Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Abnormalities and the Metabolic Syndrome in PAH
Study Purpose
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by the progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance ultimately leading to right ventricular (RV) failure. Its prevalence is estimated at 40-60 persons per million and predominantly affects people between 20 and 60 years of age. Newly available therapies have improved the 3-year survival to >80%. This improvement in prognosis brings new challenges for clinicians: PAH has changed from a rapidly fatal disease to a chronic disorder with persistent exercise limitation and poor quality of life. Many observations suggest that exercise limitation in PAH is not simply due to pulmonary hemodynamic impairment, but that other determinants are involved. Interestingly, even in absence of obesity or diabetes, insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MS) are highly prevalent amongst PAH patients and associated with worse outcomes. Indeed, lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle (a feature of IR) is observed in both human and experimental model of PAH, but its impact on skeletal muscle function and thus exercise intolerance in PAH remains elusive. Over the past years, several pathophysiological pathways activated by MS have been identified, including the downregulation PPARg/PGC1a and the insulin signalling pathways, especially the insulin-receptor substrate 1 (IRS1)-mediated one. The decrease in these axes is associated with lipid accumulation and impaired mitochondrial function. The investigators previously reported in PAH lungs that the downregulation of these pathways contributes to the establishment of the Warburg effect. This metabolic unbalance contributes to pulmonary artery smooth muscle (PASMC) proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis contributing to PA remodelling. The investigators recently documented that PAH skeletal muscles are less perfused and are also characterized by the presence of a Warburg effect. These features were independent of daily life physical activity. Nonetheless, the origin of these abnormalities and their impact on skeletal muscle function have never been studied. The investigators propose to determine whether or not MS seen in PAH patients impairs mitochondrial functions through an IRS1/PPARg/PGC1-dependent mechanism, which will ultimately decrease skeletal muscle function and perfusion, and thus overall exercise capacity.
Recruitment Criteria
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms |
Unknown |
Study Type
An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes. An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes. Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies. |
Observational |
Eligible Ages | 20 Years - 60 Years |
Gender | All |
Trial Details
Trial ID:
This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries. |
NCT03979482 |
Phase
Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans. Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data. Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs. Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use. |
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Lead Sponsor
The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data. |
Laval University |
Principal Investigator
The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study. |
Steeve Provencher, MD, MSc |
Principal Investigator Affiliation | IUCPQ - Université Laval |
Agency Class
Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial. |
Other |
Overall Status | Recruiting |
Countries | Canada |
Conditions
The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. |
Pulmonary Artery Hypertension |
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