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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04694456

Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (CYTOKINE-FSH)

The facial-glenohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 (DMFSH1) is characterized by a selective and asymmetrical involvement of the facial muscles, the shoulder girdle and the anterolateral lodge legs. Genetically, the disease is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner and is caused by a pathogen contraction of repeat units (UR) say D4Z4 localized to the telomeric portion of chromosome 4qA. The loss of UR causes hypomethylation of DNA and chromatin relaxation of the region that lead to inappropriate expression of DUX4 retrogene highly toxic. The inappropriate expression induces a T cell reaction inflammatory response that participate and increase muscle damage. In favor of this hypothesis, several muscle MRI studies have shown that atrophy and fibro-adipose degeneration (hyper signal in T1) were preceded by the appearance of muscle inflammation (hyper signal T2STIR) confirmed on histologically and dysregulation of genes involved in adaptive and innate immunity. scientific hypothesis and potential benefits: the investigateur hypothesize that in patients of DMFSH1, the immune system cells may participate in the pathophysiology of the disease through changes in serum secretion of one or more cytokines and / or a modification of the response of inflammatory cells in some cell damage stimuli. Design: this is a single-center pilot study, interventional. In this study, the investigator will assay the serum cytokines and changes in peripheral blood cells of the expression of cytokines in response to some stimuli in 20 patients with Type 1 DMFSH genetically confirmed at an intermediate stage of clinical disease (kept walking, but at least one muscle of lower limbs reached) and compare with controls from the CYTOKINAGE study. The investigator will also carry patients clinical testing (MMT sum score) and functional (6minute test march MFM) and a MRI not injected whole body (T1 sequences + and T2STIR) to study the relationship between these parameters and secretion cytokines or serum in response to certain stimuli Main objective: to compare serum levels of IL-6 in patients with DMFSH and controls.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

CHU de NICE

Nice, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • male or female age 18 to 75
  • suffering from genetically confirmed FSHD1 (<11 D4Z4 repeat units on permissive chromosome 4 allele)
  • ambulant or walking with assistance
  • Manual Muscle Testing ≥4 for 1 of lower limb muscles

Exclusion criteria

  • pregnancy or breast feeding
  • stay in tropical/subtropical country within 3 months
  • physical exercice within 10 hours
  • specific diet (e.g. hypocaloric or cholesterol lowering diet)
  • regular alcohol consumption; drug consumption within 3 months
  • immunosuppressive or immonumodulating drug within 2 weeks or for more than 3 months withing last 6 months
  • vaccination, blood transfusion of immunoglobulin treatment within 3 months
  • infection within 3 weeks; HIV, HBV, HCV seropositivity
  • chronic inflammatory and/or autoimmune or allergic disease from the gut (Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis), skin (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis), joints (rhumatoid arthritis), nervous system (multiple sclerosis), diabetes type I and II
  • neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases)
  • diagnosed cancer not under remission for at least 5 years
  • participation in the last 3 months in a research clinical trial with exposure to a pharmaceutical product or a medical device
  • muscular MRI contraindication

Treatment and study plan

cytokines dosage

Other

Mesure of cytokines concentration in serum

Other names: biological analysis

test of walk

Procedure

patient must walk during 6 minutes on a flat surface

Manual muscular test

Procedure

test performed to evaluate the patient muscular weakness

Motrice fonction mesurement

Procedure

scale allowing the evaluation of patient posture and upper body movements

Primary outcomes

  1. Comparison of serum IL-6 levels between FSHD1 patients and control subjects (from other previous studies) comparable in terms of age and sex

    Time frame: 21 months

    Serum IL-6 levels will be measured using v-plex technology (MSD) in FSHD1 patients and compared with results obtained in paired control subjects from 2 cohorts (NCT00998231 and Cytokinage study NCT02660723)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Comparison of serum levels of 28 oher pro-inflammatory cytokines between FSHD1 patients and control subjects

    Time frame: 21 months

    Serum levels of 28 other cytokines will be measured using v-plex technology (MSD) in FSHD1 patients and compared with results obtained in paired control subjects

  2. Comparison of cytokines produced upon in vitro stimulation of blood cells in FSHD1 patients and control subjects

    Time frame: 21 months

    Cytokine production will be induced in blood cells by non-specific stimulation with LPS, ATP+LPS-EB or poly (I:C) in FSHD1 patients and compared with results obtained in control subjects

  3. Evaluation of potential correlations between cytokines levels (either in the serum or produced upon in vitro stimulation) and clinical severity in FSHD1 patients

    Time frame: 21 months

    Clinical severity and muscle impairment will be evaluated using standardized clinical scales (Manual Muscle Testing, Motor Function Measure-32, 6-minute walk test, age-corrected Clinical Severity Score)

  4. Evaluation of potential correlations between cytokines levels (either in the serum or produced upon in vitro stimulation) and muscle MRI caracteristics in FSHD1 patients

    Time frame: 21 months

    Whole body MRI will be recorded (T1 and T2STIR sequences) in order to evaluate muscle oedema, inflammation and degeneration

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Pro-inflammatory Cytokines as Potential Therapeutic Target in Type 1 Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: Pilot Study

Acronym: CYTOKINE-FSH

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Jan 5, 2021
Registry last updated
Mar 24, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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