Thermogenic Silencer Regulatory Factors in Humans

Summary

A promising approach to correct the metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity is to activate brown fat non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). A critical limitation with NST as a therapeutic option, however, is that this beneficial process is silenced under human physiological temperature conditions and the mechanisms of how this occurs is unknown. This study will be the first to identify human NST silencing factors that may be targeted for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Metabolic Disease
• Cold Exposure

Interventions

OTHER

Cold Vest Exposure Period

A cold vest will be placed on the participant which consists of a water-perfused wearable vest, size S-M or M-L with adjustable straps attached to a small 'cooler' reservoir to circulate cold water between the vest and the cooler (Polar Products, Stow, OH- Product link: www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/CoolOR-13-Quart-System-with-Arctic-Chiller-p24757.htm) This product is safe and recommended by experimental guidelines for human BAT studies. Participants will be cold exposed for a period of 3 hours resting in a reclined position engaged in reading and/or digital entertainment of their choice.

OTHER

Rewarming Exposure Period

Following cold exposure, the cold vests will be removed, and participants will be offered a warm blanket to ease the transition from cold back to warm temperatures. Participants will then be moved to an adjacent warm room maintained at 30 degrees celsius and asked to return to the resting position of their choice. Participants will then engage in reading and/or digital entertainment for a 3-hour warm exposure period.

OTHER

Fasting

Participants will be requested to refrain from food and caloric drinks for 12 hours (starting at 8pm) prior to the study visit. Blood will then be drawn the following morning (between 8 and 9am) 30mins later following a breakfast meal (9:30am- 10am). Participants will be housed in a room with ambient temperature at 25 degrees celsius between the two blood draws.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cornell University

  collaborator OTHER

• Rockefeller University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Joeva Barrow, Ph.D., R.D. · The Rockefeller University and Cornell University

• Paul Cohen, Ph.D., M.D. · The Rockefeller University

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-08-16

Primary Completion

2026-12-04

Completion

2026-12-04

Countries

• United States

Study Locations