COPDNCT02341326
Defective FGFR2 Signaling in the Small Airway Basal Progenitor Cells in COPD
An observational study of COPD and Smoking, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Early changes associated with the development of smoking-induced diseases, e.g., COPD and lung cancer (the two commonest causes of death in U.S.) are often characterized by abnormal airway epithelial differentiation. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- COPD, Smoking, Lung Disorder
- How many people
- 111 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jul 2014to 29 Oct 2024
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: New York Metropolitan area residents
Who may be able to join
- Must be capable of providing informed consent
- Males and females, age 18 or older
- Nonsmoking, matched with other groups by age, sex, ethnic/racial group
- Good overall health without history of chronic lung disease, including asthma, and without recurrent or recent (within 3 months) acute pulmonary disease
- Normal physical examination
- Normal routine laboratory evaluation, including general hematologic studies, general serologic/ immunologic studies, general biochemical analyses, and urine analysis
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- Negative HIV serology
- Normal chest X-ray (PA and lateral)
- Normal electrocardiogram
- Females - not pregnant
- No history of allergies to medications to be used in the bronchoscopy procedure
- Not taking any medications relevant to lung disease or having an effect on the airway epithelium
- Willingness to participate in the study
Who cannot join
- Unable to meet the inclusion criteria
- Pregnancy
- Current active infection or acute illness of any kind
- Current alcohol or drug abuse
- Evidence of malignancy within the past 5 years
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Early changes associated with the development of smoking-induced diseases, e.g., COPD and lung cancer (the two commonest causes of death in U.S.) are often characterized by abnormal airway epithelial differentiation. Airway basal cells (BC) are stem/progenitor cells necessary for generation of differentiated airway epithelium. Based on our preliminary observations on SAE BC cells and FGFR2 signaling, we hypothesized that suppression of FGFR2 signaling in the SAE BC stem/progenitor cells by cigarette smoking renders these cells less potent in generating and maintaining normally differentiated SAE, shifting these cells towards a COPD associated phenotype. To test this, SAE basal cells will be isolated from cultured cells obtained through bronchoscopic brushings and analyzed through in vitro assays for their stem/progenitor capacities.
Read the detailed description
Changes within the small airways of the lungs represent the key element in the mechanism of COPD, as they precede the development of emphysema and contribute to the progressive decline in expiratory airflow. One of the key features of COPD is the remodeling of the small airway epithelium (SAE), and COPD SAE phenotypes are often induced by smoking and broad gene expression changes in the SAE. Many of the specific mechanisms for maintenance and regeneration of small airways and differentiated SAE in adult human lungs are largely unknown, but smoking associated defects in the maintenance of the SAE may be an early event of COPD. Preliminary data from murine studies have indicated that fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) signaling is critical for lung architecture and development, and preliminary evidence has shown the FGFR2 pathway is down regulated within the small airway epithelium (SAE) of smokers and smokers with COPD. We hypothesize that the suppression of FGFR2 signaling in SAE BC stem cells by cigarette smoking causes these cells to become less potent, shifting the expression of normally differentiated SAE towards the COPD-associated small airway phenotype and therefore affecting the generation and maintenance of these cells. Using technologies established in our laboratories, pure populations of BC will be isolated from the SAE of healthy nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and COPD smokers. The stem/progenitor cell capacities of the SAE BC of each group will then be analyzed through the use of 3D modeling. The basic mechanisms of COPD will be tested by focusing on the phenotypes present in the lungs of COPD patients and comparison to their nonsmoker and healthy smoker counterparts. The 3 aims will be assessed in parallel, with all aims sharing in the biologic samples:
Aim 1 (n=60). To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo.
Aim 2 (n=20). To test the hypothesis that FGFR2 signaling is necessary for normal SAE BC stem cell function and suppression of FGFR2 caused by inhibitors and smoking associated factors (EGF and TGF- beta) leads an altered stem cell functional phenotype similar to SAE BC from COPD smokers with reduced capacity as characterized by Aim 1.
Aim 3 (n=40). To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE.
- Conditions
- COPD, Smoking, Lung Disorder
- Keywords
- Lung, COPD, smoking, Non-smoker
- Medical subject headings
- Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Smoking, Lung Diseases
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy nonsmokers | n=20 for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 2 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 2.To test the hypothesis that FGFR2 signaling is necessary for normal SAE BC stem cell function and suppression of FGFR2 caused by inhibitors and smoking associated factors (EGF and TGF- beta)leads an altered stem cell functional phenotype similar to SAE BC from COPD smokers with reduced capacity as characterized by Aim 1. | |
| Healthy smokers | n=20- for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 3 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 3.To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE. | |
| COPD smokers | n=20- for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 3 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 3.To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Expression of FGFR2 and related pathways in SAE BC
Measure of Expression of FGFR2 and related pathways in SAE BC
Measured: 5 Years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Jan 2015 (estimated)
- Study startJul 2014
- Primary completion29 Oct 2024
- Study completion29 Oct 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for COPDStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Renat Shaykhiev, MD, Principal investigator, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02341326
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1311014509
- Other IDs
- R01HL123544
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 16 Jul 2014
- Last updated
- 11 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Defective FGFR2 Signaling in the Small Airway Basal Progenitor Cells in COPD
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02341326
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1311014509
- Conditions
- COPD, Smoking, Lung Disorder
- Keywords
- Lung, COPD, smoking, Non-smoker
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Weill Medical College of Cornell UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- Study start
- Jul 2014 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 29 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 29 Oct 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Jan 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Early changes associated with the development of smoking-induced diseases, e.g., COPD and lung cancer (the two commonest causes of death in U.S.) are often characterized by abnormal airway epithelial differentiation. Airway basal cells (BC) are stem/progenitor cells necessary for generation of differentiated airway epithelium. Based on our preliminary observations on SAE BC cells and FGFR2 signaling, we hypothesized that suppression of FGFR2 signaling in the SAE BC stem/progenitor cells by cigarette smoking renders these cells less potent in generating and maintaining normally differentiated SAE, shifting these cells towards a COPD associated phenotype. To test this, SAE basal cells will be isolated from cultured cells obtained through bronchoscopic brushings and analyzed through in vitro assays for their stem/progenitor capacities.
Detailed description
Changes within the small airways of the lungs represent the key element in the mechanism of COPD, as they precede the development of emphysema and contribute to the progressive decline in expiratory airflow. One of the key features of COPD is the remodeling of the small airway epithelium (SAE), and COPD SAE phenotypes are often induced by smoking and broad gene expression changes in the SAE. Many of the specific mechanisms for maintenance and regeneration of small airways and differentiated SAE in adult human lungs are largely unknown, but smoking associated defects in the maintenance of the SAE may be an early event of COPD. Preliminary data from murine studies have indicated that fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) signaling is critical for lung architecture and development, and preliminary evidence has shown the FGFR2 pathway is down regulated within the small airway epithelium (SAE) of smokers and smokers with COPD. We hypothesize that the suppression of FGFR2 signaling in SAE BC stem cells by cigarette smoking causes these cells to become less potent, shifting the expression of normally differentiated SAE towards the COPD-associated small airway phenotype and therefore affecting the generation and maintenance of these cells. Using technologies established in our laboratories, pure populations of BC will be isolated from the SAE of healthy nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and COPD smokers. The stem/progenitor cell capacities of the SAE BC of each group will then be analyzed through the use of 3D modeling. The basic mechanisms of COPD will be tested by focusing on the phenotypes present in the lungs of COPD patients and comparison to their nonsmoker and healthy smoker counterparts. The 3 aims will be assessed in parallel, with all aims sharing in the biologic samples:
Aim 1 (n=60). To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo.
Aim 2 (n=20). To test the hypothesis that FGFR2 signaling is necessary for normal SAE BC stem cell function and suppression of FGFR2 caused by inhibitors and smoking associated factors (EGF and TGF- beta) leads an altered stem cell functional phenotype similar to SAE BC from COPD smokers with reduced capacity as characterized by Aim 1.
Aim 3 (n=40). To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy nonsmokers | – | –n=20 for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 2 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 2.To test the hypothesis that FGFR2 signaling is necessary for normal SAE BC stem cell function and suppression of FGFR2 caused by inhibitors and smoking associated factors (EGF and TGF- beta)leads an altered stem cell functional phenotype similar to SAE BC from COPD smokers with reduced capacity as characterized by Aim 1. |
| Healthy smokers | – | –n=20- for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 3 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 3.To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE. |
| COPD smokers | – | –n=20- for Aim 1 n=20 for Aim 3 Aim 1.To determine whether BC from the SAE of COPD smokers have reduced capacity to generate normally differentiated SAE, e.g initiate airway branching and repair in response to injury in vitro but generate airway epithelium with the phenotype similar to that present in SAE of COPD smokers in vivo. Aim 3.To assess the hypothesis that increasing FGFR2 signaling and suppressing smoking induced EGF receptors and TGF-beta pathways will restore the FGFR2 expression and normalize the capacity of SAE BC stem cells to generate and maintain normally differentiated SAE. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- New York Metropolitan area residents
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Must be capable of providing informed consent
- Males and females, age 18 or older
- Nonsmoking, matched with other groups by age, sex, ethnic/racial group
- Good overall health without history of chronic lung disease, including asthma, and without recurrent or recent (within 3 months) acute pulmonary disease
- Normal physical examination
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Unable to meet the inclusion criteria
- Pregnancy
- Current active infection or acute illness of any kind
- Current alcohol or drug abuse
- Evidence of malignancy within the past 5 years
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Expression of FGFR2 and related pathways in SAE BC
Time frame: 5 Years
Measure of Expression of FGFR2 and related pathways in SAE BC
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Mar 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Renat Shaykhiev, MD principal investigator
Weill Cornell Medical College, NY
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of COPD and Smoking, run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 13 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Expression of FGFR2 and related pathways in SAE BC (time frame: 5 Years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Mar 2025.