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Impact of Metformin on Leptin Transport in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Obese Patients

Phase 2
Recruiting
Conditions
Obesity Without Type 2 Diabetes, With BMI>30
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT03974139
Lead Sponsor
Lille Catholic University
Brief Summary

Obesity, a major health problem, is gradually transforming into a global epidemic. The current obesity treatment with long term efficacy is the bariatric surgery, however, the operative risk of this procedure is high and the post-operative iotrogeny may be important. Obesity is most often associated to the feeding behavior which depends on hypothalamic integration of peripheral signals such as leptin and glucose. High levels of circulating leptin are detected in obese patients. These elevated leptin levels fail to reduce appetite or increase energy expenditure. The mechanism underlying this non-integration of peripheral signals remains to be identified. The ratio of leptin levels in the cereprospinal fluid (CSF) and in the periphery is drastically decreased in obese patients when compared to lean individuals, therefore a defective transport of circulating leptin into the brain via the CSF is maybe linked to obesity.

Detailed Description

We hypothesize that the alteration of leptin transport into the CSF of obese patients could be modulated by drugs such as metformin which is widely used worldwide to treat diabetes. This study is monocentric, prospective, one-arm type and interventional. The main objective isto evaluate the impact of metformin on the transport of leptin into the CSF of obese patients.

We propose to show a variation of CSF leptin / serum leptin before and after metformin treatment and study its association with changes in hypothalamic metabolic activity, cognitive and appetite-related behaviors and ratio of other metabolic signals. This would support the hypothesis of modulation of resistance to peripheral leptin by metformin and thus uncover a new indication for metformin treatment towards the management of obesity.

For this purpose, volunteers will be subjected to blood sampling via venipuncture, CSF collection via lumbar puncture, MRI assessments and questionnaires (cognitive tests, food survey and feeding behavior) before and after a 3-month metformin treatment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
31
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adults between 18 and 40 years old
  • Body mass index >30
  • For childbearing age women: use of an effective contraceptive method for the duration of the study
  • Patients willing to participate in the study and who have signed the informed consent form
  • Patients with health insurance
Exclusion Criteria
  • Genetic obesity
  • Type 2 diabetes defined by 2 fasting blood glucose >1,26g/L or blood glucose >2 g/L at 120 min of oral glucose tolerance test with 75 g of glucose
  • Patients already treated with metformin
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Active neoplastic pathology, diagnosed < 5 years, or in treatment
  • Neurological pathology (demyelinating, tumor, vascular)
  • Adipose tissue pathology (lipodystrophy)
  • History of bariatric surgery
  • Contraindication to metformin
  • Lumbar puncture contraindication
  • MRI contraindication
  • Person unable to consent, or benefiting from a legal protection regime (guardianship/curatorship/guardianship of justice)
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
  • Contra-indication to impedance measurement
  • Contraindication to indirect calorimetry: claustrophobia
  • Taking a psychotropic drug

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Obese patientsMetformin Oral TabletPatients with body mass index \>30
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
cerebrospinal fluid /plasma leptin ratio3 months
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
cerebrospinal fluid /plasma insulin ratio3 months
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY)at day 0, 3 months
Plasma levels of leptin soluble receptorat day 0, 3 months
cerebrospinal fluid /plasma glucose ratioat day 0, 3 months
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of Agouti-Related Peptide (AgRP)at day 0, 3 months
Plasma levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY)at day 0, 3 months
Hypothalamic concentration of creatineat day 0, 3 months

This concentration will be measure by spectroscopy

Abdominal circumference3 months
cerebrospinal fluid /plasma glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP1) ratioat day 0, 3 months
cerebrospinal fluid /plasma ghrelin ratioat day 0, 3 months
Plasma levels of Agouti-Related Peptide (AgRP)at day 0, 3 months
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)at day 0, 3 months
Plasma levels of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)at day 0, 3 months
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of leptin soluble receptorat day 0, 3 months
Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)at day 0, 3 months

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is a measure of the magnitude of diffusion (of water molecules) within tissue, and is commonly clinically calculated using Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An ADC of a tissue is expressed in units of mm2/s

Hypothalamic concentration of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA)at day 0, 3 months

This concentration will be measure by spectroscopy

Hypothalamic concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)at day 0, 3 months

This concentration will be measure by spectroscopy

Percentage of body fatat day 0, 3 months

This parameter will measure by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). A weak electric current flows through the body and the voltage is measured in order to calculate impedance (resistance) of the body.

Energy expenditureat day 0, 3 months

This parameter will measure by indirect calorimetry (kCal / 24h)

Hypothalamic concentration of Choline3 months

This concentration will be measure by spectroscopy

Hypothalamic concentration of Glutamine / glutamateat day 0, 3 months

This concentration will be measure by spectroscopy

Weightat day 0, 3 months
Score of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ)3 months

The TFEQ contains 51 items and measures three dimensions of eating behavior:

* cognitive restraint of eating' (Factor I - 21 items)

* disinhibition (Factor II - 16 items)

* hunger (Factor III - 14 items)

Each item scores either 0 or 1 point. The minimum score for factors I-II-III is therefore 0-0-0, the possible maximum score 21-16-14

Score of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ)at day 0, 3 months

This is a 33-item self-report questionnaire to assess three distinct eating behaviors in adults: (1) emotional eating, (2) external eating, and (3) restrained eating. Items on the DEBQ range from 1 (never) to 5 (very often), with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of the eating behavior.

Fat free mass (Kg)at day 0, 3 months

This parameter will measure by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). A weak electric current flows through the body and the voltage is measured in order to calculate impedance (resistance) of the body.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre hospitalier d'Arras

🇫🇷

Arras, France

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