Effect of Liraglutide on Microbiome in Obesity

What this study is testing ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04046822 ↗

Description as written by the study sponsor.

The purpose of the trial is to assess whether the beneficial effect of liraglutide on weight is mediated by changes in the composition of the intestinal Microbiome. The main mechanisms of action of liraglutide were traced to a reduction in the secretion of glucagon and slowing gastric emptying resulting in decreased appetite and body weight. It also seems that liraglutide is capable of increasing the satiety signals thanks to a dual mechanism of stimulation and inhibition induced by medication. Pomc neurons (opiomelacortin) present in hypothalamic arcuate nuclei, stimulated by liraglutide, glucagon-like peptide- 1 (GLP-1) receptor expressed by inhibiting intensely appetite. At the same time through the GABAergic neuronal activity is inhibited neuropeptide Y(NPY) deputies to the production of orexins that are powerful promoters of appetite. Alterations in the composition of the human gut microbiome occur in metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes. Liraglutide has been reported to switch microbiome composition towards lean-related bacterial phylotypes in animal studies. This leads to hypothesize that the switch of microbiome by liraglutide may be one of the mechanisms through which liraglutide may exert its effect. In particular the investigators hypothesize that liraglutide could restore a healthy microbiome or at least improve the microbiome composition through slowing gastrointestinal motility. Moreover, the liraglutide-related change of microbiome could be an additional mechanism that contribute to the beneficial metabolic effect of liraglutide. To test this hypothesis the investigators will investigate if there will be any change of gut microbiome assessed as Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio after liraglutide treatment. In order to understand if the change of gut microbiome after liraglutide treatment occurs as an association or contributes to the effect of liraglutide ,the investigators will correlate the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios with the changes of Body Mass Index, Body Composition, appetite parameters, chronic inflammation parameters, lipid profile and insulin resistance. All the subjects will follow the same diet in order to avoid any bias.

Treatments tested

• Liraglutide 6 MG/ML [Saxenda] also known as Saxenda Drug

  Liraglutide is administered once daily by subcutaneous injections with the pen-injector, either in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Injections can be done at any time of day irrespective of meals. Subjects will be instructed to escalate the liraglutide dose to 3.0 mg/day over a 4 week period following an initial dose of 0.6 mg/day and weekly dose escalation steps of 0.6 mg/day.

• Placebo also known as Saline Injection Drug

  Placebo is administered once daily by subcutaneous injections with the pen-injector, either in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Injections can be done at any time of day irrespective of meals. Subjects will be instructed to escalate the placebo dose to 3.0 mg/day over a 4 week period following an initial dose of 0.6 mg/day and weekly dose escalation steps of 0.6 mg/day.