Real time imaging of regulatory T cells in healthy volunteers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A pilot study to investigate the real time imaging of regulatory T cells in healthy volunteers
IRAS ID
142603
Contact name
Christopher Corrigan
Contact email
Research summary
The principal objective of this pilot study is to outline normal migration and distribution of regulatory T cells in healthy volunteers. We aim to establish clinical protocols which will enable us to isolate and radiolabel these white cells whilst preserving their stability.
Under normal conditions, the immune system is designed to recognize and destroy “foreign” entities such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells by activating and mobilising effector cells such as neutrophils, natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells etc.
Regulatory T cells can promote a state of tolerance by suppressing the activation and expansion of effector cells. These cells are particularly important in solid organ as well as bone marrow transplantation. They are vital in the maintenance of immune homeostasis and prevention of graft rejection. Therefore transfer of human regulatory T cells has become an attractive therapeutic option aimed at improving the long-term outcome in transplantation and thus reduction in the side-effects of conventional immunosuppressive drugs.
We plan to track T regulatory cell migration into and out of the lungs as well as their distribution at later time points. T cells will be radiolabelled with Tc 99m HMPAO (radioactive tracer) and later tracked by gamma-camera imaging. It is expected that these studies will form a baseline to future work with regulatory T cells both in organ transplantations as well as cancer cell therapy.REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0287
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion