Collecting cells to study eye diseases
Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cell Lines From Somatic Cells of Participants With Eye Diseases and From Somatic Cells of Matched Controls
This study is collecting hair, skin, and blood samples from people with certain eye diseases to see how these conditions develop and find new treatments.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 930 (estimated) |
| Ages | 1 Day to 120 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) NIH |
| Locations | 1 site (Bethesda, Maryland) |
| Trial ID | NCT01432847 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to collect hair, skin, and blood samples from individuals affected by retinal diseases such as Best disease, Late-Onset Retinal Degeneration (L-ORD), and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The collected biospecimens will be used to generate induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which will help researchers understand the molecular mechanisms behind these potentially blinding conditions. Participants will visit the National Eye Institute for screening and sample collection, and healthy volunteers will also be included for comparison. The study focuses on analyzing retinal pigment epithelium and neural retinal cells derived from these samples to explore disease progression and potential therapeutic agents.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates include individuals aged one year or older with Best disease, L-ORD, or AMD, as well as healthy individuals aged seven years or older for comparison.
Not a fit: Patients with ocular conditions not specified in the study or those who do not meet the age and health criteria may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to a better understanding of retinal diseases and the development of new treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success in using iPS cells to study various diseases, indicating that this approach has potential for understanding retinal diseases as well.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
* INCLUSION CRITERIA:
To be eligible, participants must meet the following inclusion criteria.
1. Have the ability to understand and sign an informed consent or have a parent/legal guardian to do so if they are minor children or have a legally authorized representative if they are adults without consent capacity.
2. Participant meets one of the following criteria:
1. Participant has been diagnosed with an ocular condition of interest including but not limited to: degenerative retinal diseases, optic atrophy, microphthalmia/anophthalmia, ciliopathy, and other ocular developmental or degenerative conditions.
2. Participant is free of eye diseases and could serve as an unaffected control. Participant's age, sex, and ethnicity must match an existing participant with one of the eye diseases under study. Control participants matched to AMD participants must not have drusen greater than 63 microns in size.
3. Adult participant is able to provide a punch skin biopsy and 30 mL of peripheral venous blood OR child participant is able to provide a punch skin biopsy and the lesser of 5 mL/kg or 30 mL of peripheral venous blood. Healthy, unaffected children will only have one skin punch biopsy done 3mm or less in size. In affected participants, an additional punch may be gathered if the initial sample does not contain adequate cells. This will be taken from children ages seven years and older. Sampling of ten occipital hairs and/or saliva may be pursued at the investigator's discretion. Participants not able to provide a skin biopsy or blood sample may opt to provide 100-200 ml of fresh urine. As a rule, samples will be collected on non-sedated/anesthetized participants. Sedation/anesthesia will NOT be used solely for the purpose of sample collection. In rare instances where a minor requires sedation for another medically indicated procedure, samples may be collected at the time of sedation/anesthesia. Because young children may not be able to cooperate with sample collection, those unable to provide a skin biopsy, urine sample or a blood sample may be excluded from the study, based on the judgment of the examining investigator.
4. Participant meets one of the following criteria:
1. Participant affected with an ocular condition is one year of age or older.
2. Participant affected with Best disease, L-ORD, or AMD is 18 years of age or older.
3. Unaffected participant is seven years of age or older and willing and able to provide assent.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
A participant is not eligible if any of the following exclusion criteria are present.
1. Participant is unable to comply with study procedures.
2. Participant has a systemic disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, compromises the ability to provide adequate samples. Examples of co-existing diseases that would exclude a participant include a bleeding diathesis or a genetic susceptibility to infections, particularly cutaneous infections.
ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR CLNICAL-GRADE CELL LINE GENERATION:
The additional eligibility criteria must be met for participants donating samples for the generation of clinical-grade cell lines.
Inclusion Criteria
1. Participant must be greater than 18 years of age, as of the date of enrollment. There is no upper age limit for donor enrollment.
2. Participant is able to provide a punch skin biopsy and 200 ml of peripheral venous blood.
3. Participant is willing and eligible to co-enroll in NEI protocol 15-EI-0128.
Exclusion Criteria
1. Participant has medical history that includes any of the following:
1. Thrombocytopenia or other blood dyscrasias
2. Bleeding diathesis
3. Antibiotic use within the prior 48 hours
4. Active cancer or history of cancer within the past five years
5. History of exposure to transfusion transmitted diseases including HIV and hepatitis B and C as defined by the Standards for Blood
Banking and Transfusion Services, American Association of Blood Banks.
6. Travel to an area where malaria is endemic as defined by the CDC (www.cdc.gov/travel)
7. At risk for the possible transmission of Creuzefeldt-Jackob Disease (CJD) and Variant Creuzefeldt-Jackob Disease (vCJD) as described in the FDA Guidance for Industry, January 9, 2002, "Revised Preventive Measures to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transfusion of Creuzefeldt-Jackob Disease (CJD) and Variant Creuzefeldt-Jackob Disease (vCJD) by Blood and Blood Products"
2. Participant is currently febrile (temperature \> 38 degrees C)
3. Participant has Hemoglobin level:
* African American women \<11.5 grams/dL
* Other women \< 12.0 grams/dL
* Men \<12.5 grams/dL
4. Participant has low hematocrit (HCT):
* African American women \< 34%
* Other women \<36%
* Men \<38%
5. Participant has Platelets \<150 x 103/microL
6. Participant has Absolute neutrophil count \<1.0 x 103/microL.
7. Participant has positive tests for blood borne pathogens (as required by the Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services, American Association of Blood Banks. The currently required tests include anti-HIV1/2, anti-HCV, anti-HBc, Anti-HTLV I/II, anti-T. Cruzi, HBsAg, syphilis, and molecular testing for West Nile virus, HCV, HBV, and HIV-1).
Where this trial is running
Bethesda, Maryland
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center — Bethesda, Maryland, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Fnu Ruchi, Ph.D. — National Eye Institute (NEI)
- Study coordinator: Nancy Chen
- Email: nancy.chen@nih.gov
- Phone: (240) 551-7020
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.