What triggers gout flares: looking at immune cells in joints and blood
Revealing novel mechanisms of gout flares by transcriptional phenotyping synovial and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Researchers will compare immune cell activity in joint fluid and blood from people with gout before and during flares to find genes that drive attacks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194466 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join this ancillary to the TRUST trial, you would give blood and, during an active gout flare, a joint fluid sample via arthrocentesis. Scientists will isolate immune cells from those samples and use flow cytometry and gene-expression (transcriptomic) tests to see which genes and cell types change during a flare. The work is time-sensitive, so samples must be collected quickly when a flare starts. The goal is to identify molecular signals in joint and blood cells that may cause or worsen gout attacks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults enrolled in the TRUST trial with a history of gout who can provide blood and undergo joint fluid collection during an active flare are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without gout, those not enrolled in the parent TRUST trial, or those unwilling or unable to undergo arthrocentesis would not directly participate or benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal molecular triggers of gout flares that point to better-targeted treatments or preventive approaches.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has flagged some inflammatory genes linked to gout, but time-sensitive joint-fluid transcriptomic profiling during flares is a novel and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merriman, Tony R — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Merriman, Tony R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.