NCT07129330

RSPO3/SDC-1 Pathway Dysfunction in Alveolar Repair After ARDS in Older Adults

Role and Mechanisms of RSPO3/SDC-1 Pathway Dysregulation in Impaired Alveolar Epithelial Repair Post-ARDS in Older Adults

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 1,000 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious lung condition in which fluid builds up in the air sacs, making it hard to breathe and often requiring intensive care. Older adults fare worse because their lung-lining cells lose the ability to heal properly after injury This study will explore two key molecules-RSPO3 and Syndecan-1 (SDC-1)-that normally help alveolar (air-sac) cells regenerate. We will collect small blood samples from ARDS patients and, when patients undergo elective lung surgery, tiny pieces of healthy lung tissue. In the lab, we will also grow three-dimensional "lung organoids" from these samples to see how boosting or blocking RSPO3/SDC-1 affects cell repair Our goals are to: Measure RSPO3/SDC-1 activity alongside inflammatory markers (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α) to understand their roles in age-related repair failure. Build an integrated platform for early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and treatment evaluation in older ARDS patients. Identify molecular targets that could lead to new therapies, helping older adults recover lung function more effectively.

Conditions

• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
• Age-related Impaired Alveolar Epithelial Repair

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	RSPO3/SDC-1 pathway profiling assay	Peripheral Blood: 5 mL collected into EDTA tubes; PBMCs isolated within 2 h for RT-qPCR analysis of RSPO3/SDC-1 mRNA and sandwich ELISA quantification of protein levels. Saliva: 2-3 mL unstimulated saliva naturally expectorated into sterile tubes, kept at 4 °C and processed within 2 h (centrifuged, aliquoted) before -80 °C storage Subcutaneous Fat: 100-200 mg obtained during elective procedures, preserved in RNAlater at 4 °C for 24 h, then frozen at -80 °C 3D Alveolar Organoid Assay: Lung tissue-derived organoids are cultured in Matrigel and treated ex vivo with recombinant RSPO3 or SDC-1 neutralizing antibody; epithelial repair is assessed over 7 days by Ki-67 immunostaining and wound-closure measurement
PROCEDURE	Blood and Saliva	Peripheral Blood: 5 mL collected into EDTA tubes; PBMCs isolated within 2 h for RT-qPCR analysis of RSPO3/SDC-1 mRNA and sandwich ELISA quantification of protein levels. Saliva: 2-3 mL unstimulated saliva naturally expectorated into sterile tubes, kept at 4 °C and processed within 2 h (centrifuged, aliquoted) before -80 °C storage

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-01
• Primary completion: 2025-09-01
• Completion: 2029-12-30
• First posted: 2025-08-19
• Last updated: 2025-08-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China