Natural History of the Human Biological Response to Environmental Exposure and Injury

Overview

Background: Environmental exposures like pollution, diet, and stress can help cause human diseases, or make them worse. Researchers want to better understand how injury and inflammation are caused by these exposures. They want to collect biological and environmental samples and other data. They may use the samples to measure a range of factors, like hormones, toxins, and chemicals. This will help them improve their studies. Objective: To identify and understand how environmental exposures contribute to human disease. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 18 and older Design: Participants will be screened with questions about their health history, demographics, and medicines they take. Participants may give blood, hair, stool, saliva, and/or urine samples. They may have a skin punch biopsy to collect skin cells. They may give fingernail or toenail clippings. They may give a sample of exhaled breath. Participants may give a sputum sample. They will inhale a saline mist and cough mucus into a cup. Participants may have their nasal passages brushed, scraped, or washed. Participants may give cheek cell samples. They will swish mouthwash and spit it into a cup. Participants who produce sperm may give samples. Participants may have bronchoscopy to collect fluid. A saline solution will be put into their lung and then suctioned out, washing areas of the lung. Participants may have a pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound. They may have lung function tests. Participants may collect household dust, urine, or stool at home. Participants will complete surveys about their health, diet, and exposures. Participation will last for one or more study visits. Participants may be contacted in the future to take part in other studies. ...

Study Description: Environmental exposures such as pollution, diet, stress, etc. contribute to the development and exacerbation of human disease. Understanding the mechanisms of environmentally induced injury and inflammation will allow us to devise better prophylaxis and treatment measures. Subjects may undergo sampling of (including but not limited to:) blood, urine, saliva, household dust, cheek cells, hair, nasal cells, stool, nail clippings, exhaled breath condensate, sperm samples, skin cells, and/or sputum etc., and may answer predefined questionnaires regarding health and exposures. Studies which may be performed on collected material includes establishment of cell cultures and immunologic studies. Objectives: Primary Objective: To identify the interaction of host and environmental factors in the response to injury and the development of disease. Secondary Objectives: To develop better methodological tools in order to quantify host-environmental interactions in health and disease. Endpoints: Primary Endpoint: Biological markers of cell/tissue injury and inflammation, such as inflammatory cytokines, intracellular kinases or DNA/RNA damage in association with in vitro or in vivo environmental exposures. Secondary Endpoints: Diseases or pathological processes (e.g. abnormal laboratory values) associated with environmental exposures.