AzTrials
AzTrials

Cystic FibrosisNCT00804583

Genetic Modifiers of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Liver Disease

An observational study of Cystic Fibrosis and Liver Disease, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This study examines "modifier genes" that may play a role in the development of CF liver disease. Modifier genes are genes, other than the CF gene (CFTR), which may directly or indirectly have an affect on how the body responds to the conditions that develop as the result of the defective CFTR gene. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 2 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Cystic Fibrosis, Liver Disease
How many people
154 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Mar 2004to Jul 2028
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 2 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Study population: CF and liver disease

Who may be able to join

  • Volunteers with CF, regardless of genotype and age, who have "severe" liver disease with portal hypertension (big spleen, i.e. "splenomegaly" and/or presence of enlarged vessels in the esophagus, i.e. esophageal varices) may be eligible to participate. This would include any person who has been evaluated for a liver transplant, or has already received a liver transplant.

Who cannot join

  • History of Alcohol Abuse
  • History of Biliary Atresia
  • History of Clinically Significant Hepatitis Infection
  • History of Hepatic Vein Thrombosis
  • History of Liver Cancer
  • History of Portal Vein Thrombosis
  • History of Clinically Significant use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
  • History of Wilson's Disease

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Genetic Modifiers of CF Liver Disease

This study examines "modifier genes" that may play a role in the development of CF liver disease. Modifier genes are genes, other than the CF gene (CFTR), which may directly or indirectly have an affect on how the body responds to the conditions that develop as the result of the defective CFTR gene. Scientists have wondered why some patients with CF develop CF liver disease and why some patients with CF do not. To better understand the problem, this study was designed to examine the genetic makeup of CF patients who are considered to have severe liver disease to see if they can identify any modifier genes. Researchers will study blood samples, pulmonary function tests, and other medical information in hopes that a connection can be made between genetic make-up and how severe the liver disease is. The identification of modifier genes that influence disease severity may ultimately lead to a better understanding of CF liver disease, and may be useful in the development of new treatments.

Read the detailed description

The clinical heterogeneity in cystic fibrosis (CF) is only partly explained by mutations in the CFTR gene. Most CF patients have evidence of liver dysfunction and focal biliary cirrhosis (fibrosis), and a subset of these patients (5-7%) progresses to severe liver disease (CFLD), as defined by portal hypertension and multilobular cirrhosis. The development of CFLD has no relationship to specific CFTR mutations or other biomarkers, and there is currently no way to identify which CF infants will develop severe liver disease.

The central hypothesis of this proposal is that the development of CFLD reflects the influence of non-CFTR "modifier" alleles (genes). This project is designed to identify associations between non-CFTR genes and CFLD, and test the biological effect of selected alleles on hepatic fibrosis in transgenic murine models. We hypothesize that polymorphisms in multiple genes, each with a conceptual or mechanistic link to liver disease, increase the risk for developing end-stage CF liver disease, and that interactions among these risk factors will define the pathophysiology of this disorder. To achieve our goals, we will study 400 CF patients with well-documented severe liver disease and portal hypertension, and 400 gender and genotype-matched CF patients > age 15 years who have no evidence of CFLD. We propose to identify heritable risk factors for the development of CFLD by evaluation of functional sequence variants within, and single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with, multiple genes associated with CFLD pathogenesis. To test ("validate") the biological effects (impact) of selected genetic alleles on liver fibrosis, we will develop transgenic mice homozygous for DeltaF508 (DF508), who are also expressing an additional candidate gene modifier allele. Better definition of the complex genotypes that increase risk for severe liver disease in CF will allow early identification of CF infants predisposed to develop end-stage liver disease, and thereby allow testing of currently available therapies. Better understanding of the pathobiology of hepatic fibrosis in CF will identify novel targets to prevent (or reduce) the development of CFLD.

Keywords
Cystic Fibrosis, Liver Disease, Genetic Modifiers
Medical subject headings
Cystic Fibrosis, Liver Diseases

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. This is not an interventional study

    Measured: One Year

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Dec 2008 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2004
  3. Primary completionJul 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completionJul 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
154 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00804583
Sponsor's protocol ID
01-1421
Other IDs
R01DK066368
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
8 Dec 2008
Last updated
3 Nov 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Mencin A, Seki E, Osawa Y, Kodama Y, De Minicis S, Knowles M, Brenner DA. Alpha-1 antitrypsin Z protein (PiZ) increases hepatic fibrosis in a murine model of cholestasis. Hepatology. 2007 Nov;46(5):1443-52. doi: 10.1002/hep.21832.

    PubMed 17668872
  • Bartlett JR, Friedman KJ, Ling SC, Pace RG, Bell SC, Bourke B, Castaldo G, Castellani C, Cipolli M, Colombo C, Colombo JL, Debray D, Fernandez A, Lacaille F, Macek M Jr, Rowland M, Salvatore F, Taylor CJ, Wainwright C, Wilschanski M, Zemkova D, Hannah WB, Phillips MJ, Corey M, Zielenski J, Dorfman R, Wang Y, Zou F, Silverman LM, Drumm ML, Wright FA, Lange EM, Durie PR, Knowles MR; Gene Modifier Study Group. Genetic modifiers of liver disease in cystic fibrosis. JAMA. 2009 Sep 9;302(10):1076-83. doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1295.

    PubMed 19738092
  • Friedman, K.J., S.C. Ling, E.M. Lange, M. Macek, Jr., A.J. Handler, R.G. Pace, F. Zou, D.R. Mack, S.C. Bell, G. Castaldo, F. Salvatore, U. Ozcelik, B. Tuemmler, M. Sinaasappel, J.L. Colombo, H. Kayserova, M. Phillips, J. Zielenski, L. Tsui, M.L. Drumm, L.M. Silverman, F.A Wright, P.R Durie, M.R. Knowles, Genetic Modifiers of Severe Liver Disease in Cystic Fibrosis, Pediatr Pulmonol Suppl 28:247:170, 2005.

  • Friedman, K.J., S.C. Ling, E.M. Lange, M. Macek, Jr., A.J. Handler, R.G. Pace, F. Zou, S.C. Bell, G. Castaldo, F. Salvatore, C. Colombo, M.J. Phillips, J. Zielenski, L.C. Tsui, M.L. Drumm, L.M. Silverman, F.A Wright, P.R Durie, M.R. Knowles, Genetic Modifiers of Severe Liver Disease in Cystic Fibrosis, 55th Annual Meeting The American Society of Human Genetics, Salt Lake City, UT, 395:2176/F, 2005.

  • Sun L, Rommens JM, Corvol H, Li W, Li X, Chiang TA, Lin F, Dorfman R, Busson PF, Parekh RV, Zelenika D, Blackman SM, Corey M, Doshi VK, Henderson L, Naughton KM, O'Neal WK, Pace RG, Stonebraker JR, Wood SD, Wright FA, Zielenski J, Clement A, Drumm ML, Boelle PY, Cutting GR, Knowles MR, Durie PR, Strug LJ. Multiple apical plasma membrane constituents are associated with susceptibility to meconium ileus in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Nat Genet. 2012 May;44(5):562-9. doi: 10.1038/ng.2221.

    PubMed 22466613
  • Knowles MR, Drumm M. The influence of genetics on cystic fibrosis phenotypes. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012 Dec 1;2(12):a009548. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a009548.

    PubMed 23209180
  • Blackman SM, Commander CW, Watson C, Arcara KM, Strug LJ, Stonebraker JR, Wright FA, Rommens JM, Sun L, Pace RG, Norris SA, Durie PR, Drumm ML, Knowles MR, Cutting GR. Genetic modifiers of cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. Diabetes. 2013 Oct;62(10):3627-35. doi: 10.2337/db13-0510. Epub 2013 May 13.

    PubMed 23670970
  • Stonebraker JR, Ooi CY, Pace RG, Corvol H, Knowles MR, Durie PR, Ling SC. Features of Severe Liver Disease With Portal Hypertension in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Aug;14(8):1207-1215.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.03.041. Epub 2016 Apr 5.

    PubMed 27062904
  • Polineni D, Piccorelli AV, Hannah WB, Dalrymple SN, Pace RG, Durie PR, Ling SC, Knowles MR, Stonebraker JR. Analysis of a large cohort of cystic fibrosis patients with severe liver disease indicates lung function decline does not significantly differ from that of the general cystic fibrosis population. PLoS One. 2018 Oct 11;13(10):e0205257. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205257. eCollection 2018.

    PubMed 30307979
  • Raraigh KS, Aksit MA, Hetrick K, Pace RG, Ling H, O'Neal W, Blue E, Zhou YH, Bamshad MJ, Blackman SM, Gibson RL, Knowles MR, Cutting GR. Complete CFTR gene sequencing in 5,058 individuals with cystic fibrosis informs variant-specific treatment. J Cyst Fibros. 2022 May;21(3):463-470. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.10.011. Epub 2021 Nov 12.

    PubMed 34782259
  • Rosenfeld M, Faino AV, Onchiri F, Aksit MA, Blackman SM, Blue EE, Collaco JM, Gordon WW, Pace RG, Raraigh KS, Zhou YH, Cutting GR, Knowles MR, Bamshad MJ, Gibson RL. Comparing encounter-based and annualized chronic pseudomonas infection definitions in cystic fibrosis. J Cyst Fibros. 2022 Jan;21(1):40-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.07.020. Epub 2021 Aug 13.

    PubMed 34393091

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Cystic Fibrosis and Liver Disease, run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

This is not an interventional study (time frame: One Year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00804583, which also lists 11 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Nov 2026.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in