Induced Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells as Modulators of Allergic Asthma (MGH-002)

This is an interventional basic science trial for Asthma focused on measuring Asthma, Allergic, Inflammation, Airway, Challenge, Chemokines, Tolerization Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects with Allergic Asthma (AA subjects):

1. All subjects will have a baseline FEV1 no less than 75 % of the predicted value after bronchodilator administration.
2. All subjects will have both a clinical history of allergic symptoms to cat or dust mite allergen and a positive allergen prick test (3 mm diameter greater than diluent control)
3. Life-long absence of cigarette smoking (lifetime total of < 5 pack-years and none in 5 years).
4. Willing and able to give informed consent.
5. Expressed the desire to participate in an interview with the principal investigator.
6. Age between 18 and 50 years.
7. A methacholine PC20 < 16 mg/ml.
8. Asthma of severity defined as: requiring no more than step 3 therapy (NHLBI Guidelines, 2007), well-controlled and having a validated asthma control test (ACT) score of > 19 for one month prior to the screening visit, and able to tolerate a 2 week stoppage of inhaled corticosteroids prior to Visit 2.

Healthy Control Subjects (HC subjects):

Normal control subjects will be individuals who are in good overall health, age and sex matched to the asthmatic group, age 18 - 50 and nonallergic, i.e. entirely negative on the panel of prick skin tests with no history of allergic rhinitis or asthma, no history of allergic symptoms caused by cats or dust mite allergen exposure, life-long nonsmokers of cigarettes (defined as a lifetime total of less than 5 pack-years and none in 5 years), normal spirometry (i.e. FEV1 and FVC of at least 90% of predicted) and with a methacholine PC20 of > 16 mg/ml.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects with Allergic Asthma (AA subjects):

1. Women of childbearing potential who are pregnant (based on urine beta-HCG testing), are sexually active and not using contraception, are seeking to become pregnant, or who are nursing.
2. The presence of spontaneous asthmatic episode or clinical evidence of upper respiratory tract infection within the previous 6 weeks.
3. Participation in a research study involving a drug or biologic during the 30 days prior to the study.
4. Intolerance to albuterol, atropine, lidocaine, fentanyl, or midazolam.
5. Antihistamines within 7 days of the screening visit.
6. Presence of diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, history of a cerebrovascular accident, renal failure, history of anaphylaxis, or cirrhosis.
7. Use of systemic steroids, increased use of inhaled steroids, beta blockers and MAO inhibitors or a visit for an asthma exacerbation within 1 month of the screening visit.
8. Antibiotic use for respiratory disease within 1 month of the characterization visit or a respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks of the bronchoscopy visits.
9. A history of asthma-related respiratory failure requiring intubation.
10. Quantitative skin-prick test positive reaction down to an allergen concentration of 0.056 BAU or AU/ml.
11. Subjects with a high possibility of poor compliance with the study.
12. Have a history of cigarette smoking within the past 5 years or > 5 pack years total.
13. Having second-hand cigarette smoke exposure or indoor furry pets except in the case of dog, if the subject is not allergic to the dog and the subject has a negative skin test to dog.
14. Other lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis, bronchiectasis or active lung infection.
15. Use of Xolair (omalizumab - anti-IgE monoclonal antibody) for 6 months.
16. Immunotherapy with cat or dust mite extract now or in the past.
17. Use of prophylactic aspirin for cardiovascular disease.
18. Non-English speakers.
19. Weight less than 110 pounds
20. Hematocrit < 0.36 for females, <0.38 for males.

Healthy Normal Control Subjects (HC subjects):

1. A history of allergy, asthma, nasal or sinus disease.
2. Exclusion criteria #1, 3-8 and 10-20 from (A.) above.