HUMAN FEEDING STUDY OF BLOOD MONOCYTE RESPONSE TO DIETARY LIPID
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A HUMAN IN VIVO FEEDING STUDY OF THE BLOOD MONOCYTE RESPONSE TO DIETARY LIPID INTAKE
IRAS ID
136562
Contact name
Kevin Woollard
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Research summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. The significant role of inflammation in the development of CVD cannot be underestimated. It is believed that many therapies for CVD in both the acute and chronic setting exert their therapeutic benefit through, in part, their modification of the immune response. The immune system and its effector cells, monocytes have evolved over centuries to respond to pathogenic cues to maintain a healthy immunological balance. When the innate immune system becomes dysregulated it contributes to inflammatory disease including atherosclerosis, the major pathogenic process involved in the development of CVD. Chronic dietary lipid (fat) intake is known to contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis, particular from saturated fats. However the acute response of monocytes in dietary lipids following their consumption and the type of diet is unknown. This may represent a new focus in the understanding of the development of atherosclerosis and the role monocytes play in the development of plaque. The clinical research fellowship will undertake a human feeding study with healthy participants to study the role of specific diets on monocyte cell responses and their potential roles in the development of atherosclerosis. The study will be conducted at the Hammersmith Hospital site, Imperial College London and will be anticipated to last for 3 years. Participants will be fed a range of diets over a 5-15 week period and through blood tests and laboratory analysis, the effect of these diets on monocytes will be investigated. By identifying the contribution of type of lipid consumed and molecular pathways that regulate different monocyte subsets we hope to delineate and replicate the processes through which these cells and their changing response to the surrounding environments affect their pro- and anti-inflammatory roles within the blood.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0662
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion