KAI CHRISTIAN SONNTAG, MD, PHD

Email: ksonntag@mclean.harvard.edu
Telephone: 617-855-3138
Fax: 617-855-3793
Office Address: Mailman Research Center (MRC 233)
Degree(s):
- 1993 M.D., University of Heidelberg, Germany
- 1994 Ph.D. in Virology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Bio: Dr. Sonntag's scientific interest is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in degenerative and other diseases of the CNS and to develop new therapeutic tools using gene and cell therapy approaches. This includes the use of human and primate pluripotent stem cells (SC) to produce neural cell systems in vitro and lentivirus vector technology for modulating the expression of key molecules important in normal and abnormal cell development and function, normal brain plasticity and in the development of psychiatric disorders. A main focus of his work is to study the effects of (de)regulated gene expression and a role of microRNAs in dopamine neuron development and in Parkinson Disease.

Publications: PubMed search for Sonntag KC [au]
1. Handermann, M., Schnitzler, P., Rösen-Wolff, A., Raab, K., Sonntag, K.C., and Darai, G. (1992). Identification and Mapping of Origins of DNA Replication within the DNA Sequences of the Genome of Insect Iridescent Virus Type 6. Virus Genes 6, 19-32.
2. Sonntag, K.-C., and Darai, G. (1992). Characterization of the Third Origin of DNA Replication of the Genome of Insect Iridescent Virus Type 6. Virus Genes 6, 333-342.
3. Sonntag, K.-C., Schnitzler, P., Koonin, E., and Darai, G. (1994). Chilo Iridescent Virus Encodes a Putative Helicase Belonging to a Distinct Family within the "DEAD/H" Superfamily; Implications for the Evolution of Large DNA Viruses. Virus Genes 8 (2), 151-158.
4. Schnitzler, P., Sonntag, K.-C., Müller, M., Janssen, W., Bugert, J.J., Koonin, E., and Darai, G. (1994). Insect Iridescent Virus Type 6 Encodes a Polypeptide Related to the Largest Subunit of Eukaryotic RNA Polymerase II. J. Gen. Virol. 75 (7), 1557-1567.
5. Sonntag, K.-C., Schnitzler, P., Janssen, W., and Darai, G. (1994). Identification of the Primary Structure and the Coding Capacity of the Genome of Insect Iridescent Virus Type 6 Between the Genome Coordinates 0.310 and 0.347 (7990 bp). J. Intervirol. 37 (5), 287-297.
6. Sonntag, K.-C., Schwarz-Eywill, M., and Hunstein, W. (1995). Is Interferon-g a Therapy for Hepatitis B-Associated Polyarteritis Nodosa? British Journal of Rheumatology 34 (5), 486-487.
7. Sonntag, K.-C., Clauer, U., Bugert, J. J., Schnitzler, P., and Darai, G. (1995). Identification and Properties of the Genes Encoding the Poly-A Polymerase, a Small (22kDa), and the Largest Subunit (147kDa) of the DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase of Molluscum Contagiosum Virus Type 1. Virology 210, 471-478.
8. Sonntag, K.-C., and Darai, G. (1996). Evolution of Viral DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases. Virus Genes 11:2/3, 271-285.
9. Sonntag, K.-C., and Darai, G. (1996). Strategy for Identifying the Gene Encoding the DNA Polymerase of Molluscum Contagiosum Virus Type 1. Virus Genes 13/1, 31-44.
10. Shimada, H., Germana, S., Sonntag, K.-C., Banerjee, P., Moore, D., Sachs, D.H., and LeGuern, C. (1999). MHC Class II a/b Heterodimeric Cell Surface Molecules Expressed from a Single Proviral Genome. Human Gene Therapy 10 (9), 2397-2405.
11. Sonntag, K.-C., Haller, G.W., Giauffret D., Germana S., Reeves, S.A., Levy, J., Sachs, D.H., and LeGuern, C. (2000). Regulated Expression of an MHC Class II Gene from a Promotor-Inducible Retrovirus. Human Gene Therapy 11;Sept. 20;11 (14):1961-1969.
12. Sonntag, K.-C., Nembhard, N., Haller, G.W., Yasumoto, A., Sachs, D.H., and LeGuern, C. (2000). Assessment of Transduction Rates of Porcine Bone Marrow. J. Hematotherapy and Stem Cell Research.Oct.; 9(5): 721-726.
13. Sonntag, K.-C., Emery, D.W., Yasumoto, A., Haller, G.W., Germana, S., Sablinski, T., Shimizu, A., Yamada, K., Shimada, H., Arn, S., Sachs, D.H., and LeGuern, C. (2001). Tolerance to Solid Organ Transplants through Transfer of MHC Class II Genes. J. Clinical Investigation. Jan.1; 107 (1): 65-71.
14. Chung, S., Andersson, T., Sonntag, K.-C., Björklund, L., Isacson, O., and Kim, K.-S. (2002). Analysis of Different Promoter Systems for Efficient Transgene Expression in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Lines. Stem Cells. Mar; 20(2):139-45.
15. Chung, S., Sonntag, K.-C., Andersson, T., Björklund, L.M., Park, J. J., Kim, D.-W., Kung, U. J., Isacson, O., and Kim, K.-S. (2002). Genetic Engineering of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Nurr1 Enhances Differentiation and Maturation into Dopaminergic Neurons. Europ. J. Neuroscience 16: 1829-38.
16. Matter-Reissmann, B.U.*, Sonntag, K.-C.*, Gilli, U.O., LeGuern, C. and Seebach, J.D. (2004). Human Fas-Ligand Expression on Porcine Endothelial Cells Does Not Protect Against Xenogeneic Natural Killer Cytotoxity. *both authors contributed equally. Xenotransplantation 11(1): 43-52.
17. Sonntag, K.-C., Simantov, R., Kim, K.-S., and Isacson, O. (2004). Temporarily Induced Nurr1 Can Induce a Non-Neuronal Dopaminergic Cell Type in ES Cell Differentiation. Europ. J. Neuroscience. 19(5):1141-52. [cover].
18. Seo, H., Sonntag, K.-C., and Isacson, O. (2004). Generalized Brain and Skin Proteasome Inhibition in Huntington's Disease. Ann. Neurol. 56, 319-28.
19. Sonntag, K.-C., Simantov, R., Björklund, L., Cooper, O., Pruszak, J., Kowalke, F., Gilmartin, J., Ding, J., Hu, Y.P., Shen, M.M., and Isacson, O. (2005). Context Dependent Neuronal Differentiation and Germ-Layer Induction of Smad4-/- and Cripto-/- Embryonic Stem Cells. Mol. Cell. Neuroscience 28(3):417-29.
20. Sonntag, K.-C., Simantov, R., Isacson, O. (2005). Stem Cells May Reshape the Prospect of Parkinson's Disease Therapy. Mol. Brain Res. 134(1):34-51.
21. Chung, C.Y., Seo, H., Sonntag, K.-C., Brooks, A., Li, L., Isacson, O. (2005). Dopamine Cell-Type Specific Genomic and Functional Analyses Reveal Parkinson's Disease-Related Vulnerability. Hum. Mol. Genet. 14(13):1709-1725.
22. Sonntag, K.-C. (2005). Implementations of Translational Medicine. J. Transl. Med. 3(1):33.
23. Krichevsky, A.M.*, Sonntag, K.-C.*, Isacson, O., Kosik, K.S. (2006). Specific microRNAs modulate ES cell-derived neurogenesis. *Both authors contributed equally. Stem Cells 24:857-864
24. Sonntag, K.-C., and Sanchez-Pernaute, R. (2006). Tailoring human embryonic stem cells to therapy development for neurodegenerative diseases. Curr.Op.Invest.Drugs. 7(7):614-618.
25. Sonntag, K.-C., Pruszak, J., Yoshizaki, T., van Arensbergen, J., Sanchez-Pernaute, R., Isacson, O. (2007). Enhanced yield of neuroepithelial precursors and midbrain-like dopaminergic neurons from human embryonic stem cells using the BMP antagonist Noggin. Stem Cells. 25:411-418. [cover].
26. Seo, H., Sonntag, K.-C., Kim, W., Cattaneo, E., Isacson, O., (2007). Proteasome Activator Enhances Survival of Huntington's Disease Neuronal Model Cells. PLoS ONE Feb 28;2:e238.
27. Pruszak, J., Sonntag, K.-C., Aung, M.H., Sanchez-Pernaute, R., Isacson, O., (2007). Markers and methods for cell sorting of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural cell populations. Stem Cells 25(9):2257-2268. Epub 2007 Jun 21.
28. Brunlid, G., Pruszak, J., Holmes, B., Isacson, O., Sonntag, K.-C., (2007). Immature and neurally differentiated mouse ES cells do not express a functional Fas/FasL system. Stem Cells 25(9):2257-2268. Epub 2007 Jul 5.
29. Brenhouse, H.C., Sonntag, K.-C., Andersen, S.L., (2008). Transient D1 dopamine receptor expression on prefrontal cortex projection neurons: Relationship to enhanced motivational salience of drug cues in adolescence. J. Neuroscience 28(10):2375-2382.
30. Andersen, S.L., Napierata, L., Brenhouse, H.C., Sonntag, K.-C., (2008). Juvenile methylphenidate modulates reward-related behaviors and cortical blood flow by decreasing cortical D3 receptors. Europ. J. Neuroscience 27: 2962-2972.
31. Sanchez-Pernaute, R., Lee, H., Patterson, M., Reske-Nielsen, C., Yoshizaki, T., Sonntag, K.-C., Studer, L., Isacson, O. (2008). Parthenogenetic dopamine neurons from primate ES cells restore function in experimental Parkinson disease. Brain Aug;131(Pt 8):2127-39. Epub 2008 Jul 22.
32. Simunovic, F., Yi, M., Wang, Y., Macey, L., Brown, L.T., Krichevsky, A.M., Stephens, R., Benes, F., Sonntag, K.-C. (2008). Gene expression profiling of substantia nigra dopamine neurons: Further insights into Parkinson disease pathology. Brain. Epub Dec. 3 2008.
33. Sonntag, K.-C., Simunovic, F. and Sanchez-Pernaute, R. (2009). Stem cells and cell replacement therapy for Parkinson disease. J. Neural. Transm. Suppl., In Press.
34. Simunovic, F., Yi, M., Stephens, R., Sonntag, K.-C. (2009). Gender-specific transcriptional profiles of nigral dopamine neurons in Parkinson disease. In Preparation.