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NCT Number: NCT04061018

The Genetic, Protein, and Lipid Basis of Variation in Cholesterol Efflux

The rationale of this research is that deep phenotyping of individuals at the extremes of cholesterol efflux will identify key determinants of efflux that are potential novel therapeutic targets to prevent or reverse Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD). The investigators propose to carry out the objective by studying participants at extreme low and high cholesterol efflux identified from the investigator's study in the population-based Dallas Heart Study by accomplishing the following aims: 1) determine the heritability of and genomic factors associated with cholesterol efflux by establishing a family pedigree of extreme low and high efflux and sequencing candidate genes involved in HDL metabolism; and 2) identify the protein and lipid signature of extreme low and high cholesterol efflux in a sex- and ethnicity-specific manner using mass spectroscopy and ELISA in FPLC-derived fractions. The investigators expect to identify genetic variants and sex- and ethnicity-specific combinations of proteins and lipids in participants with extreme low and high efflux that may lead to novel ways to modulate efflux. This proposal leverages a well-phenotyped population-based study to characterize the gene-protein-lipid signature of 1) extremes of cholesterol efflux in a sex- and ethnicity-specific manner. Successful completion of these aims will have immediate and direct impact on the use of cholesterol efflux as a clinically relevant biomarker of therapeutic benefit and are necessary for the clinical development of appropriate new targets for manipulation of the key atheroprotective function of cholesterol efflux to reduce ASCVD.

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Key information

Conditions

Lipid Metabolism Disorders Arterial Occlusive Diseases Arteriosclerosis Atherosclerosis Cardiovascular Diseases Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Vascular Diseases

Age range

18 year–89 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States

About this study

The mechanisms that underlie variation in cholesterol efflux are unknown. There is a critical need to identify factors that regulate cholesterol efflux to effectively advance the clinical development of cholesterol efflux as both a risk prediction marker and as a target of therapy. The investigator's long-term goal is to determine whether modulating cholesterol efflux prevents or reverses cardiovascular disease. The overall objective of this study is to systematically create a family pedigree and biobank repository of blood and DNA from participants from the Dallas Heart Study with extreme low or high cholesterol efflux, with the specific aims of : 1) determining the heritability of and genomic factors associated with cholesterol efflux, and 2) identifying the protein and lipid signature of extreme low and high cholesterol efflux in a sex- and ethnicity-specific manner. The investigator's central hypothesis is that a combination of genetic variation in lipid transporters as well as proteins and lipids will be most strongly correlated with variation in efflux.

DHS probands and their relatives (parents, siblings, adult children, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins) with extreme low or high cholesterol efflux will be recruited to establish a prospective family pedigree cohort and understand the heritability of extreme cholesterol efflux. Investigators will collect the following information from all participants: demographics, health history, lifestyle measures, and medications. Blood will be collected on-site by venipuncture and plasma, serum, and cells will be stored at -80o Celsius. All efflux measurements will be completed in the investigator's laboratory.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Dallas Heart Study (DHS) Participants who are above or below the sex- and ethnicity-specific 10th and 90th% of cholesterol efflux.
  • Family members of the DHS participants are also eligible

Exclusion criteria

  • HIV
  • Cancer
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Cholesterol Efflux Capacity (CEC)

    Time frame: Baseline

    Cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) was determined by measuring the efflux of a fluorophore tagged cholesterol, BODIPY (Avanti polar lipids), from J774 murine macrophages (ATCC) to an appropriate acceptor. Efflux is calculated as a unitless measure by using the following formula: [(µCi of 3H-cholesterol in media containing apoB-depleted subject plasma - µCi of 3H-cholesterol in plasma-free media) / (µCi of 3H-cholesterol in media containing apoB-depleted pooled control plasma-µCi of 3H-cholesterol in pooled control plasma-free media)]. Cholesterol efflux capacity is inversely correlated with incidence of cardiovascular events (i.e. higher cholesterol efflux capacity is better for patients).

  2. Circulating Metabolite (Glucose) Linked to Variation Cholesterol Efflux

    Time frame: Baseline

    The investigators will measure circulating metabolite (glucose) and identify the most relevant to the high/low cholesterol efflux phenotype, offering the potential to focus future studies targeting metabolic regulators of efflux.

  3. Circulating Metabolite (Creatinine) Linked to Variation Cholesterol Efflux

    Time frame: Baseline

    The investigators will measure circulating metabolite (creatinine) and identify the most relevant to the high/low cholesterol efflux phenotype, offering the potential to focus future studies targeting metabolic regulators of efflux.

  4. Circulating Proteins Linked to Variation Cholesterol Efflux

    Time frame: Baseline

    The investigators will measure circulating proteins (apolipoprotein A-I, Albumin, Hemoglobin) and identify the most relevant to the high/low cholesterol efflux phenotype, offering the potential to focus future studies targeting metabolic regulators of efflux.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 19, 2019
Registry last updated
Mar 20, 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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