Is Physical Activity, Obesity, and Ethnicity Associated With the Tethering and Migration of Pro-inflammatory Monocytes?

Loughborough University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Inflammation; Physical Activity; Central Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Habitual physical activity assessment

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04761081

2020-1885-2140

Details and patient eligibility

About

Being south Asian or centrally obese may be associated with an increased risk of inflammation. The investigators are seeking to investigate whether this is the case by recruiting white European and south Asian men who are lean or have central obesity. Further, the investigators wish to investigate whether physical activity influences the associations.

Full description

Central obesity is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Further, south Asians have been shown to be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to white Europeans.

Cardiovascular disease is underpinned by inflammation. Evidence suggests that people with obesity have a more pro-inflammatory and pro-migratory monocyte profile compared with individuals who are lean. The excessive monocyte migration contributes to metabolic dysfunction over time, increasing the risk of chronic disease. However, there is no evidence in south Asians.

One modifiable risk factor which may be able to influence this is physical inactivity, with higher levels of physical activity being associated with reduced inflammation. However, although south Asians are more at risk of cardiovascular disease than white Europeans, evidence suggests south Asians are also less physically active than white Europeans.

The investigators are looking to recruit south Asian and white European men who are lean or have central obesity to investigate 1) is there an association between ethnicity and the tethering and migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes? 2) is there an association between central obesity and the tethering and migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes, and is there an interaction with ethnicity? 3) do higher levels of physical activity influence the tethering and migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes, and is this influenced by ethnicity or central obesity?

To investigate this, the investigators are looking to recruit south Asian and white European men who are either centrally obese or lean. The investigators require 1 blood sample and the participants to wear an activity monitor for 7 days.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) will be isolated from the whole blood sample. Then, the investigators will quantify the migratory capacity of PBMCs to a fixed chemokine gradient over time. Further, the investigators will phenotype the monocytes to indicate the characteristics of the monocytes that migrate towards the chemokine mix.

The activity monitor will quantify habitual physical activity, which will be used in the statistical analyses to investigate whether physical activity may influence the response.

It is important to investigate as it will further scientific knowledge on the underpinnings of chronic disease and enable a better understanding on the role of physical activity to potentially reduce the risk.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Non-smokers (including vaping)
• Not currently dieting

Exclusion criteria

• Musculoskeletal injury that has affected normal ambulation within the last month;
• Any muscle or bone injuries that influence physical activity
• Free from heart conditions and blood disorders
• Weight fluctuation greater than 3kg in the previous 3 months
• Taking anti-inflammatory medication

Trial design

40 participants in 4 patient groups

South Asians who are lean

Description:

The south Asian group who are lean will be of south Asian ethnicity and a waist circumference \<90cm. The group will receive an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3x) to wear for 7 days to measure habitual physical activity. They will then provide a single blood donation in a fasted state which we will use to quantify the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes towards adipose tissue specific media. This will then be compared to the other 3 groups to investigate the interaction between ethnicity, central obesity, and physical activity with the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes. Metabolic markers will be analysed and presented in a participant characteristics table.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Habitual physical activity assessment

South Asians with central obesity

Description:

The south Asian group with central obesity will be of south Asian ethnicity and a waist circumference of 90cm or greater. The group will receive an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3x) to wear for 7 days to measure habitual physical activity. They will then provide a single blood donation in a fasted state which we will use to quantify the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes towards adipose tissue specific media. This will then be compared to the other 3 groups to investigate the interaction between ethnicity, central obesity, and physical activity with the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes. Metabolic markers will be analysed and presented in a participant characteristics table.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Habitual physical activity assessment

White Europeans who are lean

Description:

The white European group who are lean will be of white European ethnicity and a waist circumference \<94cm. The group will receive an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3x) to wear for 7 days to measure habitual physical activity. They will then provide a single blood donation in a fasted state which we will use to quantify the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes towards adipose tissue specific media. This will then be compared to the other 3 groups to investigate the interaction between ethnicity, central obesity, and physical activity with the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes. Metabolic markers will be analysed and presented in a participant characteristics table.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Habitual physical activity assessment

White Europeans with central obesity

Description:

The white European group with central obesity will be of white European ethnicity and a waist circumference of 94cm or greater. The group will receive an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3x) to wear for 7 days to measure habitual physical activity. They will then provide a single blood donation in a fasted state which we will use to quantify the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes towards adipose tissue specific media. This will then be compared to the other 3 groups to investigate the interaction between ethnicity, central obesity, and physical activity with the migration of pro-inflammatory monocytes. Metabolic markers will be analysed and presented in a participant characteristics table.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Habitual physical activity assessment