Nasal Brushing for the Diagnosis and Understanding of Telomeropathies (TELOSTIC)

November 3, 2022 updated by: Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain
To date, the diagnosis of telomeropathies is based on telomere length measured in blood cells. However, this type of analysis is not always sufficient because some mutations underlying the development of telomeropathies are not associated with abnormal shortened telomeres. Since telomere dysfunction analysis cannot be performed on blood cells, it is mandatory to have access to another cellular material. To date, skin biopsies are performed to obtain fibroblasts. However, this technique is relatively invasive. The aim of this project is to assess whether nasal epithelial cells obtained through nasal brushing could offer the opportunity to detect cellular alterations and mutations involved in telomeropathies, in a mildly invasive way. If successful, this technique could become a non-invasive clinical tool for the diagnosis work-up of telomeropathies. Moreover, investigators aim to assess whether olfactory function is impaired in patients with telomeropathies.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Endpoint #1: To assess the suitability of nasal brushing analyses for the diagnosis of telomeropathies.

To date, the complete diagnosis of telomeropathies, including the identification of responsible mutations, is based on blood samples and fibroblast cultures obtained through skin biopsies. Cells obtained through nasal brushing offer the opportunity to detect cellular alterations and mutations involved in telomeropathies, in a mildly invasive way. Investigators will thus assess a population of patients with a suspicion of telomeropathy, using a nasal brushing, and will compare their nasal brushing results to those of age-matched healthy controls. In patients, results of nasal brushing will be compared to standard of care blood test (leukocyte telomere length using Flow-FISH technique). If investigators confirm that the nasal brushing offers the opportunity to i) detect damaged telomeres and premature cellular senescence and ii) identify mutations related to telomeropathies, this technique could become a non-invasive clinical tool for the diagnosis work-up of telomeropathies.

Endpoint #2: To develop primary cell cultures for the functional study of new germline mutations.

To date, various germline mutations have already been identified in telomeropathy patients, in a total of 17 genes. Understanding how these mutations were affecting telomere biology relied on in vitro studies with either patient-derived fibroblasts or engineered human cell lines recapitulating the mutation. This was a mandatory step towards the molecular understanding of these pathologies. Because olfactory neural precursors have the capacity to grow in culture, this offers the additional possibility to perform functional studies on primary cultures of nasal brushing-derived cells for novel mutations, with still unknown impact on telomeres, that would be identified. Again, this could advantageously replace patients' fibroblast cultures established through skin biopsy.

Endpoint #3: To evaluate whether patients with telomeropathies have impaired olfactory function.

Olfactory function is decreased in several diseases and is increasingly recognized as an indicator of biological aging. To date, no data exist regarding the impact of telomeropathies on olfactory function. Therefore, investigators aim to psychophysically assess olfactory function in patients with telomeropathies, in comparison to age-matched healthy controls.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
250

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

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Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • ADULT
  • OLDER_ADULT
  • CHILD

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients : Having a suspicion of or a confirmed telomeropathy

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients and controls:No access to the olfactory cleft Patients and controls: Abnormal endoscopic finding (i.e. meningocele, vascular ectasia)

Specific exclusion criteria for smell assessment (outcome 3):

Patients and controls: History of neurological or psychiatric disorder known to interfere with olfactory function or olfactory trouble (postinfectious, posttraumatic, toxic) Patients and controls: History of chronic rhinosinusitis

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
  • Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
EXPERIMENTAL: Patients with confirmed or suspected telomeropathy
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, adult or pediatric medullar dysplasia or myelodysplasia, unexplained liver cirrhosis or unexplained liver regenerative nodular hyperplasia.
Diagnostic test: Nasal brushing
Nasal brushing to harvest nasal cells and perform staining experiments
Diagnostic test: Sniffin' Sticks
Assessment of olfactory function
OTHER: Controls
Age and sex-matched control participants
Diagnostic test: Nasal brushing
Nasal brushing to harvest nasal cells and perform staining experiments
Diagnostic test: Sniffin' Sticks
Assessment of olfactory function

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To assess the suitability of nasal brushing analysis for the diagnosis of telomeropathies through evaluation of cellular senescence (SA-B-gal activity) and damaged telomeres (FISH/IF)
Time Frame: 5 minutes
Investigators will evaluate if it is possible to detect damaged telomeres (via FISH/IF - Fluorescence In Situ Hybridation /ImmunoFluoresence -) and premature cellular senescence in patients (via SA-B-gal activity - Senescence Associated Beta-galactosidase activity measurement - and senescence associated biomarkers by qRT-PCR - quantitative Reverse Transcription - Polymerase Chain Reaction - ), in comparison to healthy controls.
5 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To develop primary cell cultures to study how the germline mutation affects telomere integrity in vitro through functional telomere assays
Time Frame: 5 minutes
Cells harvested from the nasal mucosa will be cultived and analysed to detect telomeric DNA damage and premature cellular senescence
5 minutes

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To assess whether patients with telomeropathies have impaired olfactory function
Time Frame: 20 minutes
Olfactory function will be assessed using the validated Sniffin' Sticks test
20 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Caroline Huart, MD, PhD, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (ACTUAL)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2022

Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2025

Study Completion (ANTICIPATED)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 10, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 17, 2022

First Posted (ACTUAL)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 19, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 4, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 3, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2022/07FEV/046

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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