AG Leich

The focus of the working group is on the molecular and clinical characterization of subgroups of follicular lymphoma (FL) and multiple myeloma (MM).

High-throughput techniques such as micro-arrays (gene expression and SNP arrays) with the Affymetrix platform, Nanostring and next generation sequencing (e.g. WES, RNA-Seq) with Illumina were and are used to generate hypotheses.

Using these techniques and subsequent validation studies, we were able to show in national and international collaborations with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Molecular Profilin Project (LLMPP) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), among others, that a significant proportion of t(14;18)-negative FL have a late germinal center phenotype and fewer newly acquired N-glycosylation motifs in the variable chains of their immunoglobulin genes compared to t(14;18)-positive FL. The clinical significance of these FL subgroups is currently being investigated in more detail in cohorts of the “German Lymphoma Alliance” and will continue to be investigated over the coming years.

Furthermore, as part of the Clinical Research Unit 216, we were able to define a signaling network in MM consisting of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), adhesion molecules and downstream effectors, which in almost all patients with MM has at least one, but often also several tumor-associated mutations, which we refer to as inter- and intra-individual pathway redundancy.  In retrospective analyses of patient cohorts, we showed that mutations in RTKs as well as mutations in and expression of extracellular matrix molecules are associated with a poorer prognosis. This resulted in functional and omics-based follow-up projects, which are still part of our current research.

The research group participates in a Master's program in biochemistry with a focus on “molecular oncology”, organized by the Chair of Biochemistry (scientifically oriented, 2-year, English-language). Link

You can find all publications of AG Leich here.

Selected Publications

Evers M, Stühmer T, Schreder M, Steinbrunn T, Rudelius M, Jundt F, Ebert R, Hartmann TN, Bargou RC, Rosenwald A, Leich E. Association of ADAM family members with proliferation signaling and disease progression in multiple myeloma. Blood Cancer J. 2024 Sep 11;14(1):156. doi: 10.1038/s41408-024-01133-4 (IF 2024: 12.9)

Evers M, Schreder M, Stühmer T, Jundt F, Ebert R, Hartmann TN, Altenbuchinger M, Rudelius M, Kuric M, Rindt WD, Steinbrunn T, Langer C, Heredia-Guerrero SC, Einsele H, Bargou RC, Rosenwald A, Leich E. Blood Cancer J. 2023 Mar 23;13(1):43. doi: 10.1038/s41408-023-00817-7. (IF 2023/2024: 12.9)

Ellen Leich, Claudia Maier, Riccardo Bomben, Filippo Vit, Alessandro Bosi, Heike Horn, Valter Gattei, German Ott, Andreas Rosenwald, Alberto Zamò. Follicular lymphoma subgroups with and without t(14;18) differ in their N-glycosylation pattern and IGHV usage. Blood Adv. 2021 Dec 14;5(23):4890-4900. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021005081 (IF 2024: 9.4, IF 2021:)

Leich E, Schreder M, Pischimarov J, Stühmer T, Steinbrunn T, Rudelius M, Brünnert D, Chatterjee M, Langer C, Keppler S, Heredia-Guerrero SC, Einsele H, Knop S, Bargou RC, Rosenwald A. Novel molecular subgroups within the context of receptor tyrosine kinase and adhesion signalling in multiple myeloma. Blood Cancer J. 2021 Mar 4;11(3):51. doi: 10.1038/s41408-021-00442-2. (IF 2024: 9.8, IF 2021: 9.8)

Zamò A, Pischimarov J, Horn H, Ott G, Rosenwald A, Leich E. The exomic landscape of t(14;18)-negative diffuse follicular lymphoma with 1p36 deletion. Br J Haematol. 2018 Feb;180(3):391-394. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15041. (IF 2024: 5.1, IF 2018: 5.2)

Zamò A, Pischimarov J, Schlesner M, Rosenstiel P, Bomben R, Horn H, Grieb T, Nedeva T, López C, Haake A, Richter J, Trümper L, Lawerenz C, Klapper W, Möller P, Hummel M, Lenze D, Szczepanowski M, Flossbach L, Schreder M, Gattei V, Ott G, Siebert R, Rosenwald A, Leich E. Differences between BCL2-break positive and negative follicular lymphoma unraveled by whole-exome sequencing. Leukemia. 2018 Mar;32(3):685-693. doi: 10.1038/leu.2017.270. Epub 2017 Aug 21.  (IF 2024: 12.8, IF 2018: 9.9)

Leich E, Hoster E, Wartenberg M, Unterhalt M, Siebert R, Koch K, Klapper W, Engelhard M, Puppe B, Horn H, Staiger AM, Stuhlmann-Laeisz C, Bernd HW, Feller AC, Hummel M, Lenze D, Stein H, Hartmann S, Hansmann ML, Möller P, Hiddemann W, Dreyling M, Ott G, Rosenwald A. Similar clinical features in follicular lymphomas with and without breaks in the BCL2 locus. Leukemia. 2016 Apr;30(4):854-60. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.330.  (IF 2023/2024: 12.8, IF 2015: 12.1)

Weißbach S, Langer C, Puppe B, Nedeva T, Bach E, Kull M, Bargou R, Einsele H, Rosenwald A, Knop S, Leich E. The molecular spectrum and clinical impact of DIS3 mutations in multiple myeloma. Br J Haematol. 2015 Apr;169(1):57-70. doi: 10.1111/bjh.13256. Epub 2014 Dec 17. (IF 2024: 5.1, IF 2015: 5.8)

Leich E, Weißbach S, Klein HU, Grieb T, Pischimarov J, Stühmer T, Chatterjee M, Steinbrunn T, Langer C, Eilers M, Knop S, Einsele H, Bargou R, Rosenwald A. Multiple myeloma is affected by multiple and heterogeneous somatic mutations in adhesion- and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling molecules. Blood Cancer J. 2013 Feb 8;3:e102. doi: 10.1038/bcj.2012.47. (IF 2024: 12.9, IF 2013: 2.9)

Richter J, Schlesner M, Hoffmann S, Kreuz M, Leich E (Co-first author), Burkhardt B, Rosolowski  M, Ammerpohl O, Wagener R, Bernhart SH, Lenze D, Szczepanowski M, Paulsen M, Lipinski S, Russell RB, Adam-Klages S, Apic G, Claviez A, Hasenclever D, Hovestadt V, Hornig N, Korbel JO, Kube D, Langenberger D, Lawerenz C, Lisfeld J,  Meyer K, Picelli S, Pischimarov J, Radlwimmer B, Rausch T, Rohde M, Schilhabel M, Scholtysik R, Spang R, Trautmann H, Zenz T, Borkhardt A, Drexler HG, Möller P, MacLeod RA, Pott C, Schreiber S, Trümper L, Loeffler M, Stadler PF, Lichter P, Eils R, Küppers R, Hummel M, Klapper W, Rosenstiel P, Rosenwald A, Brors B, Siebert R; ICGC MMML-Seq Project. Recurrent mutation of the ID3 gene in Burkitt lymphoma identified by integrated genome, exome and transcriptome sequencing. Nat Genet, 2012, 44(12):1316-20 (IF 2024: 31.7, IF 2012: 35.2)

Leich E, Zamo A, Horn H, Haralambieva E, Puppe B, Gascoyne RD, Chan WC, Braziel RM, Rimsza LM, Weisenburger DD, Delabie J, Jaffe ES, Fitzgibbon J, Staudt LM, Mueller-Hermelink HK, Calaminici M, Campo E, Ott G, Hernández L, Rosenwald A. MicroRNA profiles of t(14;18)-negative follicular lymphoma support a late germinal center B-cell phenotype. Blood, 2011, 118(20):5550-8 (IF 2024: 21. IF 2011: 9.9)

Leich E, Salaverria I, Bea S, Zettl A, Wright G, Moreno V, Gascoyne RD, Chan WC, Braziel RM, Rimsza LM, Weisenburger DD, Delabie J, Jaffe ES, Lister A, Fitzgibbon J, Staudt LM, Hartmann EM, Mueller-Hermelink HK, Campo E, Ott G, Rosenwald A. Follicular lymphomas with and without translocation t(14;18) differ in gene expression profiles and genetic alterations. Blood, 2009, 114(4):826-34 (IF 2024: 21, IF 2009: 9.4)