Plasma ghrelin, adiponectin and leptin levels in obese rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus after sleeve gastrectomy and gastric plication

The prevalence of obesity has increased in recent decades and has become a public health problem. In obesity patients the metabolism of almost all adipokines is markedly dysregulated. Studies regarding levels of ghrelin, leptin, and adiponectin after bariatric surgery reveal contradictory results. The purpose of the present study was to analyze modification of body weight and plasma levels of fasting glucose, ghrelin, adiponectin and leptin, in obese rats with T2DM after sleeve gastrectomy (SG), gastric plication (GP) and sham-operated (SO). Eighteen specimens where randomized to three weight-matched groups: Group SG underwent sleeve gastrectomy (n=6), group GP underwent gastric plication (n=6) and the control group SO underwent sham surgery (n=6). Upon surgery a normal rat chow diet (Bio-Serv(R) product no. F4031) was fed to the rats until the end of the experiment. Additional blood samples were harvested after 4 weeks. The results revealed that body mass decreased in the SG (783.17 +/- 101.39 vs. 658.33 +/- 86.57 g; P<0.0001) and the GP (781.33 +/- 103.12 vs. 702.33 +/- 84.06 g; P=0.004) rats after surgery. There were significant lower fasting glucose levels at 4 weeks postoperative in the SG group compared to the SO group (83.1 +/- 12.81 vs. 104.5 +/- 9.81 mg/dl; P=0.016). The same trend was observed in the GP group vs. the SO group (86.7 +/- 11.43 vs. 104.5 +/- 9.81 mg/dl; P=0.026). There was no difference regarding mean glucose levels between the SG group compared to the GP group (P>0.05). Plasma acylated ghrelin and leptin levels decreased four weeks after surgery compared to preoperative levels, while adiponectin levels increased four weeks after surgery in the SG and GP groups, respectively. The present study revealed that plasma glucose levels, ghrelin and leptin levels decreased after SG and GP, while adiponectin levels improved. This suggests that there may be hormonal contribution in weight loss.