wang C, Cong L, Pawlak M, Lee Y, Elyaman W, Xiao S, Regev A, Kuchroo VK. RBPJ Controls Development of Pathogenic Th17 Cells by Regulating IL-23 Receptor Expression. Cell Rep. 2016 Jul 12;16(2):392-404.

Meyer zu Horste G, Mausberg AK, Cordes S, El-Haddad H, Partke HJ, Martin S, Roden M, Steinman L, Hartung HP, Kieseier BC. Thymic epithelium determines a spontaneous chronic neuritis in NODtm1Jcgr mice. The Journal of Immunology 2014 Sep 15; 193(6):2678-90.

Mausberg AK, Dorok M, Stettner M, Müller M, Hartung HP, Dehmel T, Warnke C, Meyer Zu Hörste G*, Kieseier BC* Recovery of the T-cell repertoire in CIDP by IV immunoglobulins. Neurology 2013 Jan 15; 80(3):296-303. (* equally contributing last authorship)

Meyer zu Horste G, Heidenreich H, Lehmann HC, Ferrone S, Hartung HP, Wiendl H, Kieseier BC. Expression of antigen processing and presenting molecules in Schwann cells in inflammatory neuropathies. Glia 2010 Jan 1; 58(1):80-92.

Meyer zu Horste G, Prukop T, Liebetanz D, Mobius W, Nave KA, Sereda MW. Antiprogesterone therapy uncouples axonal loss from demyelination in a transgenic rat model of CMT1A neuropathy. Ann Neurol 2007 Jan 61(1): 61-72.

Sereda MW*, Meyer zu Hörste G*, Suter U, Uzma N, Nave KA (2003). Therapeutic administration of progesterone antagonist in a model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT-1A). Nature Medicine 2003 Dec; 9(12): 1533-7. (* equally contributing first authorship)
 

List of Publications at Pubmed.

List of Publications at  Research Gate

List of publications at Orcid.