Innate Immunity Signal Transduction in Human Leukocytes
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Summary
This study will investigate the response of immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes) to various signals in the test tube to determine how they sense the signals in the body and what substances they produce in response to them. It will determine how the cells may, under certain circumstances, contribute to inflammation, and will measure substances in the blood plasma (the liquid, non-cellular part of the blood) that might stimulate white blood cells, in order to understand how the blood responds to possible disease-related conditions. Healthy normal volunteers 18 years of age and older who weigh at least 110 pounds may be eligible for this study. Participants give about 320 milliliters (mL) of blood (about 1 1/3 cups) or less at each donation. They donate no more than once every 8 weeks and no more than six times a year. On some occasions, less than 320 mL of blood may be drawn. The collected blood is separated into its components and specific cells are exposed to substances to examine their response.
Description
The objective of this study is several-fold. We wish to determine the response of white blood cells (neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, lymphocytes) to various signals in the test tube, to test how they sense the signals in the body, and what substances they produce. We wish to determine how these cells may, under certain circumstances, contribute to inflammation. We wish to measure the substances in the blood plasma that might contribute to stimulation of white blood cells to understand the response of the whole blood to potential disease-associated conditions. The objective is to define t…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * Normal, healthy adult donors as judged by screening questionnaire * Nonpregnant * Weighing at least 110 lbs * 18-65 years of age * HIV negative (proof required every 6 months we will conduct test)\* * Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C serology negative (checked every 6 months we will conduct test)\* * The rationale for HIV and hepatitis viral testing is that chronic viral infection may alter and possibly invalidate our experimental results. HIV and hepatitis results will be confidentially obtained. Testing will be contracted to an external certified laborat…
Location
- NIEHS Clinical Research Unit (CRU)Research Triangle Park, North Carolina