Non-coding RNAs Analysis of Eosinophil Subtypes in Asthma

NCT ID: NCT04542902

Last Updated: 2020-09-09

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

80 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-10-01

Study Completion Date

2023-10-01

Brief Summary

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Chronic airway inflammation rich in eosinophils is an important feature seen in asthma. Airway and blood eosinophilia is associated with increased rates of asthma exacerbations and more intense treatment.

Recently, the existence of two distinct eosinophils subtypes was revealed-lung-resident eosinophils (rEOS), which maturate independently to interleukin (IL) 5, with the primary function to maintain tissue homeostasis, and inflammatory eosinophils (iEOS), which mature in IL-5-dependent manner and are mainly involved in immune responses. Eosinophils' effect on the airway remodeling in asthma depends not only on the activity but also by their viable number in the lungs. Blood iEOS infiltrate the airways mainly after the environmental stimulus like allergen and leave the airways with bronchial secretions. However, rEOS reside lung tissue for their entire lifetime regulating local immunity. Blood rEOS and iEOS ratio alters in asthma, compared with healthy controls. It is known that the predominant eosinophils subtype in allergic asthma are iEOS, while rEOS are basic subtype in severe eosinophilic asthma patients, moreover, they are different in adhesive properties and survivability as well. Distinct biological properties allows to speculate about their different functions in asthma, however, there are still little information. Data about differently expressed microRNA (miRNA) profiles in eosinophils in asthma suggests, that eosinophils subtypes can be distinct in non-coding RNA (ncRNA) - microRNA (miRNA), piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) and long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) profiles that could describe their role in asthma pathogenesis and act as biomarkers to discern asthma phenotypes.

Detailed Description

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Asthma is not cured, and only well-balanced treatment can control the course and severity of the disease. Most clinical symptoms rise from aberrant chronic airway inflammation mostly eosinophilic. Eosinophils are terminally differentiated granulocytes that actively contribute to innate and adaptive inflammatory cascades through the production and release of diverse chemokines, cytokines, lipid mediators and other growth factors. IL-5 plays a fundamental role in eosinophils maturation in the bone marrow, their recruitment, and activation at sites of inflammation.

Historically eosinophils were described as a critical player in host defense, including parasites, viruses, fungi, or bacteria, giving them a destructive inflammatory cell label. However, it became clear that steady-state eosinophils can contribute to the immunoregulation and tissue homeostasis as well. Studies revealed that there are distinct eosinophils subtypes - immunoregulatory lung-resident eosinophils (rEOS) and inflammatory eosinophils (iEOS), involved in immune responses. Distinct eosinophils subtypes with different functions determines the separate treatment. There are still only a few studies describing distinct eosinophils subtypes in the lungs or blood. It is the beginning of a new promising research area for better individualized eosinophilic asthma treatment, moreover, other eosinophilic diseases as well.

Peripheral blood eosinophils studies are sufficiently relevant to the tissue eosinophils studies, as blood eosinophils are released into the bloodstream in a fully maturated form. Moreover, peripheral blood study could give additional information with possibilities to prevent eosinophils effects in the early stage, before migration to the airways. Furthermore, the existence of tissue-resident eosinophils in peripheral blood is confirmed and primary research for eosinophil subtypes surface markers was made according to the data of human blood eosinophils.

Data about differently differently expressed microRNA (miRNA) profiles in eosinophils in asthma suggests, that eosinophils subtypes can be distinct in non-coding RNA (ncRNA) - microRNA (miRNA), piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) and long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) profiles that could describe their role in asthma pathogenesis and act as biomarkers to discern asthma phenotypes.

Researchers have plan to expand research by analyzing non-coding RNA (ncRNA) - miRNA, piRNA and lncRNA profiles of rEOS and iEOS as well as selected ncRNA signatures in blood plasma estimating their diagnostic value. Moreover, additional investigation of ncRNA in eosinophil-derived exosomes will provide important data about possible effect of eosinophils subtypes on airway remodeling via secreted ncRNA. ncRNAs are key regulators for gene transcription. However, there is evidence about their dysregulation in eosinophils during asthma. It will give important information about molecular signaling pathways that regulate the activity of distinct eosinophil subtypes during health and asthma, and provide the essential information about possible new therapeutic targets for their control. Additionally researchers will investigate the biological differences between rEOS and iEOS, including surface integrins and eosinophilopoietins receptors expression, adhesive properties, survivability, synthesized reactive oxygen species and apoptosis, as well as their effect on pulmonary structural cells physiological activity as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, contractility and proteins production, and will relate it with molecular signaling pathways, regulated by distinct expressed ncRNAs. ncRNAs can be stored in eosinophils exosomes and expressed to the surrounding environment. Information about ncRNAs in eosinophils-derived exosomes will demonstrate their function by affecting the other cells, especially after migration to airways. Moreover, ncRNAs are stable and resistant to blood RNases and differentially expressed in several pathologies. Researchers suppose that altered blood levels of ncRNAs could act as a possible new diagnostic biomarker in asthma.

Conditions

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Allergic Asthma Severe Eosinophilic Asthma

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Allergic asthma patients

Allergic asthma patients and sensitization to house dust mites (D. pteronyssinus) allergen.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen is required to perform allergen bronchial challenge test.

Blood sampling

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

An amount of a person's blood taken from their body for use in medical.

Bronchial challenge with allergen

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Bronchial challenge is performed with D. pteronyssinus allergen. Measurements of differences in eosinophils activity after allergen challenge.

Severe eosinophilic asthma patients

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Blood sampling

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

An amount of a person's blood taken from their body for use in medical.

Healthy subjects as a control group

Healthy subjects without allergic and other chronic respiratory diseases (control group).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Blood sampling

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

An amount of a person's blood taken from their body for use in medical.

Interventions

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Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen is required to perform allergen bronchial challenge test.

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Blood sampling

An amount of a person's blood taken from their body for use in medical.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Bronchial challenge with allergen

Bronchial challenge is performed with D. pteronyssinus allergen. Measurements of differences in eosinophils activity after allergen challenge.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Men and women between the ages of 18-70 years;
* Allergic asthma and sensitization to house dust mites (D. pteronyssinus) allergen, approved with: 1) medical history and symptoms more than one year; 2) skin prick test positive for D. pteronyssinus (positive wheals are those exceeding 3 mm in diameter greater than the negative control); 3) positive bronchial challenge with methacholine or documented reversible bronchial obstruction;
* Severe eosinophilic asthma;
* Premenopausal women if pregnancy test is negative;
* Healthy subjects without allergic and other chronic respiratory diseases (control group);
* Participants who gave his/her informed written consent.

Exclusion Criteria

* Asthma exacerbation 1 month prior to study;
* Clinically significant permanent allergy symptoms (ex. cat or dog dander induced allergy);
* Contraindications to perform an allergy skin test and/or bronchial provocation test: 1) active airway infection 1 month prior the study; 2) used medicaments: inhaled glucocorticoids intake 1 month prior the study, antihistamines intake 7 days prior the study; 3) short acting β2 agonists 12 hours prior the study; 4) long acting β2 agonists 2 days prior the study; 5) leukotriene receptor antagonists prior 14 days;
* Contraindications for epinephrine;
* Alcohol or narcotic abuse;
* Pregnancy;
* Breast-feeding.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Kestutis Malakauskas

Principal Investigator, Clinical Professor, Head of Laboratory

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Pulmonology Department

Kaunas, , Lithuania

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Lithuania

Central Contacts

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Kestutis Prof. Dr. Malakauskas

Role: CONTACT

+37037326737

Jolita Palacionyte

Role: CONTACT

+37062591727

Facility Contacts

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Kęstutis Malakauskas, Prof., Dr.

Role: primary

+37037326737

References

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Barnig C, Alsaleh G, Jung N, Dembele D, Paul N, Poirot A, Uring-Lambert B, Georgel P, de Blay F, Bahram S. Circulating Human Eosinophils Share a Similar Transcriptional Profile in Asthma and Other Hypereosinophilic Disorders. PLoS One. 2015 Nov 2;10(11):e0141740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141740. eCollection 2015.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26524763 (View on PubMed)

Mazzeo C, Canas JA, Zafra MP, Rojas Marco A, Fernandez-Nieto M, Sanz V, Mittelbrunn M, Izquierdo M, Baixaulli F, Sastre J, Del Pozo V. Exosome secretion by eosinophils: A possible role in asthma pathogenesis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Jun;135(6):1603-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2014.11.026. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25617225 (View on PubMed)

Mesnil C, Raulier S, Paulissen G, Xiao X, Birrell MA, Pirottin D, Janss T, Starkl P, Ramery E, Henket M, Schleich FN, Radermecker M, Thielemans K, Gillet L, Thiry M, Belvisi MG, Louis R, Desmet C, Marichal T, Bureau F. Lung-resident eosinophils represent a distinct regulatory eosinophil subset. J Clin Invest. 2016 Sep 1;126(9):3279-95. doi: 10.1172/JCI85664. Epub 2016 Aug 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27548519 (View on PubMed)

Mitchell PS, Parkin RK, Kroh EM, Fritz BR, Wyman SK, Pogosova-Agadjanyan EL, Peterson A, Noteboom J, O'Briant KC, Allen A, Lin DW, Urban N, Drescher CW, Knudsen BS, Stirewalt DL, Gentleman R, Vessella RL, Nelson PS, Martin DB, Tewari M. Circulating microRNAs as stable blood-based markers for cancer detection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jul 29;105(30):10513-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0804549105. Epub 2008 Jul 28.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18663219 (View on PubMed)

Perry MM, Tsitsiou E, Austin PJ, Lindsay MA, Gibeon DS, Adcock IM, Chung KF. Role of non-coding RNAs in maintaining primary airway smooth muscle cells. Respir Res. 2014 May 16;15(1):58. doi: 10.1186/1465-9921-15-58.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24886442 (View on PubMed)

Rodrigo-Munoz JM, Canas JA, Sastre B, Rego N, Greif G, Rial M, Minguez P, Mahillo-Fernandez I, Fernandez-Nieto M, Mora I, Barranco P, Quirce S, Sastre J, Del Pozo V. Asthma diagnosis using integrated analysis of eosinophil microRNAs. Allergy. 2019 Mar;74(3):507-517. doi: 10.1111/all.13570. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30040124 (View on PubMed)

Zhu Y, Mao D, Gao W, Han G, Hu H. Analysis of lncRNA Expression in Patients With Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Asthma Focusing on LNC_000127. Front Genet. 2019 Mar 19;10:141. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00141. eCollection 2019.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30941157 (View on PubMed)

Weller PF, Spencer LA. Functions of tissue-resident eosinophils. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017 Dec;17(12):746-760. doi: 10.1038/nri.2017.95. Epub 2017 Sep 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28891557 (View on PubMed)

Rosenberg HF, Dyer KD, Foster PS. Eosinophils: changing perspectives in health and disease. Nat Rev Immunol. 2013 Jan;13(1):9-22. doi: 10.1038/nri3341. Epub 2012 Nov 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23154224 (View on PubMed)

Rothenberg ME, Hogan SP. The eosinophil. Annu Rev Immunol. 2006;24:147-74. doi: 10.1146/annurev.immunol.24.021605.090720.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16551246 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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LAB-1/2020

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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