Inflammation and COPD multi-morbidity
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Accelerated ageing in disease pathogenesis, progression and multi-morbidity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
IRAS ID
239650
Contact name
Elizabeth Sapey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 3 days
Research summary
As people age, they tend to develop more and more chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Many of these illnesses co-exist in the same person (termed "multi-morbidity") more than you would expect, even when you take lifestyle factors (such as smoking) into account. This has led to some people believing that these conditions share common links or causes. If we could find these common links, we could find new treatments which improve outcomes for patients with multi-morbidity.
Our immune system fights infection, using immune cells (leukocytes) and proteins. Ageing is linked with defects in the immune system which are thought to contribute to chronic inflammatory conditions.
COPD is a common, debilitating lung disease with limited treatment options and no known cure. It is the third leading cause of death globally, costing the UK £1B annually. The causes of COPD are poorly understood, affecting smokers and non-smokers alike.
Our data shows that leukocytes in patients with COPD make abnormal and injurious responses which damage the lung but also effect other organs in the body.
As cells age they are removed and replaced with new functioning cells. Failure to remove these old or “senescent” cells is linked with age-related illnesses including diabetes and heart disease. Such conditions are common in patients with COPD.
We hypothesize that damaging immune responses in COPD are caused by the accumulation of senescent leukocytes and these cells contribute to multi-morbidity.
We will examine the characteristics of blood leukocytes and test their ability to move into tissue and clear infection. We will also determine the importance of specific regulatory pathways linked to leukocyte functions. Comparisons will be made between patients with COPD, heart disease and diabetes to test whether leukocyte senescence is a causative link for these age-related inflammatory diseases.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0097
Date of REC Opinion
25 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion