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Recruiting NCT01650311

Investigating Serotonin Signalling in IBD Patients

— Observational Inflammatory Bowel Disease

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Basic parameters: 19 years — 85 years · All.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
Canada
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →

Overview

Alterations in normal serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine;5-HT) signaling have been reported in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Studies report an increase in enterochromaffin (EC) cell, main source of 5-HT in the gut, numbers in CD and UC patients. Up-regulated expression of mucosal Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH)-1, catalytic enzyme in 5-HT production, messenger RNA (mRNA) have been found in CD patients in remission who are suffering the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms. Alterations in normal 5-HT signaling has also been reported in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thus, the aim of the proposed research project will be to study the alterations in 5-HT signalling accompanying GI inflammatory conditions, such as IBD.

Detailed description

The gut produces approximately 95% of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) found in the human body; where, it is a very important mucosal signaling molecule participating in gut motility, sensation, and secretion.The vast majority of the gut-derived 5-HT is produced by specialized epithelial cells of The GI tract, called enterochromaffin (EC) cells. EC cells produce 5-HT from dietary tryptophan, this process involves the rate limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) 1, once produced this 5-HT can be released into the gut lumen, surrounding tissue and can enter the blood circulation.5-HT mediates many gastrointestinal functions, including secretion and peristalsis, by acting on a diverse range of 5-HT receptors. Five of the seven known receptor families of 5-HT (5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4 and 5-HT7) are expressed in the gut.

5-HT has been evaluated in IBD and in animal models of colitis. An increase in numbers of EC cells expressing 5-HT is observed in CD and UC patients and consumption of selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors is associated with microscopic colitis. In the present study, we plan to investigate the key elements of mucosal 5-HT signaling in CD patients for a better understanding of the role of 5-HT in pathogenesis of IBD.

Primary outcome measures

  • TPH1 [Time frame: At the time of sample collection]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
  • Receptor expressions [Time frame: At the time of sample collection]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • Patient groups: Disease diagnosis (CD or UC),duration of disease, previous/type of treatments, duration of treatment and disease prognosis.
  • Healthy controls: No diagnosis of CD or UC and no diagnosis of IBS.

Exclusion criteria

  • Patient groups: Drugs that directly affect components of 5-HT signaling, any other disease or condition that may interfere with study assessments as judged by the investigator.
  • Healthy controls:Chronic use of any anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs that directly affect components of 5-HT signalling and any other disease or condition that may interfere with study assessments as judged by the investigator.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Observational model
Cohort

Study locations

Canada · 1 center
  • McMaster University Medical Center — Hamilton

Publications

  • Coates MD, Mahoney CR, Linden DR, Sampson JE, Chen J, Blaszyk H, Crowell MD, Sharkey KA, Gershon MD, Mawe GM, Moses PL. Molecular defects in mucosal serotonin content and decreased serotonin reuptake transporter in ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2004 Jun;126(7):1657-64. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2004.03.013. PMID 15188158
  • Minderhoud IM, Oldenburg B, Schipper ME, ter Linde JJ, Samsom M. Serotonin synthesis and uptake in symptomatic patients with Crohn's disease in remission. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jun;5(6):714-20. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2007.02.013. Epub 2007 May 4. PMID 17481962
  • El-Salhy M, Danielsson A, Stenling R, Grimelius L. Colonic endocrine cells in inflammatory bowel disease. J Intern Med. 1997 Nov;242(5):413-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.1997.00237.x. PMID 9408072
  • Sharkey KA, Mawe GM. Neuroimmune and epithelial interactions in intestinal inflammation. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2002 Dec;2(6):669-77. doi: 10.1016/s1471-4892(02)00215-1. PMID 12482729
  • Khan WI, Ghia JE. Gut hormones: emerging role in immune activation and inflammation. Clin Exp Immunol. 2010 Jul 1;161(1):19-27. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2010.04150.x. Epub 2010 Apr 9. PMID 20408856
  • Buchan AM. Nutrient Tasting and Signaling Mechanisms in the Gut III. Endocrine cell recognition of luminal nutrients. Am J Physiol. 1999 Dec;277(6):G1103-7. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1999.277.6.G1103. PMID 10600808
  • Rindi G, Kloppel G. Endocrine tumors of the gut and pancreas tumor biology and classification. Neuroendocrinology. 2004;80 Suppl 1:12-5. doi: 10.1159/000080733. PMID 15477709
  • Gordon JI, Schmidt GH, Roth KA. Studies of intestinal stem cells using normal, chimeric, and transgenic mice. FASEB J. 1992 Sep;6(12):3039-50. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.6.12.1521737. PMID 1521737

Identifiers

NCT: NCT01650311 · 12-239

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗