Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Human Disease States
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Human Disease States
IRAS ID
92423
Contact name
Jonathan Sutcliffe
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Research summary
There are a broad range of disease processes affecting both children and adults caused by abnormal motility within the smooth muscle. Because the control mechanisms for smooth muscle remain incompletely understood, it is rare to have a treatment that is able to address the underlying cause. Treatments are therefore much less effective and are often limited to symptom control.
ICC (Interstitial Cells of Cajal) have been proven to have important functions in the control of motility. They act as a pacemaker for smooth muscle and can transmit signals between the nervous system and the muscle cells.
Because these cells are difficult to identify using conventional techniques, most detailed work has been performed in animal models.
Limitations include: centres that investigate ICC often do so using different techniques - this makes reliable comparison and sharing of data very difficult; very small numbers of patients and controls - this is because access to tissue from patients, and in particular controls, is hard to obtain and examine; there have been almost no previous attempts to correlate distribution of cells with function - ultimately it is function that is important.
We aim to develop a robust test to identify these cells that can ultimately be replicated in a clinical laboratory. This will require correlation of cell staining with Electron Microscopy. We will then apply this methodology in human tissues to define normal distribution. Using electrophysiology, we will correlate distribution with function in terms of pacemaking. We aim to develop normative values for ICC distribution for relevant human tissue.
This group of cells are likely to be important in a range of diseases. Having a reliable way to identify patients with an ICC abnormality is central to accurate investigation and treatment.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
14/NS/0018
Date of REC Opinion
17 Feb 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion