Understanding Brain-Bone Marrow-Gut Interaction After Severe Trauma

This study is looking at how the brain, bone marrow, and gut interact after a major injury. Researchers want to understand why some people develop long-lasting anemia (low red blood cell count) and changes in their gut bacteria (microbiome) after severe trauma, which can affect their recovery. They will collect bone marrow, blood, and stool samples, along with medical information and survey responses from participants. The goal is to see how stress affects these systems and how they communicate with each other over three years. This information could help develop new ways to improve recovery for people who have experienced severe trauma. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status. You may be able to join if you are an adult (18-100 years old) who has experienced blunt trauma with a high injury severity score and a specific type of fracture, or blunt trauma with signs of shock.

Study design
This is an observational study, meaning researchers will collect data and samples without giving any specific treatments. It aims to enroll 275 participants.
What's involved
Participants will have bone marrow, blood, and feces collected, along with medical record data and patient response surveys.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for three years to measure changes in cells and the microbiome.

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NCT06606119

The Role of Brain-Bone Marrow-Gut Interaction Following Major Trauma

Recruiting
Not specifiedAges 18+Observational
University of Florida
~275 participants
Updated 2026-02-06 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Data and tissue collection

At a glance

Recruiting sites
3 of 3 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Link the changes in HSPC and erythroid progenitor cell fate and function with sympathetic stress-induced changes establishing brain-bone marrow communication following trauma.
Measured over 3 years
+2 more outcomes measured
Trauma Injury
Trauma
Critical Illness
Microbiome
Chronic Anemia
Acute Blood Loss Anemia
3 sites across 1 states
Florida3
  • Alicia Mohr, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Florida

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  • Link the changes in HSPC and erythroid progenitor cell fate and function with sympathetic stress-induced changes establishing brain-bone marrow communication following trauma.3 years

    The impact of the severity and duration of catecholamine secretion on the cellular biology of HSPCs and erythroid progenitor cells requires further detailed evaluation. At each stage of proliferation and differentiation, there is a complex interaction of cytokines, transcription factors, post-translational modification of histones, and miRs. Single-cell RNA-seq technologies using a novel second generation multi-omics technology, CITE-seq, will be used for identification of isolated HSPCs and erythroid progenitor cells. Such single cell sequencing technology is ideal for cell populations with a great deal of heterogeneity and is well-suited for bone marrow analysis. Isolated cells can then be characterized by their transcriptomic and epigenetic changes. We will also evaluate EVM cargo (specific proteins/RNA/miR) from both plasma and bone marrow to determine links to chronic stress exposure.

  • Determine the connection between changes in the microbiome with sympathetic stress-induced changes establishing gut-brain communication following trauma.3 years

    Focusing on the effects of autonomic nervous system on gut function and immune responses, in the setting of sympathetic activation, a serial evaluation of the gut microbiota and their metabolic products (ex. SCFAs: butyrate, propionate, and acetate) will be performed in trauma patients. Correlation of microbial diversity and alterations of the taxonomic composition will be correlated with plasma markers of inflammation and clinical outcomes. Longitudinal study of the trauma pathobiome will elucidate clinical course patterns (recovery and CCI) with microbial composition. The unique biology of the microbiome in different sexes and age groups will require additional subgroup analysis.

  • Link changes in the microbiome with altered HSPC and erythroid progenitor cells fate establishing gut-bone marrow communication following trauma3 years

    We will examine how stress-induced changes following trauma create a pathobiome that modulates HPSC differentiation and maintains altered erythroid progenitor function. The microbiota play a role in both lineage differentiation and also control systemic iron homeostasis by inhibiting intestinal absorption and increasing cellular iron storage. Bone marrow macrophages have a key role in late-stage erythropoiesis by supplying local iron to erythroblasts for hemoglobin production. Isolation of bone marrow macrophages and erythroblasts involved in EBIs and determination of local iron content will define microbiome-induced changes in terminal erythropoiesis.