MERTK Signalling in Monocytes/Macrophages in Patients With Liver Disease

Sponsor
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland (Other)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT04116242
Collaborator
Swiss National Science Foundation (Other)
240
4
87.2
60
0.7

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

This study is to investigate MER receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) signalling cascade on monocytes and tissue macrophages in respect to innate immune function of the cells in patients with cirrhosis at different stages of disease (Child A, B, C, acute decompensation, acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF)) and in comparison to patients with acute liver failure and to healthy controls.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Other: blood sampling for research purpose
  • Other: clinical data collection
  • Other: Health-related Questionnaires
  • Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)

Detailed Description

MER receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) signalling cascade becomes activated on monocytes/macrophages during disease progression of liver cirrhosis from Child Pugh A to B/C, corresponding to early stages of decompensation, and before the receptor expression is increased. Factors involved in activation of the MERTK signalling cascade might be microbial products such as bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and other toll-like receptor (TLR)-ligands, MERTK ligands and cytokines, as shown elevated in cirrhotic patients.

Given the observation that MERTK levels peak on the day of admission with organ failure and decrease in patients surviving the episode of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), MERTK Inhibition at a time during progression of cirrhosis but before manifestation of acute decompensation with no cirrhosis (AD) or ACLF might prevent infectious complications, decompensation and improve survival in patients with cirrhosis.

This study is to investigate MER receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) signalling cascade on monocytes and tissue macrophages in respect to innate immune function of the cells in patients with cirrhosis at different stages of disease (Child A, B, C, acute decompensation, acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF)) and in comparison to patients with acute liver failure and to healthy controls.

Study Design

Study Type:
Observational
Anticipated Enrollment :
240 participants
Observational Model:
Cohort
Time Perspective:
Prospective
Official Title:
MERTK Signalling in Monocytes/Macrophages in Patients With Liver Disease
Actual Study Start Date :
Aug 27, 2015
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Aug 1, 2022
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
Dec 1, 2022

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
cirrhosis of the liver, stadium Child A

sampling of biological material and health related data collection longitudinally in 6-monthly intervals up to 36 months

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)
Other biological material (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies) will only be investigated if sampled for clinical reasons and if excessive material is available that is not needed for clinical purpose.

cirrhosis of the liver, stadium Child B

sampling of biological material and health related data collection longitudinally in 6-monthly intervals up to 36 months

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)
Other biological material (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies) will only be investigated if sampled for clinical reasons and if excessive material is available that is not needed for clinical purpose.

cirrhosis of the liver, stadium Child C

sampling of biological material and health related data collection longitudinally in 6-monthly intervals up to 36 months

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)
Other biological material (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies) will only be investigated if sampled for clinical reasons and if excessive material is available that is not needed for clinical purpose.

cirrhosis of the liver, acutely decompensated

sampling of biological material and health related data collection on days 1 (Baseline), 3, 7, and 14. If acutely decompensated patients re-compensate they will be followed 6-monthly for up to 36 months

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)
Other biological material (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies) will only be investigated if sampled for clinical reasons and if excessive material is available that is not needed for clinical purpose.

acute liver failure

sampling of biological material and health related data collection on days 1 (Baseline), 3, 7, and 14. If acutely decompensated patients re-compensate they will be followed 6-monthly for up to 36 months

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Other: Sampling other biological materials (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies)
Other biological material (e.g. liver biopsies, liver resections, ascites, urine, gut biopsies) will only be investigated if sampled for clinical reasons and if excessive material is available that is not needed for clinical purpose.

healthy controls

sampling of biological material and health related data collection on day 1 (Baseline)

Other: blood sampling for research purpose
blood sampling for research purpose (about 30ml) taken by venepuncture or from intravenous catheters if already in place

Other: clinical data collection
clinical data collection in order to document the stage of disease, the presence of infection and existing complications of cirrhosis (ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction) and concomitant disease. These data will be collected for clinical reasons as highly important in the context of patients with cirrhosis and possible decompensation or liver failure and will therefore not require additional time

Other: Health-related Questionnaires
Health-related Questionnaires (Questionnaire_CLD) regarding sleep characteristics (Pittsburgh sleep Quality index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale, ESS), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. Change in MERTK signalling cascade on monocytes [days 1 (Baseline), 3, 7, and 14; then followed 6-monthly for up to 36 months]

    Change in MERTK signalling cascade on monocytes in respect to innate immune function of the cells in patients with cirrhosis at different stages of disease (Child A, B, C, acute decompensation, ACLF) and in comparison to patients with acute liver failure and to healthy controls

  2. Change in MERTK signalling cascade on tissue macrophages [days 1 (Baseline), 3, 7, and 14; then followed 6-monthly for up to 36 months]

    Change in MERTK signalling cascade on tissue macrophages in respect to innate immune function of the cells in patients with cirrhosis at different stages of disease (Child A, B, C, acute decompensation, ACLF) and in comparison to patients with acute liver failure and to healthy controls

Secondary Outcome Measures

  1. Change in mechanism of MERTK activation in cell culture models using monocytes [days 1 (Baseline), 3, 7, and 14; then followed 6-monthly for up to 36 months]

    Change in mechanism of MERTK activation in cell culture models using healthy and diseased monocytes in vitro and ex vivo

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years and Older
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Yes
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Patients with compensated or decompensated chronic liver disease

  • Patients with acute- or acute-on-chronic chronic liver failure

  • Controls with no liver disease

Exclusion Criteria:
  • Evidence of disseminated malignancy

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Site City State Country Postal Code
1 University Hospital Basel, Hepatology Department and Laboratory Basel Switzerland 4031
2 Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen St. Gallen Switzerland 9007
3 King's College Hospital, Institute of Liver studies London United Kingdom SE5 9RS
4 St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London, Section of Hepatology London United Kingdom W2 1PG

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
  • Swiss National Science Foundation

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Christine Bernsmeier, PD Dr. Dr., Universitätsspital Basel, Departement Biomedizin, Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.
Responsible Party:
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT04116242
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • EKSG 15/074; me19Bernsmeier2
First Posted:
Oct 4, 2019
Last Update Posted:
Nov 18, 2021
Last Verified:
Nov 1, 2021
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
No
Keywords provided by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Nov 18, 2021