Effects of Interleukin-1 Beta on Low Testosterone Levels in Men With Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Summary

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome in men are associated with a high prevalence of hypogonadism of up to 50%. Increased fat mass leads to augmented release of adipocytokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1-beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha which in turn suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, leading to hypogonadism. This pathophysiological interplay is termed hypogonadal-obesity-adipocytokine hypothesis. TestIL is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that inhibition of IL-1-activity diminishes the inhibitory effects on HPG axis and increases testosterone levels in men with metabolic syndrome.

Timeline

Start

2016-01

Primary completion

2017-06

Completion

2017-06

Publications

• Ebrahimi F, Urwyler SA, Betz MJ, Christ ER, Schuetz P, Mueller B, Donath MY, Christ-Crain M. Effects of interleukin-1 antagonism and corticosteroids on fibroblast growth factor-21 in patients with metabolic syndrome. Sci Rep. 2021 Apr 12;11(1):7911. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-87207-w.
• Urwyler SA, Ebrahimi F, Burkard T, Schuetz P, Poglitsch M, Mueller B, Donath MY, Christ-Crain M. IL (Interleukin)-1 Receptor Antagonist Increases Ang (Angiotensin [1-7]) and Decreases Blood Pressure in Obese Individuals. Hypertension. 2020 Jun;75(6):1455-1463. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13982. Epub 2020 Apr 10.
• Ebrahimi F, Urwyler SA, Schuetz P, Mueller B, Bernasconi L, Neyer P, Donath MY, Christ-Crain M. Effects of interleukin-1 antagonism on cortisol levels in individuals with obesity: a randomized clinical trial. Endocr Connect. 2019 Jun 1;8(6):701-708. doi: 10.1530/EC-19-0201.
• Ebrahimi F, Urwyler SA, Straumann S, Doerpfeld S, Bernasconi L, Neyer P, Schuetz P, Mueller B, Donath MY, Christ-Crain M. IL-1 Antagonism in Men With Metabolic Syndrome and Low Testosterone: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Sep 1;103(9):3466-3476. doi: 10.1210/jc.2018-00739.

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Indications