A Cost-Free Program for young Hispanic females (18-40 years of age) that may feel they are overweight and may have a family history of diabetes. Program has Institutional Review Board Approval from the City of Houston, Department of Health & Human Services-Houston and The Ohio State University. The program includes laboratory (OGTT, CBC, Thyroid, Liver, Renal, Lipids, A1C, etc, and physical examin
ation assessment parameters. It includes both a medical and behavioral intervention for 3 months duration. Participants lose weight, normalize their glycemic status, lipids, liver function-reverse prediabetes state. The program/intervention is held weekly at various times of the day and week to accommodate as many individuals. The women often bring their children, their mothers along. If you do not qualify, you may still attend the intervention, free of charge. Our team includes:
Willa Hsueh, MD-Principle Investigator, David Bradley-Endocrinology Dept; Kelly Wrighton, PhD-Microbiology Dept. at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Jerome Rotter, MD & Ida Chen, PhD at LA Biomedical Research Institute-Genetics Department at UCLA. Mark Goodarzi, MD-Genetics & Endocrinology Department at Cedar Sinai. Hypotheses and Specific Aims: 1. We hypothesize that lifestyle change plus a GLP-1 analog improves β-cell function in obese individuals with pre-diabetes more than lifestyle change alone. We will compare the effects of a meal replacement (MR) culturally sensitive life-style program with and without liraglutide. The primary endpoint will be improved β-cell function (measured by AIRg and DI defined by FSIGT). Secondary endpoints include changes in β-cell markers (C-peptide, insulinogenic index (IGI), glucagon); novel plasma biomarkers that predict diabetes and inflammation; and metabolic syndrome components. 2. We hypothesize that genetic variations that are associated with β-cell dysfunction will predict the β-cell response to intervention. Most genes that have been identified for diabetes-related traits influence β-cellgrowth, differentiation and function. We will use a selected group of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the Metabochip to correlate variations in such T2DM genes/loci with insulin responses and otherphenotypes in liraglutide-treated subjects from Aim 1. This investigation targets serious health disparities in metabolic disease in a highly vulnerable, rapidly growing population, testing novel gender- and culturally-focused intervention strategies and identifying genetic biomarkers of response to a pharmacologic intervention that targets the pancreatic β-cell. These results help to a) understand mechanisms of disease, b) personalize treatment through identification of a high risk group that may be amenable to specific therapy, and c) ultimately, sets the stage for an intervention trial to prevent diabetes, a major chronic and costly disease, in MA.
