Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle) Clinical Trial in Bethesda, MD

About This Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle) Study in Bethesda

Study Description: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occurs predominantly in women and is driven by type I interferon dysregulation and neutrophil hyperresponsiveness. Neutrophils in females have reduced mitochondrial bioenergetic capacity which affects immunometabolism. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ boosting with nicotinamide riboside blunts type 1 IFN activation in-vivo in monocytes of healthy subjects and ex-vivo in SLE subjects. These findings support the proposal of the hypothesis that NAD+ boosting by NR supplementation will modulate metabolic pathways in lupus and blunt type 1 interferon signaling. Moreover, as type 1 interferon drives endothelial dysfunction, linked to increased cardiovascular risk, the effect of NR on endothelial function will be examined. Objectives: Primary Objective: Evaluate the effect of NR vs. placebo on immunometabolic and inflammatory remodeling in female SLE subjects: Exploratory Objective: Compare and characterize myeloid cell bioenergetic and immunometabolic profiles in healthy control and SLE female subjects Endpoints: Primary Endpoint: The primary end point will be to assess the effect of NR on blunting type I IFN signaling by measuring monocytic secretion of IFN-beta secretion compared to baseline in response to placebo vs. NR supplemented in SLE study subjects. Exploratory Endpoints: Healthy control vs. SLE subjects: * Compare type I IFN transcript profiles in monocytes and neutrophils at baseline and in response to activation. * Assess cell bioenergetics including: 1) monocyte and neutrophil metabolic flux mass spectroscopy of 13C-glucose and 13Cglutamine analysis to investigate their metabolic fates; (iii) Mitochondrial oxygen consumption (using glucose, amino acid, and fatty acid substrates) and glycolysis rates. SLE baseline vs. NR/placebo supplementation: Baseline vs. 6 weeks of NR/placebo: -Assess effect of NR on bioenergetics by measuring steady-state metabolite levels comparing changes in placebo vs. NR groups in monocytes and neutrophils. Baseline vs. 12 weeks of NR/placebo: * Whole blood NAD+ levels (batched and measured at the end of study enrollment period) * Explore effects of NR on gene regulation using monocyte and neutrophils by RNA-seq and chromatin remodeling analysis. * Determine the effect of NR vs placebo on endothelial dysfunction in SLE subjects

Sponsor: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)