Characterisation of Intra-hepatic NETS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characterisation of Intra-hepatic Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
IRAS ID
323189
Contact name
William Bernal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Neutrophils are a form of circulating white blood cell that have many functions in the immune system of the body. Along with their key role in immune defence, they have been implicated in the pathological processes of several diseases through the formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps or NETs. These are net-like structures formed of DNA and a complex of proteins that are released by neutrophils when the cells are triggered by a number of external stimuli. NETs were first identified as a defence mechanism which allowed for the trapping and killing of disease-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi. However, evidence is emerging for a role in the development of diseases including autoimmune disease, cancer and thrombosis. NETs may also be important in the development of liver diseases, particularly those where neutrophils are found within the liver, but to date there have been very limited studies of this in humans. Using samples of liver from consented donors to our Research Tissue Bank (RTB) we have for the first time demonstrated the presence of NETs in some specific liver diseases, but these samples represent only a limited number of cases and from specific liver diseases. We now wish to extend this work by studying samples from a broader range of diseases and at different stages of development and severity than is available from the RTB. To do this we would like to study de-identified samples of liver tissue that is surplus to diagnostic requirements and stored within the Diagnostic Archive at the Institute of Liver Studies at Kings College Hospital. If we can better understand in which liver diseases NETs are important in development, we may be able to target them with new treatments that are designed to prevent NET formation or break them up once formed.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/1740
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion