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Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology

       

Privatdozent Dr. Marco Cattaruzza

 

 

Completely unexpectedly PD Dr. Marco Cattaruzza passed away at the age of 46 on October 27, 2012.


Here, we would like to commemorate our esteemed colleague, a respected scientist and a dedicated teacher.


Following his studies in biology at Goethe University Frankfurt, Marco Cattaruzza worked as a PhD student in the group of Prof. Dr. Claudia Koch-Brandt at the Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Mainz University, where he studied the expression of the glycoprotein clusterin in apoptotic cells.


After completion of his doctorate he joined the recently founded group of Prof. Dr. Markus Hecker at the Center for Physiology and Pathophysiology at the University of Göttingen in 1996. Here he became particularly interested in the gene regulatory pathways in vascular cells and how they are controlled by biomechanical stimuli such as those exerted by elevated blood pressure. For his work on the vasoprotective effects of anti-hypertensive calcium antagonists he received the Wulf Vater-Dihydropyridine Research Award of Mainz University in 2000, together with Prof. Dr. Markus Hecker, Dr. Rolf Wachter and Dr. Andreas H. Wagner.


In 2004 Marco Cattaruzza was awarded the state doctorate in physiology by the University of Göttingen. In the following year, after the move of Prof. Hecker's entire group to the Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiologiy at Heidelberg University, he became Head of a working group in the Division of Cardiovascular Physiology, where he continued his work on mechanosensing and the sheer stress-dependent regulation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase 3. With the adhesion protein zyxin, Marco Cattaruzza identified the first mechanosensitive modulator controling the expression of specific genes which are activated by rhythmic stretch.


Marco Cattaruzza was also very actively involved in teaching. As a university instructor he held lectures and supervised lab courses and seminars. A total of 4 science and medical doctoral candidates have worked in his group on their dissertations.


With his research Marco Cattaruzza contributed significantly to our understanding of the role biomechanical influences play during the pathophysiological remodeling of blood vessels. As a scientist he was mainly interested in the basic biological principles, yet he never lost sight of the potential later benefit for patients. It is in this spirit that staff members of the Division continue Marco Cattaruzza's studies.

 

Publications

31.

Engeman R, Cattaruzza R, Cattaruzza M, Fischer J. Photographic estimation of wild boar damage to alpine grazing pastures in the Carpathian Mountains of central Romania. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2016 Mar;23(5):4949-4952. Epub 2016 Jan 18.

30.

 

Scherer C, Pfisterer L, Wagner AH, Hödebeck M, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M, Korff T. Arterial wall stress controls NFAT5 activity in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014 Mar 10;3(2):e000626. doi: 10.1161/​JAHA.113.000626.

29.

Babu SS, Wojtowicz A, Freichel M, Birnbaumer L, Hecker M, Cattaruzza M. Mechanism of stretch-induced activation of the mechanotransducer zyxin in vascular cells. Sci Signal. 2012 Dec 11;5(254):ra91 doi: 10.1126/scisignal.2003173

28.

Cattaruzza M, Nogoy N, Wojtowicz A, Hecker M. Zinc finger motif-1 antagonizes PDGF-BB-induced growth and dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells. FASEB J. 2012 Dec;26(12):4864-75. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

27.

Cattaruzza M, Wagner AH, Hecker M. Mechanosensitive pro-inflammatory gene expression in vascular cells. In: Mechanical Stretch and Cytokines, Mechanosensitivity in Cells and Tissues, Vol. 5. A. Kamkin, I. Kiseleva (Eds.) Springer Science+Business Media B. V. 2012, pp. 59-86.

26.

Wójtowicz A, Babu SS, Li L, Gretz N, Hecker M, Cattaruzza M. Zyxin mediation of stretch-induced gene expression in human endothelial cells. Circ Res. 2010 Oct 1;107(7):898-902. Epub 2010 Aug 12. Erratum in: Circ Res. 2010 Oct 29;107(9):e15-6.

25.

Asif AR, Hecker M, Cattaruzza M. Disinhibition of SOD-2 expression to compensate for a genetically determined NO deficit in endothelial cells--brief report. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009 Nov;29(11):1890-3. Epub 2009 Aug 20.

24.

Asif AR, Oellerich M, Armstrong VW, Hecker M, Cattaruzza M. T-786C polymorphism of the NOS-3 gene and the endothelial cell response to fluid shear stress-a proteome analysis. J Proteome Res. 2009 Jun;8(6):3161-8.

23.

Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. Protein carbonylation and decarboylation: a new twist to the complex response of vascular cells to oxidative stress. Circ Res. 2008 Feb 15;102(3):273-4.

22.

Melchers I, Cattaruzza M. Gendefekt im Promoter der endothelialen NO-Synthase als Risikofaktor für Rheumatoide Arthritis. [A gene defect in the promoter of the endothelial NO synthase as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis.] Z Rheumatol. 2007 Jul;66(4):326-7. Review.

21.

Melchers I, Blaschke S, Hecker M, Cattaruzza M. The -786C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the gene for endothelial nitric oxide synthase: insensitivity to physiologic stimuli as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Oct;54(10):3144-51.

20.

Liakopoulos OJ, Dörge H, Popov AF, Schmitto JD, Cattaruzza M, Schoendube FA. Influence of eNOS gene polymorphisms (894G/T; - 786C/T) on postoperative hemodynamics after cardiac surgery. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2006 Jun;54(4):233-8.

19.

Cattaruzza M, Guzik TJ, Słodowski W, Pelvan A, Becker J, Halle M, Buchwald AB, Channon KM, Hecker M. Shear stress insensitivity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression as a genetic risk factor for coronary heart disease. Circ Res. 2004 Oct 15;95(8):841-7. Epub 2004 Sep 16.

18.

Cattaruzza M, Lattrich C, Hecker M. Focal adhesion protein zyxin is a mechanosensitive modulator of gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Hypertension. 2004 Apr;43(4):726-30. Epub 2004 Feb 16.

17.

Cattaruzza M, Słodowski W, Stojakovic M, Krzesz R, Hecker M. Interleukin-10 induction of nitric-oxide synthase expression attenuates CD40-mediated interleukin-12 synthesis in human endothelial cells. J Biol Chem. 2003 Sep 26;278(39):37874-80. Epub 2003 Jul 11.

16.

Schweyer S, Soruri A, Baumhoer D, Peters J, Cattaruzza M, Radzun HJ, Fayyazi A. Expression of CXC chemokine IP-10 in testicular germ cell tumours. J Pathol. 2002 May;197(1):89-97.

15.

Cattaruzza M, Berger MM, Ochs M, Fayyazi A, Füzesi L, Richter J, Hecker M. Deformation-induced endothelin B receptor-mediated smooth muscle cell apoptosis is matrix-dependent. Cell Death Differ. 2002 Feb;9(2):219-26.

14.

Cattaruzza M, Schäfer K, Hecker M. Cytokine-induced down-regulation of zfm1/splicing factor-1 promotes smooth muscle cell proliferation. J Biol Chem. 2002 Feb 22;277(8):6582-9. Epub 2001 Dec 17.

13.

Cattaruzza M, Eberhardt I, Hecker M. Mechanosensitive transcription factors involved in endothelin B receptor expression. J Biol Chem. 2001 Oct 5;276(40):36999-7003. Epub 2001 Jul 16.

12.

Bach UC, Baiersdörfer M, Klock G, Cattaruzza M, Post A, Koch-Brandt C. Apoptotic cell debris and phosphatidylserine-containing lipid vesicles induce apolipoprotein J (clusterin) gene expression in vital fibroblasts. Exp Cell Res. 2001 Apr 15;265(1):11-20.

11.

Lauth M, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. ACE inhibitor and AT1 antagonist blockade of deformation-induced gene expression in the rabbit jugular vein through B2 receptor activation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2001 Jan;21(1):61-6.

10.

Lauth M, Wagner AH, Cattaruzza M, Orzechowski HD, Paul M, Hecker M. Transcriptional control of deformation-induced preproendothelin-1 gene expression in endothelial cells. J Mol Med. 2000;78(8):441-50.

9.

Wagner AH, Krzesz R, Gao D, Schroeder C, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. Decoy oligodeoxynucleotide characterization of transcription factors controlling endothelin-B receptor expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Mol Pharmacol. 2000 Dec;58(6):1333-40.

8.

Schubert A, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M, Darmer D, Holtz J, Morawietz H. Shear stress-dependent regulation of the human beta-tubulin folding cofactor D gene. Circ Res. 2000 Dec 8;87(12):1188-94.

7.

Cattaruzza M, Dimigen C, Ehrenreich H, Hecker M. Stretch-induced endothelin B receptor-mediated apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells. FASEB J. 2000 May;14(7):991-8.

6.

Cattaruzza M, Wachter R, Wagner AH, Hecker M. Modulation by dihydropyridine-type calcium channel antagonists of cytokine-inducible gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Br J Pharmacol. 2000 Mar;129(6):1155-62.

5.

Lauth M, Berger MM, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. Elevated perfusion pressure upregulates endothelin-1 and endothelin B receptor expression in the rabbit carotid artery. Hypertension. 2000 Feb;35(2):648-54.

4.

Lauth M, Berger MM, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. Pressure-induced upregulation of preproendothelin-1 and endothelin B receptor expression in rabbit jugular vein in situ : implications for vein graft failure? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2000 Jan;20(1):96-103.

3.

Krzesz R, Wagner AH, Cattaruzza M, Hecker M. Cytokine-inducible CD40 gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells is mediated by nuclear factor kappaB and signal transducer and activation of transcription-1. FEBS Lett. 1999 Jun 18;453(1-2):191-6.

2.

Hecker M, Cattaruzza M, Wagner AH. Regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Gen Pharmacol. 1999 Jan;32(1):9-16. Review.

1.

Flach R, Cattaruzza M, Koch-Brandt C. Clusterin gene expression in apoptotic MDCK cells is dependent on the apoptosis-inducing stimulus. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1995 Sep 21;1268(3):325-8.


Recent Publications

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Pacemaker cell characteristics of differentiated and HCN4-transduced human mesenchymal stem cells. Life Sci. 2019 Sep 1;232:116620. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.116620. Epub 2019 Jul 7.

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Characterization of the Subventricular-Thalamo-Cortical Circuit in the NP-C Mouse Brain, and New Insights Regarding Treatment. Mol Ther. 2019 Aug 7;27(8):1507-1526. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.05.008. Epub 2019 May 16.

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Functional association of a CD40 gene single nucleotide polymorphism with the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease. Cardiovasc Res. 2019 Aug 2. pii: cvz206. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvz206. [Epub ahead of print]

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Plants Neither Possess nor Require Consciousness. Trends Plant Sci. 2019 Aug;24(8):677-687. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.05.008. Epub 2019 Jul 3.

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Augmentation of myocardial If dysregulates calcium homeostasis and causes adverse cardiac remodeling. Nat Commun. 2019 Jul 23;10(1):3295. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11261-2.

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15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-Prostaglandin J2 Reinforces the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Endothelial Cells with a Genetically Determined Nitric Oxide Deficit. Circ Res. 2019 Jul 19;125(3):282-294. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313820. Epub 2019 Jun 19.

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Persistent increase in ventral hippocampal long-term potentiation by juvenile stress: A role for astrocytic glutamine synthetase. Glia. 2019 Jul 17. doi: 10.1002/glia.23683. [Epub ahead of print]

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Angioneurins-key regulators of blood-brain barrier integrity during hypoxic and ischemic brain injury. Prog Neurobiol. 2019 Jul;178:101611. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.03.004. Epub 2019 Apr 7. Review.

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Marfan syndrome: A therapeutic challenge for long-term care. Biochem Pharmacol. 2019 Jun;164:53-63. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.03.034. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

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TRPC channels are not required for graded persistent activity in entorhinal cortex neurons. Hippocampus. 2019 Apr 19. doi: 10.1002/hipo.23094. [Epub ahead of print]

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Reduction of Transplant Vasculopathy by Intraoperative Nucleic Acid-based Therapy in a Mouse Aortic Allograft Model. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2018 Oct 23. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1673633. [Epub ahead of print]


Institute of
Physiology and Pathophysiology

Heidelberg University

Im Neuenheimer Feld 326

69120 Heidelberg

Germany

Phone:+49 6221 54-4035
Fax:+49 6221 54-4038
E-mail:sekretariat.hecker@
physiologie.uni-heidelberg.de