Junior group 'Systemic inflammation and vascular disease'

Susanne Karbach, MD, PD

Junior Group Leader

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Our group investigates the impact of inflammation mediators on the vasculature and coagulation system. In particular we are interested in the crosstalk between autoimmune disorders and the associated cardiovasular comorbitity of these disorders.

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Research interest

• Role of IL-6 and IL-6-induced cytokines for the interaction of cells and factors of the immune system and blood coagulation
• IL-17A, IL-6 and vasculare dysfunction / inflammation
• Psoriasis and salt-water-homeostasis
• Organ-crosstalk skin-vasculature

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Partners of collaboration

Partners at the University Medical Center Mainz

• Prof. Philip Wenzel (CTH)
• Prof. Ari Waisman (Institute for Molecular Medicine)
• Prof. Andreas Daiber (Center for Cardiology – Cardiology I)
• Prof. Bernhard Lämmle (Senior Professor, CTH)
• PD Dr. Kerstin Jurk (CTH)
• Prof. Wolfram Ruf (CTH)
• Jun.-Prof. Christoph Reinhardt (CTH)
• PD Dr. Mareike Lankeit, Dr. Lukas Hobohm (CTH)
• Prof. Huige Li (Department of Pharmacology)
• Prof. Dr. Ellen Closs (Department of Pharmacology)
• Prof. Dr. Markus Radsak (3rd Medical Department, Institute for Immunology)

National Partners

• Prof. Mathias Heikenwälder (DKFZ, Heidelberg)
• Dr. Katharina Kommoss (University Hospital, Heidelberg)
• Prof. Manfred Rauh (University Hospital Erlangen)
• Prof. Dominik Müller (Max-Delbrück-Center of Molecular Medicine, Berlin) 
• Prof. Thomas Korn (Experimental Neuroimmunology TU Munich)
• Prof. Ingo Bechmann (Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig)
• PD Dr. Johannes Wild (University Hospital Marburg)

International Partners

• Prof. Jens Titze (DukeNAS Medical School, Singapore)
• Dr. Henry Spronk (CARIM, Maastricht, the Netherlands)
• Prof. Kento Kitada (Kagawa University, Japan)

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Third Party Funding

• DFG TransRegio 156
• BMBF (CTH, 01EO1503)
• DFG (KA 4035/1-1)
• Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung
• DZHK
• German Heart Foundation

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Biography - Susanne Karbach

Positions:
Since 2018 – Junior Group Leader 'Systemic inflammation and vascular disease', CTH, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz
Since 2016 – Senior Physician (Clinical focus on non-invasive cardiology, heart failure, echocardiography), Center of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz
2008 - 2015 – Residency in Internal Medicine / Cardiology, Center of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz

Research Career:
2020 – Habilitation in Internal Medicine, Center of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz
2010 - 2012 – PostDoc (with Prof. Ari Waisman), Institut of Moleculare Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz

Professional Education:
2008 – MD, Department of Pharmacology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz
2000 - 2007 – Medical Degree, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France

ORCID Researcher ID:
0000-0003-4462-374 (Karbach)
0000-0002-1446-8101 (Wild)https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4462-3747

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Team - Junior group 'Systemic inflammation and vascular disease'

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Former Team Members

Dr. rer. nat. Rebecca Jung
Dr. rer. nat. Tanja Knopp
Tabea Bieler, M. Sc.
Julia Ringen, Dipl. Chem.

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Publications (Selection)

• Jung R, Lehmann A, Knopp T, Molitor M, Perius K, Posma J, Garlapati V, Münzel T, Daiber A, Lurz P, Wenzel P, Waisman A, Wild J, Karbach SH. Antagonizing IL-17A Reduces Vascular Inflammation and Attenuates Oxidative Stress Formation but Does Not Significantly Improve Vascular Dysfunction Induced by One Week of Angiotensin II Treatment. Antioxidants (Basel). 2026 Feb 10;15(2):229.
• Knopp T, Jung R, Wild J, Bochenek ML, Efentakis P, Lehmann A, Bieler T, Garlapati V, Richter C, Molitor M, Perius K, Finger S, Lagrange J, Ghasemi I, Zifkos K, Kommoss KS, Masri J, Reißig S, Randriamboavonjy V, Wunderlich T, Hövelmeyer N, Weber ANR, Mufazalov IA, Bosmann M, Bechmann I, Fleming I, Oelze M, Daiber A, Münzel T, Schäfer K, Wenzel P, Waisman A, Karbach S. Myeloid cell-derived interleukin-6 induces vascular dysfunction and vascular and systemic inflammation. Eur Heart J Open. 2024 Jun 12;4(4):oeae046.
• Keppeler K, Pesi A, Lange S, Helmstädter J, Strohm L, Ubbens H, Kuntić M, Kuntić I, Mihaliková D, Vujačić-Mirski K, Rosenberger A, Küster L, Frank C, Oelze M, Finger S, Zakrzewska A, Verdu E, Wild J, Karbach S, Wenzel P, Wild P, Leistner D, Münzel T, Daiber A, Schuppan D, Steven S. Vascular dysfunction and arterial hypertension in experimental celiac disease are mediated by gut-derived inflammation and oxidative stress. Redox Biol. 2024 Apr;70:103071.
• Kommoss KS, Bieler T, Ringen J, Lehmann A, Mihalceanu S, Hobohm L, Keller K, Brand A, Fischer B, Kramer D, Wild J, Waisman A, Enk A, Schäkel K, Heikenwälder M, Karbach S. A simple tool for evaluation of inflammation in psoriasis: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as markers in psoriasis patients and related murine models of psoriasis-like skin disease. J Mol Med (Berl). 2024 Feb;102(2):247-255.
• Schaller T, Ringen J, Fischer B, Bieler T, Perius K, Knopp T, Kommoss KS, Korn T, Heikenwälder M, Oelze M, Daiber A, Münzel T, Kramer D, Wenzel P, Wild J*, Karbach S*, Waisman A*. Reactive oxygen species produced by myeloid cells in psoriasis as a potential biofactor contributing to the development of vascular inflammation. Biofactors. 2023 Jul-Aug;49(4):861-874. *shared last authorshop
• Molitor M, Bayo-Jimenez MT, Hahad O, Witzler C, Finger S, Garlapati VS, Rajlic S, Knopp T, Bieler TK, Aluia M, Wild J, Lagrange J, Blessing R, Rapp S, Schulz A, Kleinert H, Karbach S, Steven S, Ruf W, Wild P, Daiber A, Münzel T, Wenzel P. Aircraft noise exposure induces pro-inflammatory vascular conditioning and amplifies vascular dysfunction and impairment of cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Cardiovasc Res. 2023 Jun 13;119(6):1416-1426.
• Wild J, Ringen J, Bieler T, Knopp T, Lagrange J, Molitor M, Sies K, Kropp A, Keller K, Daiber A, Münzel T, Rauh M, Waisman A, Wenzel P, Titze J, Karbach S. Epicutaneous Application of Imiquimod to Model Psoriasis-Like Skin Disease Induces Water-Saving Aestivation Motifs and Vascular Inflammation. J Invest Dermatol. 2022 Nov;142(11):3117-3120.e2.
• Maifeld A, Wild J, Karlsen TV, Rakova N, Wistorf E, Linz P, Jung R, Birukov A, Gimenez-Rivera VA, Wilck N, Bartolomaeus T, Dechend R, Kleinewietfeld M, Forslund SK, Krause A, Kokolakis G, Philipp S, Clausen BE, Brand A, Waisman A, Kurschus FC, Wegner J, Schultheis M, Luft FC, Boschmann M, Kelm M, Wiig H, Kuehne T, Müller DN, Karbach S, Markó L. Skin Sodium Accumulates in Psoriasis and Reflects Disease Severity. J Invest Dermatol. 2022 Jan;142(1):166-178.e8.
• Wild J, Jung R, Knopp T, Efentakis P, Benaki D, Grill A, Wegner J, Molitor M, Garlapati V, Rakova N, Markó L, Marton A, Mikros E, Münzel T, Kossmann S, Rauh M, Nakano D, Kitada K, Luft F, Waisman A, Wenzel P, Titze J, Karbach S. Aestivation motifs explain hypertension and muscle mass loss in mice with psoriatic skin barrier defect. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2021 May;232(1):e13628.
• Karbach S, Hobohm L, Wild J, Münzel T, Gori T, Wegner J, Steinbrink K, Wenzel P, Keller K. Impact of Psoriasis on Mortality Rate and Outcome in Myocardial Infarction. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Sep 15;9(18):e016956.
• Wild J, Schüler R, Knopp T, Molitor M, Kossmann S, Münzel T, Daiber A, Waisman A, Wenzel P, Karbach SH. Telmisartan Lowers Elevated Blood Pressure in Psoriatic Mice without Attenuating Vascular Dysfunction and Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 30;20(17):4261.
• Schüler R, Brand A, Klebow S, Wild J, Veras FP, Ullmann E, Roohani S, Kolbinger F, Kossmann S, Wohn C, Daiber A, Münzel T, Wenzel P, Waisman A, Clausen BE, Karbach S. Antagonization of IL-17A Attenuates Skin Inflammation and Vascular Dysfunction in Mouse Models of Psoriasis. J Invest Dermatol 2019;139(3):638-647.
• Uluckan O, Jimenez M, Karbach S, Jeschke A, Grana O, Keller J, Busse B, Croxford AL, Finzel S, Koenders M, van den Berg W, Schinke T, Amling M, Waisman A, Schett G, Wagner EF. Chronic skin inflammation leads to bone loss by il-17-mediated inhibition of wnt signaling in osteoblasts. Science translational medicine 2016 Mar 16;8(330):330ra37.
• Karbach SH, Schönfelder T, Brandão I, Wilms E, Hörmann N, Jäckel S, Schüler R, Finger S, Knorr M, Lagrange J, Brandt M, Waisman A, Kossmann S, Schäfer K, Münzel T, Reinhardt C, Wenzel P. Gut Microbiota Promote Angiotensin II-Induced Arterial Hypertension and Vascular Dysfunction. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 Aug 30;5(9):e003698.
• Karbach S, Croxford AL, Oelze M, Schüler R, Minwegen D, Wegner J, Koukes L, Yogev N, Nikolaev A, Reissig S, Ullmann A, Knorr M, Waldner M, Neurath MF, Li H, Wu Z, Brochhausen C, Scheller J, Rose-John S, Piotrowski C, Bechmann I, Radsak M, Wild P, Daiber A, von Stebut E, Wenzel P, Waisman A, Münzel T. Interleukin 17 drives vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and arterial hypertension in psoriasis-like skin disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2014 Dec;34(12):2658-68.
• Croxford* AL, Karbach* S, Kurschus FC, Wörtge S, Nikolaev A, Yogev N, Klebow S, Schüler R, Reissig S, Piotrowski C, Brylla E, Bechmann I, Scheller J, Rose-John S, Wunderlich FT, Münzel T, von Stebut E, Waisman A. Il-6 regulates neutrophil microabscess formation in IL-17a-driven psoriasiform lesions. J Invest Dermatol 2014 Mar;134(3):728-735. *contributed equally

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Reviews

• Kommoss KS, Enk A, Heikenwälder M, Waisman A, Karbach S*, Wild J*. Cardiovascular comorbidity in psoriasis - psoriatic inflammation is more than just skin deep. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023 Jul;21(7):718-725. *shared last authorship
• Herster F, Karbach S, Chatterjee M, Weber ANR. Platelets: Underestimated Regulators of Autoinflammation in Psoriasis. J Invest Dermatol. 2021 Jun;141(6):1395-1403.
• Jung R, Wild J, Ringen J, Karbach S, Wenzel P. Innate Immune Mechanisms of Arterial Hypertension and Autoimmune Disease. Am J Hypertens. 2021 Mar 11;34(2):143-153.

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Comments

• Knopp T, Karbach S, Wenzel P. Myeloid Cells to the Rescue: Improving Thrombus Resolution. Thromb Haemost. 2020 Feb;120(2):197-198.