Small Extracellular Vesicles and Insulin Action — SEV  

Obesity Clinical Trial

Official title: Effect of Small Extracellular Vesicles From Adipose Tissue on Insulin Action

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The goals of this research study are to: 1) understand why some people with obesity are protected from developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease while others are more likely to develop obesity-related conditions; 2) assess the effect of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs also called exosomes), obtained from human participants, on metabolic function in cultured cells and in mice.

Clinical Trial Description

Insulin resistance is commonly associated with obesity and is a major contributor to the development of obesity-related metabolic diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Most persons with obesity are "metabolically unhealthy" (MUO), often defined by having insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. However, a subset of people with obesity are metabolically healthy (MHO) and protected from the adverse metabolic effects of excess adiposity. The mechanisms that determine the differences in metabolic health between people with MUO and MHO are not unclear. This project will examine the effects of plasma and adipose tissue small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) on multi-organ insulin action. The investigators will isolate sEVs from subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsies and blood samples obtained from human participants with MHO, MUO or who are metabolically healthy and lean (MHL) and examine the effects of these sEVs on insulin resistance in muscle, liver and fat cells in culture and on multi-organ insulin sensitivity in lean and obese mice. The investigators will also identify differences in the potential bioactive molecules, namely miRNA and bioactive lipids, that are carried by sEVs. The results from this study will help determine whether plasma or adipose tissue sEVs in people who are MHL, MHO, or MUO are involved in regulating liver, muscle and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. These results could identify novel pathways that regulate metabolic health in people and provide the foundation for exploring the potential of sEVs as a therapeutic target to prevent and treat the metabolic complications of obesity. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Insulin Resistance
• Metabolically Healthy Obesity
• Obesity
• Obesity, Metabolically Benign

• NCT number: NCT05933707
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Washington University School of Medicine
• Contact: Johanna Sonnenschein
• Phone: 3142731879
• Email: nutritionresearch@wustl.edu
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 14, 2023
• Completion date: December 2028