AUtologous Treg infUsion in autoiMmuNe liver disease patients (AUTUMN)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Autologous T-regulatory cell tracking after infusion in autoimmune liver disease patients
IRAS ID
177127
Contact name
Ye Htun Oo
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 31 days
Research summary
The immune system is designed to protect the body against disease. It is made up of many different cells including certain proteins called antibodies and white blood cells that function to attack and destroy foreign substances that enter the body. There are various types of white blood cells and antibodies, each of which has different functions. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that is divided into different groups, of which T cells are one. T cells are further divided into subtypes, which include T regulatory cells (Tregs). T cells are known to recognise and destroy pathogens.
In autoimmune diseases the immune system mistakenly recognises parts of the body as foreign objects and begins to attack itself. This leads to tissue damage in the affected body part/s. T cells are the cells that carry out this attack as they fail to identify the body as a part of itself. In autoimmune hepatitis, liver cells (known as hepatocytes) are attacked by the T cells, causing liver inflammation. In recent years it has been found that the tissue damage caused by these T cells could be controlled by anti-inflammatory Tregs. These Treg cells could potentially be made from the patient’s own blood and used for their treatment in autoimmune hepatitis.
As a result, this study will be investigating how Tregs function in this condition by labelling them with a radioactive substance called Indium-111 which will allow the movement of these cells to be tracked using nuclear imaging scans. This will increase the understanding of how these immune cells work which may allow for therapeutic use of Treg cells in autoimmune hepatitis in the future.As this study is a single-site academic study the Chief Investigator will also take the role of the Principle Investigator.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
15/ES/0135
Date of REC Opinion
1 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion