Studying MMP12 in Sputum and Its Link to Emphysema and Lung Inflammation Using Advanced Imaging

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying patients with emphysema to understand how high levels of an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase-12 MMP12 in sputum and blood relate to lung damage and immune system activity. The study focuses on the connection between MMP12 levels, airspace enlargement in the lungs, and specific immune biomarkers, using advanced imaging techniques to assess lung changes. Participants will undergo inhalation of a special gas mixture containing hyperpolarized xenon-129 for diffusion-weighted MRI scans, which helps measure alveolar airspace size. The study groups include patients with different inflammatory profiles based on blood and sputum cell counts. Researchers will use imaging and biomarker measurements at baseline to characterize lung destruction and immune activity. During the study, participants will have imaging with CT and MRI, as well as blood and sputum collections to measure MMP12 and type-2 immune markers. The research team will compare these measures with healthy individuals and assess their relationship to lung disease severity. The study enrolls adults aged 40 to 85 years and involves detailed lung function testing and biomarker analysis to better understand emphysema progression.

Characterizing Matrix Metalloproteinase-12 (MMP12) in Sputum