NCT07386912

Investigation of the Effects of Oxidized Antigens on the T-Cell Response and the Epigenetic Reprogramming of Neutrophils in Lung Diseases - OXIGENE -

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Research Center Borstel · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The OXIGENE study is a research project that aims to better understand how the immune system behaves in people with lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and viral lung infections. By analyzing a single blood sample, the study examines how certain immune cells react during inflammation and infection, and whether lasting changes in these cells influence how strongly the body responds to disease. Although participants do not receive direct medical benefit, the results may help improve future diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases by providing deeper insight into immune responses.

Detailed description

The OXIGENE study is an observational research project that explores how the human immune system responds in different lung diseases, including asthma, COPD, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and viral lung infections such as COVID-19 or influenza. The study focuses on two key components of the immune system: neutrophils, which are among the first immune cells to respond to inflammation, and T cells, which play an important role in longer-term immune defense. Researchers investigate whether neutrophils show lasting changes in their behavior during lung disease and how these changes may differ depending on the type of illness or individual patient characteristics. In people with tuberculosis, the study also examines whether chemical changes to bacterial proteins caused by inflammation influence how strongly T cells are activated. Participation in the study involves a single blood draw, similar to a routine blood test, with no medications, interventions, or follow-up visits required. The study does not provide direct medical benefit to participants, but the risks are minimal and limited to those associated with blood sampling. By improving the understanding of how immune responses are altered in lung diseases, the OXIGENE study aims to generate knowledge that could support the development of better diagnostic tools and more targeted treatments for future patients.

Conditions

• Asthma
• COPD
• Bacterial Pneumonia
• Viral Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Characterization of the neutrophil granulocyte epigenome	Characterization of epigenomic differences in neutrophils from patients with different lung diseases (asthma, COPD, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and viral pulmonary infections such as COVID-19 and influenza) by identifying disease-specific epigenetic and functional signatures
OTHER	Characterization of the T-cell immune response to to various oxidatively modified mycobacterial antigens	Investigation of the response (activation/stimulation) of antigen-specific T cells from patients with tuberculosis to various oxidatively modified mycobacterial antigens, with the aim of determining whether changes in the redox status of these antigens measurably influence the adaptive immune response.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-01
• Primary completion: 2028-12-01
• Completion: 2030-12-01
• First posted: 2026-02-04
• Last updated: 2026-02-04

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Germany