Study of Propranolol as Anti-Adhesive Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Summary

An open label, prospective, randomized cross-over phase II study in up to 60 sickle cell patients who are either homozygous for Hb S or have HbSB0 thalassemia. Initially, each patient will be treated for 6 weeks with placebo or a standard dose of propranolol (40 mg) every 12 hrs. This will be followed by a 2-week washout period after which, patients will receive the other treatment modality (placebo or propranolol). We Hypothesize that propranolol administered in vivo on a daily basis for 6 weeks (1) will decrease baseline adhesion to endothelial cells and will substantially abrogate epinephrine-stimulated adhesion to endothelial cells, as measured in vitro; (2) will improve biomarkers of endothelial activation and dysfunction; and (3) can be safely used in patients with SCD. Thus, the use of propranolol in SCD may represent a safe and effective means of anti-adhesive therapy in SCD. Study Objectives: Primary Objective: • To establish the safety and efficacy of long-term therapy with propranolol as an anti-adhesive therapy for SCD. Secondary Objective: • To evaluate changes in soluble markers of endothelial activation and dysfunction. Correlative Science Objective: • To determine whether response to propranolol therapy is associated with polymorphisms in genes encoding the proteins involved in the upregulation of Sickle Red Blood Cell (SS RBC) adhesion by epinephrine.

Timeline

Start

2010-06

Primary completion

2013-12

Completion

2013-12

Publications

• Background Zennadi R, Hines PC, De Castro LM, Cartron JP, Parise LV, Telen MJ. Epinephrine acts through erythroid signaling pathways to activate sickle cell adhesion to endothelium via LW-alphavbeta3 interactions. Blood. 2004 Dec 1;104(12):3774-81. doi: 10.1182/blood-2004-01-0042. Epub 2004 Aug 12.
• Background Zennadi R, Moeller BJ, Whalen EJ, Batchvarova M, Xu K, Shan S, Delahunty M, Dewhirst MW, Telen MJ. Epinephrine-induced activation of LW-mediated sickle cell adhesion and vaso-occlusion in vivo. Blood. 2007 Oct 1;110(7):2708-17. doi: 10.1182/blood-2006-11-056101. Epub 2007 Jul 3.
• Background Zennadi R, Chien A, Xu K, Batchvarova M, Telen MJ. Sickle red cells induce adhesion of lymphocytes and monocytes to endothelium. Blood. 2008 Oct 15;112(8):3474-83. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-01-134346. Epub 2008 Jul 29.
• Background Eyler CE, Jackson T, Elliott LE, De Castro LM, Jonassaint J, Ashley-Koch A, Telen MJ. beta(2)-Adrenergic receptor and adenylate cyclase gene polymorphisms affect sickle red cell adhesion. Br J Haematol. 2008 Apr;141(1):105-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07008.x.
• Background De Castro LM, Zennadi R, Jonassaint JC, Batchvarova M, Telen MJ. Effect of propranolol as antiadhesive therapy in sickle cell disease. Clin Transl Sci. 2012 Dec;5(6):437-44. doi: 10.1111/cts.12005. Epub 2012 Oct 17.

Drugs

Indications