Does colchicine improve measures of lipolysis and distribution of leukocyte populations in subcutaneous adipose tissue in adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome?
In adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome, colchicine improves insulin regulation of lipolysis and reduces systemic inflammation markers without altering local leukocyte distributions in subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to examine whether colchicine’s anti‐inflammatory effects would improve measures of lipolysis and distribution of leukocyte populations in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Methods A secondary analysis was conducted for a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled pilot study in which 40 adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were randomized to colchicine 0.6 mg or placebo twice daily for 3 months. Non‐insulin‐suppressible (l 0 ), insulin‐suppressible (l 2 ), and maximal (l 0 +l 2 ) lipolysis rates were calculated by minimal model analysis. Body composition was determined by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. SAT leukocyte populations were characterized by flow cytometry analysis from biopsied samples obtained before and after the intervention. Results Colchicine treatment significantly decreased l 2 and l 0 +l 2 versus placebo ( p 0.05). Conclusions In adults with obesity and MetS, colchicine appears to improve insulin regulation of lipolysis and reduce markers of systemic inflammation independent of an effect on local leukocyte distributions in SAT. Further studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms by which colchicine affects adipose tissue metabolic pathways in adults with obesity and MetS.
Levine et al. (Mon,) studied this question.