In this study the investigators will quantitate hepatic mitochondrial fluxes in T2D patients with NAFL and NASH before and after 16-weeks treatment with the insulin sensitizer pioglitazone
The study team will examine hepatic mitochondrial TCA flux and pyruvate cycling (oral \[U-13C\]-propionate), hepatic gluconeogenesis (oral 2H2O), and hepatic insulin sensitivity (intravenous \[3,4-13C2\]-glucose with euglycemic insulin clamp) before and after 16 weeks treatment with the FDA approved insulin sensitizer pioglitazone. These studies will be performed in (i) type 2 diabetic subjects with NAFL but without evidence of fibrosis, and (ii) type 2 diabetic patients with NASH. Liver biopsies will be obtained before and after treatment for the diagnosis of NAFL/NASH and for molecular analyses.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
60
An insulin sensitizer and anti-diabetic agent. Participants will be started on 15 mg/day, increased to 30 mg/day at week 2 and then to 45 mg/day at week 4.
Placebo for pioglitazone
Texas Diabetes Institute - University Health System
San Antonio, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGEffect of pioglitazone on hepatic mitochondrial TCA cycle fluxes
Quantitated using a combine stable isotope approach before and after treatment with pioglitazone
Time frame: Baseline, week 16
Mean absolute change from baseline in liver fat content by magnetic resonance Imaging - Proton Density Fat Fraction (MRI-PDFF)
Mean absolute change from baseline in liver fat content by MRI-PDFF
Time frame: Baseline, Week 16
Mean change from baseline in body weight
Mean change from baseline in body weight
Time frame: Baseline, Week 16
Mean change from baseline in body composition
Mean change from baseline in lean and fat mass measured by DEXA
Time frame: Baseline, Week 16
Quantitate the effect of pioglitazone on liver histology by improvement of fibrosis
Percentage of Participants with ≥1 Point Decrease in Fibrosis Stage with No Worsening of NASH on Liver Histology
Time frame: Week 16
Quantitate the effect of pioglitazone on NAFLD Activity Score (NAS)
Percentage of Participants that Achieve a ≥2 Point Decrease in NAS on Liver Histology, with ≥1 Point Reduction in at Least 2 NAS Components
Time frame: Week 16
Examine the effect of pioglitazone on non-invasive markers of NAFLD
Mean change from baseline in Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), transient elastography (Fibroscan®), NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)
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Time frame: Baseline, Week 16
Effect of pioglitazone on the hepatic lipidome
Lipidomics will be carried out using mass-spectrometry methods
Time frame: Baseline, Week 16
Effect of pioglitazone on hepatic gene regulatory networks
Multimodal RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq will be used to examine gene regulatory networks in liver samples
Time frame: Baseline, Week 16