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CompletedNCT03833310Updated Jan 7, 2026

Novel Biomarkers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

An observational study in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, sponsored by Assiut University. Completed at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-07.

Sponsored by Assiut University · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
70
Ages
18 Years to 70 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The inflammatory bowel diseases represent a heterogeneous group of chronic , relapsing- inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two major clinical forms. Considerable effort has been devoted to the development of an accurate ,noninvasive biomarkers that have increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity .

Osteoprotegerin is a member of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor superfamily of proteins. I is of particular importance in bone metabolism, inflammation , tumorigenesis, and other processes where cell differentiation, survival, and death are controlled.

Soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand is known as a type II membrane protein and as a member of tumor necrosis factor superfamily . Soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand has been identified to affect the immune system and a binding partner of ( Osteoprotegerin ), and controls cell proliferation.

NF-κB is a transcription factor that activates inhibitor of kappa B kinase in the cytosol upon being stimulated by inflammatory stimuli with subsequent signaling pathways via canonical or non-canonical lead to migration of NF-κB toward the nucleus and hence initiates the targeting gene such as pro-inflammatory cells.

TFF3 is predominantly expressed in the goblet cells of the small intestine and colon . Trefoil factor 3 has a key role in mucosal defense and restitution in the gastrointestinal mucosa. It has an anti-apoptotic effect on intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, it contributes to the stabilization and maintenance of the intestinal epithelial barrier function by simulating the recovery of tight junction proteins .

Read the detailed description

The inflammatory bowel diseases represent a heterogeneous group of chronic , relapsing-remitting inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are among the two major clinical forms The global incidence and prevalence of The inflammatory bowel diseases has increased over the last 2-4 decades, likely because of the adoption of a more "western" lifestyle as well as improved detection and awareness . Despite the great progress in understanding the pathogenesis of these diseases, their etiology remains unclear. Genetic, immune, and environmental factors are thought to play a key role .

In the case of Crohn's disease , chronic inflammation can be localized in every gastrointestinal tract segment and involves the full thickness of the intestinal wall. In contrast ,in ulcerative colitis , mucosa and submucosa membranes of the large intestine are usually involved The illness starts in the rectum and generally extends proximally through the whole colon. . Both diseases differ in the localization and size of the segment involved. There are also differences in clinical image, laboratory test results, and different characteristics of complications. The course and grade of disease activity depend on many factors, such as environmental influences , genetic features, changes in the intestinal microbiota ecosystem, and immune factors .

The correct diagnosis of non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases as well as the determination of disease activity, risk stratification , and prediction of response to therapy still relies on a multidisciplinary approach based on clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histologic examination . However, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of an accurate panel of noninvasive bio markers that have increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity .

Osteoprotegerin , also known as is a member of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor superfamily of proteins. Osteoprotegerin is involved in many biological processes: its role is of particular importance in bone metabolism, inflammation , tumorigenesis, and other processes where cell differentiation, survival, and death are controlled. Osteoprotegerin was detected in serum, mucosal biopsies, and in the stool .

The Osteoprotegerin gene is located on chromosome 8q23- 24.17. The mature OPG protein contains 380 amino acids and consists of seven domains. The first four domains (D1-D4) contain cysteine-rich structures at the N terminus which are required for the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. The fifth and the sixth domain (D5 and D6) are death-domains and may be important in cytotoxic signals. The seventh domain, a C terminus heparin-binding site, is involved in dimer osteoprotegerin formation .

Osteoprotegerin can be produced by a wide range of cell types, including osteoblasts, B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, bone marrow stromal cells, epithelial cells, and monocytes/macrophages. Osteoprotegerin activates and/or perpetuates inflammation in the gut by stimulating immune cells, cytokines, and the Necrosis factor-kappa B pathway .

On the other hand, soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand , also known as tumor necrosis factor ligand. soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand is known as a type II membrane protein and as a member of tumor necrosis factor superfamily.

Soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand has been identified to affect the immune system and control bone regeneration and remodeling, a binding partner of , and controls cell proliferation. it is expressed in several tissues and organs including: skeletal muscle, thymus, liver, colon, small intestine, adrenal gland, osteoblast, mammary gland epithelial cells, prostate and pancreas. Variation in concentration levels of soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand throughout several organs reconfirms the importance of in tissue soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand growth (particularly bone growth) and immune functions within the body .

The interactions between ,Osteoprotegerin,soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand and soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β also have relevance to inflammatory pathways. - soluble binding Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β binding activates several pathways that contribute to the survival of T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells .

In addition, Osteoprotegerin is synthesized by dendritic and B-lymphocytes whereas soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand is mainly produced by T-lymphocytes. Moreover, soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand and various cytokines e.g. Tumor Necrosis Factor α induce the synthesis of osteoprotegerin from immune cells. In turn, the interruption of soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β - soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand ligation by osteoprotegerin down regulates T-lymphocyte and dendritic activity, thereby modulating inflammatory responses .

Soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (NF-κB) is a transcription factor that activates inhibitor of kappa B (IκB) kinase in the cytosol upon being stimulated by inflammatory stimuli with subsequent signaling pathways via canonical or non-canonical lead to migration of NF-κB toward the nucleus and hence initiates the targeting gene such as pro-inflammatory cells, monocytes, macrophages, T and B cells (7).

Trefoil factors (TFFFs) comprise a unique family of abundant gastrointestinal peptides with a distinct three-loop structure formed by a highly conserved motif of cysteine disulfide bonds. They are extremely stable against proteolytic digestion and acid degradation. The trefoil factor family consists of three members: TFF1 (breast cancer-associated peptide), TFF2 (spasmolytic polypeptide) and TFF3 (intestinal trefoil factor). TFF3 is predominantly expressed in the goblet cells of the small intestine and colon (8). Trefoil factor 3 has a key role in mucosal defense and restitution in the gastrointestinal mucosa. It has an anti-apoptotic effect on intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, it contributes to the stabilization and maintenance of the intestinal epithelial barrier function by simulating the recovery of tight junction proteins (9).

02

Conditions studied

  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
03

In context

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

1,460 studies on the registry are indexed under Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; 437 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 70 is below the median of 139 across 645 observational studies indexed under Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Browse Inflammatory Bowel Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

Assiut University is the lead sponsor of 4,901 studies on the registry; 2,098 are open to participants now.

Of its 13 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

After standardized work-up with clinical, endoscopic, histopathologicial and, when applicable, radiological evaluation, all patients will met the generally accepted international diagnostic criteria of inflamatory bowel diseaes .The healthy controls consisted of an age- and gender-matched (negative for IBD). This group did not show evidence or familial history of IBD or any other immune mediated disorders

Inclusion criteria

  • Newly diagnosed patients (untreated) by clinical and endoscopic examination and not received treatment .

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients have autoimmune diseases
  • patients with cancer
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
70 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testOsteoprotegerin, sRANKL, NfKB and TFF3 markers in serum in inflammatory bowel disease

    I will measure Osteoprotegerin , Soluble Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand, Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells and Trefoil factor 3 in serum of patient with inflammatory bowel disease

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. level of Osteoprotegerin, sRANKL, NF kappaB and TFF3 in newly diagnosed patients with inflammatory bowel disease

    measuring level of Osteoprotegerin , sRANKL, NFkappaB and TFF3 in newly diagnosed patients with inflammatory bowel disease then it will measured again after treated with corticosteroid and immune therapy or inflximab and immune therapy

    Time frame: 2 years

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Assuit Medical University
    Asyut, Egypt
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 7, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03833310
Lead sponsor
Assiut University
Responsible party
Nesma Gamal (principal investigator, Assiut University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 7, 2019
Start date
Nov 1, 2019
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2021
Completion
Apr 15, 2021
Last update
Jan 7, 2026

Study contacts

nesma gamal, demonstrator
principal investigator · Assiut University
ragaa salama, professor
study director · Assiut University
Amira Abdel Hamid Kamal Mohamed, Lecture
study director · Assiut University
Mohammed Ahmed Medhat, Lecture
study director · Assiut University

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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