Collection of Saliva and/ or Peripheral Blood From Healthy Volunteers for Research

Background:

• Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a severe immunological complication that occurs after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although oral cGVHD occurs in >25% of cGVHD patients and leads to decreased quality of life, its etiology is poorly understood.
• The primary objective of the present protocol is to enroll normal volunteers who will contribute a saliva and/or blood sample in order to compare its characteristics with those of patients with and without chronic GVHD after allogeneic HSCT. The normal control saliva and blood samples will provide a standard of comparison for patient saliva and blood samples from ongoing NCI cGVHD related protocols.

Objective:

-To collect approximately 5 ml of saliva and/or 18 cc peripheral blood from healthy volunteers as needed to support research activities.

Eligibility:

• Healthy individuals (including employees) all racial/ethnic groups, aged 18 years or older.
• Volunteers must be willing to undergo saliva and peripheral blood collection.
• No active illnesses, immunodeficiency, history of opportunistic infection, autoimmune disease, immunosuppressive medications or prior organ, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant.
• Ability of subject to understand and provide written informed consent.
• Phase I of the study will be restricted to males, age 30-70 years

Design:

• Healthy volunteers will be offered the opportunity to participate in this protocol.
• A basic clinical dental assessment will be done.
• Saliva samples will be collected from the consenting subject.
• Peripheral blood samples may be collected from the consenting subject at the same visit.
• Protein assays will be performed on the collected saliva and blood samples.

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• Healthy individuals (including employees) and other healthy volunteers from all racial/ethnic groups
• Age 18 years and older, with possible restriction for age-matching to patient samples.
• Ability of subject to understand and provide written informed consent
• Subjects must participate fully and be willing to comply with the procedures of the protocol
• Phase I of the study will be restricted to males, age 30-70 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Active systemic illnesses, immunodeficiency, history of opportunistic infection, autoimmune disease, immunosuppressive medications
• Prior organ, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant
• Acute dental infection