Tuning the immune response in TB version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Tuning the immune response in tuberculosis
IRAS ID
197718
Contact name
Gillian S Tomlinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2016/03/91, UCL Data Protection Registration Number
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is an important infectious disease which affects nine million people and causes two million deaths every year. The human immune system can protect against TB but is also responsible for causing the tissue damage that may result from TB disease. We aim to increase our understanding of the parts of the immune system that influence the balance of beneficial and harmful responses to TB infection in order to identify new targets for more effective treatments and vaccines. To do this we will use a molecular technique to measure all gene activity (expression) within biopsy samples from the site of the tuberculin skin test, to assess immune responses in patients newly diagnosed with active TB disease. Patients will be recruited from TB clinics at the South TB Hub (Whittington Hospital) and the Royal Free Hospital. Initially, we will focus on the role of a specific part of the immune system called interleukin (IL)10 because this is a key mediator that controls the immune system during its response to infections. In addition, we will discover new components of immune responses to TB which vary most between people and may therefore underlie differences in disease severity. We hope to gain new insights that help to develop novel interventions that will significantly shorten the length of anti-TB treatment, which will be important to reduce spread of TB and minimise development of drug resistance. We anticipate that this work may also lead to design of new vaccines that prevent TB disease altogether.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0776
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion