Peripheral Blood VA/TREM2 Levels and Their Correlation Analysis With the Development and Autistic Symptoms in Children With ASD (PBVTLCAASD)

December 18, 2023 updated by: Hua Wei

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairment, repetitive behaviors, and narrow interests. With advancements in diagnostic techniques, the prevalence of ASD has been increasing annually. However, due to its complex and diverse etiology, there is no definitive consensus on the pathogenic mechanism of ASD. Numerous studies indicate that genetics, environment, and other factors play crucial roles in the onset of ASD.

Vitamin A (VA) exerts its effects in the body through its active metabolite, retinoic acid (RA), which regulates the transcriptional activity and expression of downstream genes by binding to retinoic acid receptors (RARs/RXRs). Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2) is an immunoglobulin-like receptor present on microglial cells, with functions including inhibiting the production of inflammatory factors and engulfing apoptotic neurons. Recent foreign studies show a significant decrease in TREM2 levels in the brain tissue of ASD patients. However, there is limited research on the relationship between TREM2 and ASD.

In our previous animal experiments, we observed a reduction in TREM2 in the prefrontal cortex of the brain in ASD model rats. Administering overexpressed TREM2 improved autism-like behavior in ASD model rats, and supplementing RA upregulated the expression of RA-RARα and TREM2, modulated microglial cell activation, and improved autism-like behavior in rats. Therefore, we believe that the RA/RARα pathway regulates the TREM-2 signaling pathway, mediating changes in microglial cells, and TREM2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD.

Soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) is formed by the extracellular domain shedding of TREM2 under the action of ADAM protease. Research indicates that the expression of sTREM2 can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. However, the connection between VA, sTREM2 levels, and the behavioral and developmental levels of children with ASD remains unclear and requires further clinical research to validate. This will help deepen our understanding of TREM2 expression in ASD, its potential biological functions, and the role of RA.

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

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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.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

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.
50

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

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Chongqing
      • Chongqing, Chongqing, China, 400000
        • Recruiting
        • Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital
        • Contact:

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

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The Children's Health Department (Health Management Department) of Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital is recruiting 50 children with ASD and 50 typical children, aged between 3 and 8 years old. ASD diagnosis must comply with the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The Children's Health Department (Health Management Department) of Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital is recruiting 50 typical children and 50 children with ASD. Disease diagnosis will be conducted by professional doctors, and ASD diagnosis must comply with the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients or their family members unable to cooperate with blood collection for testing are excluded. Exclusion criteria also involve a history of other neurological disorders, chromosomal diseases, genetic metabolic disorders, and other significant physical illnesses such as auditory or visual impairments, epilepsy, phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, severe head trauma, autoimmune diseases, and disorders related to the endocrine, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, or renal systems. Patients' legal guardians refusing to participate in the project are also excluded.

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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 Group
Children with ASD
Diagnostic test: DSM-5
Using DSM-5 for diagnostic testing of the children in the study group.
Control Group
Normal Children
Diagnostic test: DSM-5
Using DSM-5 for diagnostic testing of the children in the study group.

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
Blood VA/sTREM2 level
Time Frame: 3 months
Using an ELISA assay kit to detect the serum sTREM2 levels and employing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to measure the Vitamin A content in peripheral blood.
3 months

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
Autistic Symptoms
Time Frame: 1 week
Using the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) scale to analyze the severity of autism symptoms in autistic children.
1 week

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.
Hua Wei

Study record dates

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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.
November 20, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
March 31, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
October 31, 2024

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).
December 18, 2023

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.
December 18, 2023

First Posted (Estimated)

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.
January 3, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

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.
January 3, 2024

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.
December 18, 2023

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.
December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • (2023) Lund Review No.452

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

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