Nasal Challenge with Microbial Constituents and Allergen
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of Human Nasal Challenge Models with Microbial Constituents and Grass Pollen: monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), poly-inosine-cytosine (poly-IC), resiquimod, tuberculin and Timothy grass pollen.
IRAS ID
124088
Contact name
Trevor Hansel
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Research summary
We propose the development of a range of nasal spray challenge models to study the way the nose can respond to different types of inflammation. We will carry out nasal challenge with bacterial and viral components and allergens. In this way we challenge the nasal upper respiratory tract mucosa with stimuli of the immune system, causing various types of inflammation. We take samples by blotting the nostril surface and by scraping off tiny surface samples.
We are spraying the nose with a substance that is a single part of a bacteria or virus, or with an allergen. The material that we deliver by nasal spray is of high purity and is sterile, containing no live bacteria or viruses. The nasal spray substance contains molecular patterns that are recognised as foreign by the immune system, and at the right dose should stimulate the immune system, causing mild nasal inflammation.
The study employs non-invasive methods of sampling using absorptive strips. These strips look and feel like tissue paper, and are applied to each nostril for a period of 1 min. We also take a few pinhead sized tissue samples from inside the nose, using a small disposable sterile plastic probe that has a tiny scoop on its end. In the nasal lining fluid and tissue samples, we then measure a range of molecules and cells that protect against infections and help the immune response.
By spraying the nose with a challenge agent in this manner, we can assess the nasal immune response which can help us better understand how the human immune system’s cells and molecules respond to bacteria and viruses. This will allow us to test new drugs and vaccines, by seeing if they decrease or stop the inflammation after the nasal challenge.REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1899
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion