Systemic and White Adipose Tissue Inflammatory Profile in Lean Versus Obese Individuals

This study will compare the systemic and white adipose tissue inflammatory profile of individuals who are classified as lean and obese. Blood and white adipose tissue samples will be collected in the fasted state to assess inflammatory status.

There is evidence to suggest that markers of inflammation in the blood and white adipose tissue increase with increasing levels of obesity. However, the white adipose tissue total protein content and phosphorylation of proteins involved in inflammatory pathways has not previously been compared between lean and obese individuals.

The investigators hypothesise that obese individuals will have increased levels of inflammation in the blood and white adipose tissue, compared to their lean counterparts.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Inflammation; Obesity; Inflammatory Response; Cardiovascular Risk Factor
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: No intervention

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 12

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Loughborough, United Kingdom, LE11 3TU
    • Loughborough University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Apparently healthy, recreationally active adults.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-40 years

• Waist circumference/BMI criteria:

  • Lean participants: waist circumference ≤94 cm (men) and 80 cm (women) and BMI ≥ 21.0 kg/m2 or
  • Obese participants: waist circumference ≥102 cm (men) and 88 cm (women) and BMI ≥ 30.0kg/m2
• Recreationally active (> 3 x 30 min moderate exercise per week)
• Blood pressure systolic blood pressure <160 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure <100 mmHg

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoker (including vaping)
• Cardiometabolic or inflammatory disease (e.g. heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes)
• Taking medication or nutritional supplements (e.g. fish oil/prebiotics) known to interfere with study outcomes (including inflammation, immune function or lipid/carbohydrate metabolism) or prescribed antibiotics within the last 3 months
• Unstable weight history (≥ 3kg loss or gain in previous 3 months)
• An allergy to lidocaine (determined by the Schools standard health questionnaire)
• Parallel participation in another intervention study
• Women who are pregnant or lactating
• Any other unusual medical history or diet and lifestyle habits or practices that would preclude volunteers from participating in a metabolic study
• Alcohol consumption >28 units per week for a man or >21 units per week for a woman

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Lean Individuals; waist circumference ≤94 cm (men) and 80 cm (women) and BMI ≥ 21.0 kg/m2	Other: No intervention; There is no intervention in this study
Obese Individuals; waist circumference ≥102cm (men) and 88 cm (women) and BMI ≥ 30.0kg/m2	Other: No intervention; There is no intervention in this study

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Protein expression (content and phosphorylation) of key markers of metabolic inflammation in white adipose tissue (for example assessment of Nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB) total protein and phosphorylation by western blot analysis)	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted white adipose tissue samples	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Systemic Markers of Inflammation (for example C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 concentrations, determined by spectrophotometric assay/ ELISA)	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted white adipose tissue	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Gene expression of key markers of metabolic inflammation in white adipose tissue	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted white adipose tissue	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Characterisation of immune cell populations (monocyte subsets) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (measured using flow cytometry analysis)	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted blood samples	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Habitual Dietary Intake	This will be assessed following the collection of a 4 day weighed food diary	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Physical Activity	Assessed using Actigraph accelerometers over a 4 day period	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Fasting Serum Markers of Insulin Resistance (for example insulin and glucose concentrations, determined using an ELISA/ spectrophotometric assay)	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted blood samples	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)
Fasting Serum Lipid Profile (for example total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations, measured using a spectrophotometric assay)	This will be assessed following the collection of fasted blood samples	Cross-sectional (all outcome measures will be collected within a 2 week period)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Loughborough University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Oonagh Markey, BSc, PhD, Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow, Loughborough University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 25, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 2, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 2, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): September 6, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 17, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 15, 2022
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Inflammation
• Other Study ID Numbers: R19-P144

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No