This study will investigate the effects of woodsmoke (WS) exposure on human nasal mucosal immune responses to viral infection. The study tests the hypotheses that WS exposure modifies biomarkers of nasal mucosal immune function, increases in Live Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV) -induced nasal symptoms, and reduces mucosal antibody production.
This study will investigate the effects of woodsmoke (WS) exposure on human nasal mucosal immune responses to viral infection. The study tests the hypotheses that WS exposure modifies biomarkers of nasal mucosal immune function, increases LAIV-induced nasal symptoms, and reduces mucosal antibody production. Healthy volunteers will be randomized for a 2-hr exposure to WS or placebo (filtered air) and then inoculated with either live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) or placebo. Nasal mucosal samples, symptoms, and peripheral blood will be collected on days 1,2,3,7, and 21 post-exposure/LAIV and assessed for a) mucosal antiviral responses using targeted and non-targeted analysis of the secretome and tissue-level gene expression; b) symptoms, virus quantity, differential cell count, and virus-specific antibody levels; and c) biomarker signatures associated with infection outcomes using computational modeling tools.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
112
Inoculation with LAIV
Wood smoke exposure concentrations at 500 ug/m3 for two hours.
Placebo for LAIV inoculation. Nasal administration of normal saline.
Human Studies Facility
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Nasal Mucosal secretome (AUC)
Analysis of the nasal mucosal secretome (secreted factors identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV). Area under the curve (AUC) will be calculated for each proteomic profile. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) will be computed for outcomes of interest (AUCs), assuming normal distribution as in previous studies.
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Gene Expression (AUC)
Tissue-level gene expression (genes identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV) and assessed for: tissue-level gene expression and untargeted metabolomic and proteomic profiles. Area under the curve (AUC) will be calculated for each gene profile. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) will be computed for outcomes of interest (AUCs), assuming normal distribution as in previous studies.
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Virus Quantity (AUC)
Virus quantity in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Nasal Neutrophils (AUC)
nasal secretion
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Nasal Viral Antibodies (AUC)
virus-specific antibody levels in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Blood Viral Antibodies (AUC)
virus-specific antibody levels in blood
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 7
Peak Tissue gene expression
Peak value of Tissue-level gene expression (genes identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV)
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Clean Air Exposure for 2 hours
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak nasal secretome
Peak Analysis value of the nasal mucosal secretome (secreted factors identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV)
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Nasal Virus quantity
Peak value of Virus quantity in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to day 21
Peak nasal neutrophils
Peak value of nasal neutrophils
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Nasal virus anti-bodies
Peak value of virus-specific antibody levels in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak blood virus anti-bodies
Peak value of virus-specific antibody levels in blood
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Day of Tissue Gene Expression
Peak Day of Tissue-level gene expression (genes identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV)
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Day of nasal secretome
Peak Analysis Day of the nasal mucosal secretome (secreted factors identified as responsive to WS and/or LAIV)
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Day of Nasal Virus quantity
Peak Day of Virus quantity in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to day 21
Peak Day of nasal neutrophils
Peak Day of nasal secretion
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Day of Nasal virus anti-bodies
Peak day of virus-specific antibody levels in nasal secretions
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Day of blood virus anti-bodies
Peak Day of virus-specific antibody levels in blood
Time frame: Day 0 to Day 21
Peak Symptom score
Flu symptom questionnaire. A score from 0-18 will be recorded. Zero being symptom free and 18 the most symptomatic.
Time frame: Day 0-21
Peak day of symptom score
Flu symptom questionnaire. A score from 0-18 will be recorded. Zero being symptom free and 18 the most symptomatic. The day in which there is the highest score will be recorded.
Time frame: Day 0-21