Immune Response to Hepatitis C Virus

November 12, 2013 updated by: Arash Grakoui PhD, Emory University

Immunologic Determinants of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Resolution or Persistence

The purpose of the study is to investigate the immune response to hepatitis C virus to determine why some people clear the virus and others develop chronic infection. Changes in immune response once hepatitis C therapy is begun will also be examined. If patients are also HIV+, the effect of antiretroviral therapy on the recovery of hepatitis C immunity will be investigated.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

We will analyze the peripheral (blood) and intrahepatic (liver) immune response in hepatitis C infection in patients with clear hepatitis C infection and those who develop chronic infection. We hope to determine immune responses that are important for eliminating the infection. Currently, the treatments for hepatitis C are not effective for everyone. For those patients enrolled who begin hepatitis C treatment, we will evaluate the immune system of people who respond compared to those who do not respond. If the patient is HIV positive, the change in hepatitis C immune response once various HIV medicines (antiretrovirals) are started will also be examined. Any treatment for hepatitis C or HIV will be determined by the patient's primary physician and will not be affected by enrollment in the study.

Blood samples of ~70 cc will be obtained no more than once per week. Patients who begin hepatitis C therapy or antiretroviral therapy if HIV coinfected will provide serial specimens for examination. Patients who undergo liver biopsy as a part of their routine hepatitis care will provide a sample for further studies of the immune response to see if it is different in the liver compared to the blood.

Study Type

Observational

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This is not a clinical trial, but rather a basic science study using blinded human specimens.

Individuals with HCV infection will be identified for enrollment into our study by our clinical collaborators at the Crawford Long Infectious Diseases Clinic-Emory University. Control individuals with no prior exposure to HCV will be identified and enrolled both from the Crawford Long clinics and from the investigative donor pool at the Emory Vaccine Center. Inclusion in the current study will be limited to individuals with HCV genotype 1 infection as well as uninfected normal controls as determined by antibody and viral load measurements.

Description

This is not a clinical trial.

Inclusion Criteria

  • HCV infected and uninfected (controls)
  • Women
  • Minorities

Exclusion Criteria

  • Children
  • Individuals who cannot or will not provide informed consent

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?

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
HCV+
No group or cohort; not a clinical trial

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
This is NOT a clinical trial; thus no outcomes. Specimens from human subjects taken at clinical site and sent unidentified to laboratory for assays.
Time Frame: no outcomes measured
no outcomes measured

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
This is NOT a clinical trial; thus no outcomes. Specimens from human subjects taken at clinical site and sent unidentified to laboratory for assays.
Time Frame: no outcomes to measure
no outcomes to measure

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
This is NOT a clinical trial; thus no outcomes. Specimens from human subjects taken at clinical site and sent unidentified to laboratory for assays.
Time Frame: no outcomes measured
no outcomes measured

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Arash Grakoui, Ph.D., Emory University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

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

September 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2005

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2005

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 9, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 9, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 14, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

November 13, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 12, 2013

Last Verified

November 1, 2013

More Information

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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