Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was initiated to investigate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on hepatic glucose metabolism and hepatic expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) in obese rats. METHODS: Body weight, glucose, intraperitoneal glucose, insulin, and pyruvate tolerance tests were performed pre- and postoperatively, and plasma lipid, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) were measured. The mRNA levels of G6Pase, Pepck, Gsk-3β and Gys-2, and the expression levels of PTP1B mRNA, protein, and other components of the insulin signaling pathway were measured by using RT-PCR and western blotting. The intracellular localization of PTP1B and hepatic glycogen deposition was also observed. RESULTS: RYGB surgery-treated rats showed persistent weight loss, significantly improved glucose tolerance, pyruvate tolerance, and dyslipidemia, as well as increased insulin sensitivity, hepatic glycogen deposition and increased plasma GLP-1 in obese rats. RT-PCR analyses showed Pepck, G6Pase, and Gsk-3β mRNA to be significantly decreased, and Gys-2 mRNA to be significantly increased in liver tissue in the RYGB group (p < 0.05 vs. high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD + sham group); in addition, the expression of PTP1B were significantly decreased and insulin signaling were improved in the RYGB group (p < 0.05 vs. HFD or HFD + sham group). CONCLUSION: RYGB can improve hepatic glucose metabolism and down-regulate PTP1B in obese rats. An increased circulating GLP-1 concentration may be correlated with the effects following RYGB in obese rats.