Obesity and Lipids: a Matter of Taste?
Condition: Obesity
MeSH terms: Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of the protocol is to determine the impact of bariatric surgery on taste
      receptors and taste perceptions and to precise the factors implicated in taste alterations in
      50 obese patients before and 6 months after bariatric surgery (25 Roux Y gastric bypass and
      25 sleeve gastrectomy).
    

Detailed description: 
      Over-consumption high sugar and high fat foods was identified as a main risk factor for
      obesity. The recent identification of lipid-receptor (CD36, GPR120) in human taste buds
      suggests that lipids could be perceived not only by their texture and their olfactory
      characteristics, but also by way of taste. Obese subjects tend to consume more high fat foods
      than lean subjects. Conversely, bariatric surgery induces behavioral changes limiting the
      consumption of foods high in sugar and fat. The mechanisms underlying these behavioral
      changes are not understood. Does obesity is accompanied by a distortion of taste detection of
      dietary lipids? What are the mechanisms involved? Are they reversible? What could be the
      effect on food choices and health? This protocol is part of a broader research program that
      aims to answer these questions by studying the feeding behavior in obese subjects and animals
      before and after a bariatric surgery.

      The purpose of the protocol is to determine the impact of bariatric surgery on the expression
      of taste receptors and taste perceptions and in particular the threshold of perception of fat
      (and sweet as taste as reference) and to study the association between the changes of taste
      perceptions and food preferences, amount of weight loss, surgical technique (with or without
      intestinal bypass), hormonal, metabolic and inflammatory changes, and modification of the
      oral microbiota. The study will included 50 patients who underwent bariatric surgery, either
      Roux Y gastric bypass (25 patients) or sleeve gastrectomy (25 patients) that will be explored
      in the two months before and six months after surgery. These explorations will included a
      clinical examination with collection of anthropometric data, a body fat determination by
      impedance, a detailed dietary survey, blood samples for assessment of hormonal parameters
      (GLP1 , PYY, ghrelin, insulin, leptin) and inflammatory parameters (LPS, TNFalpha, IL-1,
      IL-6, ...), a tong micro-biopsy to collect taste buds and a sample of oral microbiota and
      lipids and sugars thresholds determination (linoleic acid or sucrose).
    

Intervention name(s): taste assessment and epithelium gustatory smear and biopsy
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): assessment of taste perceptions and expression of taste receptors before and after bariatric surgery and epithelium gustatory smear and biopsy
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: bariatric surgery; taste perception; lipid receptors