Study of Leptin for the Treatment of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether administration of an investigational medication called leptin (r-metHuLeptin) in replacement doses can improve bone health, reproductive function, hormone levels, immune function, and overall sense of well-being in women with hypothalamic (exercise-induced) amenorrhea (HA) who are being treated with oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), compared to placebo. Women with hypothalamic amenorrhea have low leptin levels. This study is based on the hypothesis that the relative leptin deficiency in women with hypothalamic (exercise-induced) amenorrhea may be the reason for the lack of menstrual cycles, hormone abnormalities, and bone loss associated with this condition.

Timeline

Start

2010-04

Primary completion

2011-08

Completion

2016-12

Publications

• Background Welt CK, Chan JL, Bullen J, Murphy R, Smith P, DePaoli AM, Karalis A, Mantzoros CS. Recombinant human leptin in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea. N Engl J Med. 2004 Sep 2;351(10):987-97. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa040388.
• Background Mantzoros CS, Magkos F, Brinkoetter M, Sienkiewicz E, Dardeno TA, Kim SY, Hamnvik OP, Koniaris A. Leptin in human physiology and pathophysiology. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Oct;301(4):E567-84. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00315.2011. Epub 2011 Jul 26.
• Results Sienkiewicz E, Magkos F, Aronis KN, Brinkoetter M, Chamberland JP, Chou S, Arampatzi KM, Gao C, Koniaris A, Mantzoros CS. Long-term metreleptin treatment increases bone mineral density and content at the lumbar spine of lean hypoleptinemic women. Metabolism. 2011 Sep;60(9):1211-21. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2011.05.016. Epub 2011 Jul 7.
• Results Chou SH, Chamberland JP, Liu X, Matarese G, Gao C, Stefanakis R, Brinkoetter MT, Gong H, Arampatzi K, Mantzoros CS. Leptin is an effective treatment for hypothalamic amenorrhea. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Apr 19;108(16):6585-90. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1015674108. Epub 2011 Apr 4.
• Stefanakis K, Samiotaki M, Papaevangelou V, Valenzuela-Vallejo L, Giannoukakis N, Mantzoros CS. Longitudinal proteomics of leptin treatment in humans with acute and chronic energy deficiency-induced hypoleptinemia reveal novel, mainly immune-related, pleiotropic effects. Metabolism. 2024 Oct;159:155984. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2024.155984. Epub 2024 Aug 2.
• Chrysafi P, Perakakis N, Farr OM, Stefanakis K, Peradze N, Sala-Vila A, Mantzoros CS. Leptin alters energy intake and fat mass but not energy expenditure in lean subjects. Nat Commun. 2020 Oct 13;11(1):5145. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18885-9.
• Bouzoni E, Perakakis N, Mantzoros CS. Circulating profile of Activin-Follistatin-Inhibin Axis in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea in response to leptin treatment. Metabolism. 2020 Dec;113:154392. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2020.154392. Epub 2020 Oct 10.
• Foo JP, Polyzos SA, Anastasilakis AD, Chou S, Mantzoros CS. The effect of leptin replacement on parathyroid hormone, RANKL-osteoprotegerin axis, and Wnt inhibitors in young women with hypothalamic amenorrhea. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Nov;99(11):E2252-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-2491. Epub 2014 Aug 22.
• Hwang JJ, Thakkar B, Chamberland JP, Mantzoros CS. Circulating fetuin-A levels are not affected by short and long-term energy deprivation and/or by leptin administration. Metabolism. 2014 Jun;63(6):754-9. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.02.006. Epub 2014 Feb 17.
• Matarese G, La Rocca C, Moon HS, Huh JY, Brinkoetter MT, Chou S, Perna F, Greco D, Kilim HP, Gao C, Arampatzi K, Wang Z, Mantzoros CS. Selective capacity of metreleptin administration to reconstitute CD4+ T-cell number in females with acquired hypoleptinemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 26;110(9):E818-27. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1214554110. Epub 2013 Feb 4.
• Aronis KN, Diakopoulos KN, Fiorenza CG, Chamberland JP, Mantzoros CS. Leptin administered in physiological or pharmacological doses does not regulate circulating angiogenesis factors in humans. Diabetologia. 2011 Sep;54(9):2358-67. doi: 10.1007/s00125-011-2201-x. Epub 2011 Jun 10.
• Alonso-Alonso M, Ziemke F, Magkos F, Barrios FA, Brinkoetter M, Boyd I, Rifkin-Graboi A, Yannakoulia M, Rojas R, Pascual-Leone A, Mantzoros CS. Brain responses to food images during the early and late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in healthy young women: relation to fasting and feeding. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Aug;94(2):377-84. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.010736. Epub 2011 May 18.

Drugs

Indications