An observational study in Asthma, Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Syndrome, sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-26.
Sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) · Observational
Background:
- Innate immunity is the process by which white blood cells and other parts of the immune system sense and respond to potential infections by causing an inflammation. Researchers are interested in studying how the body responds to certain environmental factors, and whether the body s response can contribute to chronic illnesses or diseases such as asthma and certain types of cancers.
Objectives:
- To examine how specific genes and proteins in blood cells respond to environmental exposures.
Eligibility:
- Healthy volunteers between 18 and 45 years of age.
Design:
This research study will examine the role of innate immunity on the Inflammatory response of monocytes and macrophages to endotoxin. Approximately 1450 healthy participants aged 18 years and older will be identified and recruited from the Environmental Polymorphism Registry (EPR). The EPR is a long-term project to collect and store up to 15,000 DNA samples for use in research studies from individuals in the greater North Carolina Triangle Region. It is anticipated that approximately 50% of the participants contacted will enroll and about 15% of participants enrolled will withdraw.
This controlled, observational gene association study will recruit participants on the basis of genotype and then observe the phenotype of each participant. There are several SNPs of interest in the genes TIRAP, MyD88, ABCA1, CD14, CD44, ITIH3, ITIH4, TLR4, TNFa, TLR5, IRGM, and APOL1. In addition there are alleles of interest in the gene ApoE. These alleles taken together are considered a polymorphism. For each polymorphism of interest a separate group of participants will be recruited (including heterozygous and homozygous for both the minor and major alleles for each SNP). A maximum of 200 mLs of blood will be obtained from each participant during one visit lasting approximately 1-1.5 hours. Blood monocytes will be isolated from the donated blood samples and cultured to obtain macrophages. The macrophages will be exposed ex vivo to an endotoxin (LPS) and to PAM3CSK4 to determine cell response depending on genotype. In studies of APOL1, a urine specimen will also be collected to evaluate for protein filtration.
The primary objective is to determine associations between select polymorphisms in genes [TIRAP (TIR Associated Protein), MyD88 (Myeloid Differentiation Primary Response Protein 88), ApoE (Apolipoprotein E), ABCA1 (ATP Binding Cassette Transporter A1), CD14, CD44, ITIH3, ITIH4, TLR4, TNFa, TLR5, IRGM, and APOL1] and quantitative in vitro inflammatory functions of two cell types, the macrophage and neutrophil. The primary endpoints of this study for both cell types will be levels of 6 cytokines TNF alpha, IL-6, MIP-2, IL-8, MCP-1, and IFN-beta (ELISA) induced by LPS and by PAM3CSK4 plus baseline cytokine levels (no exposure to LPS or PAM3CSK4). Urinary levels of protein will be quantified in some studies as a measure of early kidney dysfunction.
We hope the results of this study may lead to discovery of important information regarding the role of MDC1 (Mediator of DNA damage Checkpoint protein 1) in human disease, potentially identifying new targets for future studies.
4,841 studies on the registry are indexed under Asthma; 600 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 725 is above the median of 158 across 1,250 observational studies indexed under Asthma.
Browse Asthma studies →National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the lead sponsor of 183 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Participants enrolled in Environmental Polymorphism Registry (EPR)@@@
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
The PI may review medication use on a case by case basis and make a medical determination on the participant s eligibility. In these cases, the PI determination will be documented in the participant s chart.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
SNP or allele of interest
The primary endpoints of this study are for both cell types and will be levels of 6 cytokines [TNF alpha, IL-6, MIP-2, IL-8, MCP-1, and IFN-beta (ELISA)] induced by LPS and by PAM3CSK4 plus baseline cytokine levels (no exposure to LPS or PAM3CSK...
The primary endpoints of this study are for both cell types and will be levels of 6 cytokines \[TNF alpha, IL-6, MIP-2, IL-8, MCP-1, and IFN-beta (ELISA)\] induced by LPS and by PAM3CSK4 plus baseline cytokine levels (no exposure to LPS or PAM3CSK4).
Time frame: After analysis
Plan to share: Undecided — It isn t known yet if there will be a plan to make IPD available
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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) →