DepressionEarly Phase 1NCT03557684
Leucine for Depression Study (L-DEP)
A Early Phase 1 study testing leucine and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in people with Depression, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Depression is very common and poses a huge disease burden. About 20% of the US population suffers from depression at lease once in their lifetime. Inflammations that are hidden inside our body as a result of aging, obesity, chronic diseases, or certain treatments (e.g., interferon for hepatitis C) appear to cause… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression
- What is being tested?
- leucine and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 59 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2018to 31 Jul 2021
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants will be required to be in good general health (as evaluated during the phone and in-person screening sessions) and aged 18 to 65 years.
Who cannot join
- Following a structured telephone interview, prospective participants with the following conditions will not advance to the in-person screening session: presence of chronic mental or physical illness, history of allergies, autoimmune, liver, or other severe chronic diseases, current use of prescription medications such as steroids, NSAIDs, immune modifying drugs, opioid analgesics, and psychotropics, or previous history of fainting during blood draws. These inclusion and exclusion criteria will be examined in detail and confirmed in the in-person screening session by the study physician. Furthermore, any participant who has any of the following conditions will be ineligible for the study. Medical Conditions: (1) presence of co-morbid medical conditions not limited to but including maple syrup urine disease (a contraindication to leucine treatment), cardiovascular (e.g., history of acute coronary event, stroke) and neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease), as well as pain disorders; (2) presence of co-morbid inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune disorders; (3) presence of an uncontrolled medical condition that is deemed by the investigators to interfere with the proposed study procedures, or to put the study participant at undue risk; (4) presence of chronic infection, which may elevate proinflammatory cytokines; (5) presence of an acute infectious illness in the two weeks prior to the screening session. Psychiatric Disorders: (6) an Axis I psychiatric disorder as determined by the Research Version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5-RV) including a current major depressive disorder (a prior history of depression is not an exclusion criterion, which will be considered for a pre-planned sensitivity analysis); (7) lifetime history of suicide attempt or inpatient psychiatric admission; (8) current suicidal ideation assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS); (9) current depressive symptoms assessed by the PHQ-9 (≥ 5)). Medication and Substance Use: (10) current and/or past regular use of hormone-containing medications including steroids; (11) current and/or past regular use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs; (12) current and/or past regular use of immune modifying drugs that target specific immune responses such as TNF antagonists; (13) current and/or past regular use of analgesics such as opioids; (14) current and/or past regular use of psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, hypnotics, sedatives, and barbiturates; (15) current and/or past regular use of cardiovascular medications, including antihypertensive, antiarrhythmic, antianginal, and anticoagulant drugs; (16) current smoking or excessive caffeine use (>600 mg/day) because of the known effects on proinflammatory cytokine levels; (17) evidence of recreational drug use from urine test. Health Factors: (18) BMI > 35 because of the effects of obesity on proinflammatory cytokine activity and also on risk for sleep disordered breathing; or (19) any abnormalities on screening laboratory tests.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology
Los Angeles, California, 90095
About this study
Official title: An Experimental Treatment Approach for Inflammation-Induced Depression
Depression is very common and poses a huge disease burden. About 20% of the US population suffers from depression at lease once in their lifetime. Inflammations that are hidden inside our body as a result of aging, obesity, chronic diseases, or certain treatments (e.g., interferon for hepatitis C) appear to cause depressive symptoms and even clinical depression. Individuals with such inflammations are more likely to suffer from depression and are less likely to respond to currently available antidepressant medications. This study will test leucine, an amino acid, as a new way to mitigate depressive symptoms in response to such inflammations. This study begins with a 90-minute screening session to determine whether participants are eligible to join the main study. Those who meet the eligibility criteria will then join the main study, which will consist of taking leucine or maltodextrin (i.e., oral placebo) for 2 weeks at home and an 8-hour session at the UCLA Medical Center. A brief telephone follow-up every 3 months for 2 years with questions on mood is also planned. Approximately 90 healthy adults will be recruited for participation in the study. During the course of the study, participants will take leucine or maltodextrin for 2 weeks at home and then will be injected either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline (i.e., intravenous placebo) at the UCLA Medical Center. LPS is a bacterial substance that can initiate chemical reactions that are similar to those seen in individuals with mild sickness symptoms, such as a slight increase in body temperature, muscle aches, or tiredness. It is a safe way of investigating the body's response to inflammation and how these changes may alter cognitive, emotional, or neural function. It has been given thousands of times to healthy volunteers - both younger and older adults - without any serious side effects.
- Conditions
- Depression
- Being tested
- leucine, PO placebo, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), IV placebo
- Medical subject headings
- Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
leucineDietary supplement
amino acid leucine in powder
PO placeboOther
maltodextrin
lipopolysaccharide (LPS)Biological
purified bacterial wall component as an inflammatory challenge
IV placeboOther
0.9% saline
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| PO leucine & IV LPS | Experimental | Oral (PO) leucine 6 g twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single intravenous (IV) bolus of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 0.8 ng/kg of body weight Receives: Dietary Supplement: leucine; Biological: lipopolysaccharide (LPS) |
| PO placebo & IV LPS | Experimental | PO maltodextrin (placebo) twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of LPS 0.8 ng/kg of body weight Receives: Other: PO placebo; Biological: lipopolysaccharide (LPS) |
| PO leucine & IV placebo | Experimental | PO leucine 6 g twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of 0.9% saline Receives: Dietary Supplement: leucine; Other: IV placebo |
| PO placebo & IV placebo | Placebo comparator | PO maltodextrin (placebo) twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of 0.9% saline Receives: Other: PO placebo; Other: IV placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Depressed Mood From Baseline
Depression Subscale of the Short Form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF): total score ranges from 0 to 32; higher values represent worse outcome, i.e., more severe depressed mood; the absolute values at each time point are presented here rather than change of values between time points; zero (0) in mean and standard deviation reflect measured data and not placeholder values.
Measured: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Secondary outcomes (6)
Change in Depressive Symptoms From Baseline
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS): a clinician-rated questionnaire of depressive symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Measured: At baseline and then at 2 and 4 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Feelings of Social Disconnection From Baseline
Feelings of Social Disconnection Scale: a self-report questionnaire of feelings of social disconnection with scores ranging from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating more severe feelings of social disconnection.
Measured: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Fatigue From Baseline
Fatigue Subscale of the Short Form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF): total score ranges from 0 to 20; higher values represent worse outcome, i.e., more severe fatigue; the absolute values at each time point are presented here rather than change of values between time points.
Measured: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Confusion From Baseline
Confusion Subscale of the Short Form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF): total score ranges from 0 to 20; higher values represent worse outcome, i.e., more severe confusion; the absolute values at each time point are presented here rather than change of values between time points; zero (0) in mean and standard deviation reflect measured data and not placeholder values.
Measured: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Memory Domains of Cognitive Function From Baseline
Memory domains of cognitive function were measured using the computerized tests from CNS Vital Signs™: verbal memory using "Verbal Memory Test" (total scores ranging from 0 to 60; higher scores mean a better outcome); and visual memory using "Visual Memory Test" (total scores ranging from 0 to 60; higher scores mean a better outcome). The absolute values at each time point are presented.
Measured: At baseline and then 3 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Non-memory Domains of Cognitive Function From Baseline
Non-memory domains of cognitive function were measured using the computerized tests from CNS Vital Signs™: executive function using "Stroop Test" (average reaction time in milliseconds thus ranging from 0 to infinite; shorter reaction time means a better outcome); and attention using "Shifting Attention Test" (average reaction time for correct responses in milliseconds thus ranging from 0 to infinite; shorter reaction time means a better outcome) and "Continuous Performance Test" (average reaction time for correct responses in milliseconds thus ranging from 0 to infinite; shorter reaction time means a better outcome). The absolute values at each time point are presented.
Measured: At baseline and then 3 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Jun 2018
- Study start1 Sep 2018
- Primary completion31 Jul 2021
- Study completion31 Jul 2021
Why it stopped: COVID-19
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, Los AngelesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 59 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Joshua Hyong-Jin Cho, University of California, Los Angeles
- Investigators
- Joshua H Cho, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03557684
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- R21MH113915
- Other IDs
- R21MH113915
- Status last verified
- Jun 2023
- First submitted
- 5 Jun 2018
- Last updated
- 8 Jun 2023
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jun 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Experimental Treatment Approach for Inflammation-Induced Depression
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03557684
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- R21MH113915
- Conditions
- Depression
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: COVID-19
- Enrolment
- 59 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los AngelesUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Jun 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 8 Jun 2023
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Depression is very common and poses a huge disease burden. About 20% of the US population suffers from depression at lease once in their lifetime. Inflammations that are hidden inside our body as a result of aging, obesity, chronic diseases, or certain treatments (e.g., interferon for hepatitis C) appear to cause depressive symptoms and even clinical depression. Individuals with such inflammations are more likely to suffer from depression and are less likely to respond to currently available antidepressant medications. This study will test leucine, an amino acid, as a new way to mitigate depressive symptoms in response to such inflammations. This study begins with a 90-minute screening session to determine whether participants are eligible to join the main study. Those who meet the eligibility criteria will then join the main study, which will consist of taking leucine or maltodextrin (i.e., oral placebo) for 2 weeks at home and an 8-hour session at the UCLA Medical Center. A brief telephone follow-up every 3 months for 2 years with questions on mood is also planned. Approximately 90 healthy adults will be recruited for participation in the study. During the course of the study, participants will take leucine or maltodextrin for 2 weeks at home and then will be injected either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline (i.e., intravenous placebo) at the UCLA Medical Center. LPS is a bacterial substance that can initiate chemical reactions that are similar to those seen in individuals with mild sickness symptoms, such as a slight increase in body temperature, muscle aches, or tiredness. It is a safe way of investigating the body's response to inflammation and how these changes may alter cognitive, emotional, or neural function. It has been given thousands of times to healthy volunteers - both younger and older adults - without any serious side effects.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| PO leucine & IV LPS | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: leucine, Biological: lipopolysaccharide (LPS)Oral (PO) leucine 6 g twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single intravenous (IV) bolus of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 0.8 ng/kg of body weight |
| PO placebo & IV LPS | Experimental | Other: PO placebo, Biological: lipopolysaccharide (LPS)PO maltodextrin (placebo) twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of LPS 0.8 ng/kg of body weight |
| PO leucine & IV placebo | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: leucine, Other: IV placeboPO leucine 6 g twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of 0.9% saline |
| PO placebo & IV placebo | Placebo comparator | Other: PO placebo, Other: IV placeboPO maltodextrin (placebo) twice a day for 2 weeks followed by a single IV bolus of 0.9% saline |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants will be required to be in good general health (as evaluated during the phone and in-person screening sessions) and aged 18 to 65 years.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Following a structured telephone interview, prospective participants with the following conditions will not advance to the in-person screening session: presence of chronic mental or physical illness, history of allergies, autoimmune, liver, or other severe chronic diseases, current use of prescription medications such as steroids, NSAIDs, immune modifying drugs, opioid analgesics, and psychotropics, or previous history of fainting during blood draws. These inclusion and exclusion criteria will be examined in detail and confirmed in the in-person screening session by the study physician. Furthermore, any participant who has any of the following conditions will be ineligible for the study. Medical Conditions: (1) presence of co-morbid medical conditions not limited to but including maple syrup urine disease (a contraindication to leucine treatment), cardiovascular (e.g., history of acute coronary event, stroke) and neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease), as well as pain disorders; (2) presence of co-morbid inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune disorders; (3) presence of an uncontrolled medical condition that is deemed by the investigators to interfere with the proposed study procedures, or to put the study participant at undue risk; (4) presence of chronic infection, which may elevate proinflammatory cytokines; (5) presence of an acute infectious illness in the two weeks prior to the screening session. Psychiatric Disorders: (6) an Axis I psychiatric disorder as determined by the Research Version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5-RV) including a current major depressive disorder (a prior history of depression is not an exclusion criterion, which will be considered for a pre-planned sensitivity analysis); (7) lifetime history of suicide attempt or inpatient psychiatric admission; (8) current suicidal ideation assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS); (9) current depressive symptoms assessed by the PHQ-9 (≥ 5)). Medication and Substance Use: (10) current and/or past regular use of hormone-containing medications including steroids; (11) current and/or past regular use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs; (12) current and/or past regular use of immune modifying drugs that target specific immune responses such as TNF antagonists; (13) current and/or past regular use of analgesics such as opioids; (14) current and/or past regular use of psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, hypnotics, sedatives, and barbiturates; (15) current and/or past regular use of cardiovascular medications, including antihypertensive, antiarrhythmic, antianginal, and anticoagulant drugs; (16) current smoking or excessive caffeine use (>600 mg/day) because of the known effects on proinflammatory cytokine levels; (17) evidence of recreational drug use from urine test. Health Factors: (18) BMI > 35 because of the effects of obesity on proinflammatory cytokine activity and also on risk for sleep disordered breathing; or (19) any abnormalities on screening laboratory tests.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| leucineamino acid leucine in powder | Dietary supplement | PO leucine & IV LPS, PO leucine & IV placebo |
| PO placebomaltodextrin | Other | PO placebo & IV LPS, PO placebo & IV placebo |
| lipopolysaccharide (LPS)purified bacterial wall component as an inflammatory challenge | Biological | PO leucine & IV LPS, PO placebo & IV LPS |
| IV placebo0.9% saline | Other | PO leucine & IV placebo, PO placebo & IV placebo |
Primary outcome
Change in Depressed Mood From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Depression Subscale of the Short Form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF): total score ranges from 0 to 32; higher values represent worse outcome, i.e., more severe depressed mood; the absolute values at each time point are presented here rather than change of values between time points; zero (0) in mean and standard deviation reflect measured data and not placeholder values.
6 secondary outcomes
Change in Depressive Symptoms From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then at 2 and 4 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Feelings of Social Disconnection From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Fatigue From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Confusion From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Memory Domains of Cognitive Function From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then 3 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Change in Non-memory Domains of Cognitive Function From Baseline
Time frame: At baseline and then 3 hours after LPS (or saline) administration
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jun 2023.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Joshua H Cho, MD, PhD principal investigator
University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Early Phase 1 study testing leucine and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in people with Depression, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jun 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Early Phase 1 (sometimes called Phase 0) studies give a very small amount of a treatment to a few people, mainly to see how the body handles it.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 8 Jun 2023). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Depressed Mood From Baseline (time frame: At baseline and then at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after LPS (or saline) administration). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jun 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.