The Genetics of Evoked Responses to Niacin and Endotoxemia: The GENE Study (GENE)

The purpose of this study is to determine genetic factors that affect responses to niacin therapy and endotoxemia in healthy volunteers.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Volunteers
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Immediate Release Niacin, Extended Release Niacin, Endotoxin

Detailed Description

Niacin is a vitamin that has beneficial effects on cholesterol (a type of fat in the blood) when used in high doses. Different people respond differently to cholesterol lowering doses of niacin, some people have a side effect termed flushing (similar to a hot flash) while others do not and some people have more pronounced effects on cholesterol. Endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a small part of bacteria (that is no longer living) that can cause many of the effects similar to bacterial infections in humans. However, it can be administered in very small amounts to produce a mild inflammatory response much the same as a 'flu-like" illness. Within 1 ½ -3 hours after giving LPS by vein, a response consisting of fever, chills, headache, nausea and vomiting and generalized aches and pains will occur which lasts up to 6-8 hours. In addition to the flu like symptoms, the inflammation causes changes in cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose clearance. Different people respond differently to endotoxin and inflammation. We are performing this study to see if there are genetic factors that predict how people will respond to niacin and to endotoxin and its inflammatory response.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 400
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • University of Pennsylvania

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Men and non-pregnant/lactating women between the ages of 18 and 45.
2. Self reported African American or Caucasian racial-ethnic background.
3. Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥ 18 and ≤ 30.
4. Participants who are able to give written informed consent and willing to comply with all study-related procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Known clinically manifest atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including coronary disease, cerebrovascular disease, or peripheral vascular disease.
2. History of diabetes mellitus.
3. Fasting glucose > 126 mg/dL.
4. History of a non-skin malignancy within the previous 5 years.
5. Renal insufficiency as defined by creatinine > 1.5 mg/dl at Screening Visit.
6. History of liver disease or abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) (AST, ALT, Alk. Phos., GGT > 1.5x upper limit of normal (ULN); bilirubin > 2x ULN) at Screening Visit.
7. Men who are unwilling to limit alcohol consumption to <14 alcoholic drinks per week or < 4 alcoholic drinks per occasion (AMA / NIAAA criteria for "at risk" usage levels) while participating in the study.
8. Women who are unwilling to limit alcohol consumption to < 7 alcoholic drinks per week or < 3 alcoholic drinks per occasion (AMA / NIAAA criteria for "at risk" usage levels) while participating in the study.
9. Total white blood cell count less than or equal to 3.0 THO/uL.
10. Hemoglobin below 11.0 g/dL.
11. Any major active rheumatologic, pulmonary, or dermatologic disease or inflammatory condition or minor active infection.
12. History of HIV positive.
13. First degree family history of premature cardiovascular disease event (father or brother if diagnosed at before 55 years of age; mother or sister if diagnosed before 65 years of age).
14. Patients who have undergone any organ transplant.
15. Individuals who currently use tobacco products or have done so in the previous 30 days.
16. Treatment with aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), COX-2 inhibitors, steroids or any immunomodulatory therapy 2 weeks prior to the Screening Visit.
17. Treatment with statins, fibrates or niacin 4 weeks prior to the Screening Visit.
18. Current daily use of Vitamin C > 1000 mg, Beta carotene > 1000 IU, vitamin A > 5000 IU, vitamin E > 400 IU, and selenium > 200 mcg.
19. Positive urine pregnancy at the Screening Visit.
20. Participation in another clinical trial within the previous 6 weeks prior to the Screening Visit.
21. Poorly controlled blood pressure (BP > 160/110) or on any anti-hypertensive medications.
22. A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome using updated 2004 NCEP ATPIII criteria.
23. A history of severe lactose intolerance (e.g., intolerance of any milk intake).
24. Any medical condition or abnormal laboratory value that is judged clinically significant by an investigator.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Niacin and Endotoxin; All subjects are expected to have the same interventions- Niacin and Endotoxin.	Drug: Immediate Release Niacin, Extended Release Niacin, Endotoxin; Subjects receive a one-time 1000mg dose of immediate release Niacin (Niacor pills), a one-time 1000mg dose of extended release Niacin (Niaspan pill) and one-time 1ng/kg injection of endotoxin (LPS).; Other Names: Niaspan; Niacor

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Baseline and Peak TNF-alpha Values as Categorized by Race and Gender	Baseline (-15 min, -5 min), and 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours post LPS

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Baseline and Peak C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Values as Categorized by Race and Gender	Baseline ( -15 min, -5 min), and 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours post LPS

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Muredach P Reilly, M.B., MSCE, University of Pennsylvania

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ferguson JF, Ryan MF, Gibney ER, Brennan L, Roche HM, Reilly MP. Dietary isoflavone intake is associated with evoked responses to inflammatory cardiometabolic stimuli and improved glucose homeostasis in healthy volunteers. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2014 Sep;24(9):996-1003. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2014.03.010. Epub 2014 Apr 18.
• Ferguson JF, Xue C, Gao Y, Tian T, Shi J, Zhang X, Wang Y, Li YD, Wei Z, Li M, Zhang H, Reilly MP. Tissue-Specific Differential Expression of Novel Genes and Long Intergenic Noncoding RNAs in Humans With Extreme Response to Evoked Endotoxemia. Circ Genom Precis Med. 2018 Nov;11(11):e001907. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGEN.117.001907.
• Ferguson JF, Shah RY, Shah R, Mehta NN, Rickels MR, Reilly MP. Activation of innate immunity modulates insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness and pancreatic beta-cell function in both African ancestry and European ancestry healthy humans. Metabolism. 2015 Apr;64(4):513-520. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.12.007. Epub 2014 Dec 26.
• Liu Y, Ferguson JF, Xue C, Ballantyne RL, Silverman IM, Gosai SJ, Serfecz J, Morley MP, Gregory BD, Li M, Reilly MP. Tissue-specific RNA-Seq in human evoked inflammation identifies blood and adipose LincRNA signatures of cardiometabolic diseases. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2014 Apr;34(4):902-12. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.113.303123. Epub 2014 Feb 6.
• Ferguson JF, Patel PN, Shah RY, Mulvey CK, Gadi R, Nijjar PS, Usman HM, Mehta NN, Shah R, Master SR, Propert KJ, Reilly MP. Race and gender variation in response to evoked inflammation. J Transl Med. 2013 Mar 12;11:63. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-11-63.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: June 1, 2007
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 4, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 5, 2009
• First Posted (Estimate): August 6, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 24, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 23, 2016
• Last Verified: January 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Infections; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome; Inflammation; Sepsis; Bacteremia; Toxemia; Endotoxemia; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Vasodilator Agents; Antimetabolites; Micronutrients; Hypolipidemic Agents; Lipid Regulating Agents; Vitamins; Vitamin B Complex; Niacin
• Other Study ID Numbers: 805670