Physiological Studies of Hormonal Control of Metabolism & Reproduction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Physiological Studies of Hormones Which Control Metabolism and Reproduction
IRAS ID
197890
Contact name
Waljit Dhillo
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research Complicance Office, Imperial College London and Imperial College NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 7 months, 2 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Fertility is dependent on the metabolic state of an individual but the physiological relationships and interactions between the hormonal systems that govern reproduction and metabolism (including food intake, body weight, energy expenditure, and glucose regulation) are not well understood. People at either end of the body weight spectrum (i.e. underweight or obese) have low levels of reproductive hormones and therefore have reduced fertility. In addition, people with abnormal glucose regulation, which occurs in diabetes, also have low reproductive hormone levels and therefore reduced fertility.Animal studies have suggested that gut hormones (which regulate appetite and metabolism) also influence reproductive hormone secretion. Furthermore animal data suggests and reproductive hormones have effects on appetite, energy expenditure and glucose regulation. However, there is limited published data about the effects of these two sets of hormones in humans.
Subfertility and weight disorders are very common problems. Infertility affects 1 in 7 couples in the UK and about 25% of the adult UK population is obese. Therefore it is important to understand how the reproductive and metabolic systems are linked and how these hormones influence both systems, to help guide the development of safe and effective treatments for fertility and weight disorders.
This study will investigate the physiological effects of gut hormones (i.e. glucagon, GLP-1, peptide YY, oxyntomoduin and substance P) on the reproductive system and the physiological effects of crucial reproductive hormones (kisspeptin and neurokinin B) on metabolism in men and women by administering these hormones and collecting information about their effects using blood tests and other investigative tools.
Summary of Results
Compared to a control infusion, an intravenous infusion of kisspeptin for 2-4 hours that increases LH secretion:
-increases insulin secretion in response to intravenous glucose in young healthy men with normal weight, -does not increase insulin secretion before or after a meal in young healthy men with normal weight or women with overweight or obesity, -does not affect appetite or food intake in young healthy men with normal weight or women with overweight or obesity.Compared to a control infusion, individual intravenous infusions of biologically active doses of the gut hormones peptide-YY (PYY), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon do not affect the levels and/or pulsatility of the reproductive hormones luteinising hormone (LH) and testosterone in young healthy men.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0391
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion