[Experimental immunopathology and molecular pathology of infections].

This thesis work summarizes two scientific fields of interest of the author: The first group of studies represents experimental approaches in the field of immunopathology, analyzing translational questions of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The focus here was on cell migration studies of donor T cells in the setting of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and on ex vivo expanded host dendritic cells. Using a combination of antibody homing blockade and splenectomy development of acute GVHD was successfully prevented in a murine major mismatch model. The second group of studies focussed on molecular diagnostic strategies for the detection of infectious diseases. Analysis of a collection of granulomatous reactions was performed amplifying the 65-kDa heat-shock protein gene. This enabled detection of mycobacterial DNA in 63% of cases, containing a high fraction of nontuberculous mycobacterial DNA (34%). Sequencing strategies have proven a very helpful tool, especially for subtyping NTM species on paraffin embedded material.