Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Triggers β-cell Recovery in Obese Diabetic Mice

Bariatric/metabolic surgery has been shown to promote improvements and even remission of type 2 diabetes. 

Now, as paper by Lena Oppenländer and her German colleagues, in a paper published in Molecular Metabolism, shows that vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), in contrast to a low-energy diet results in fast ß-cell recovery in diabetic db/db mice, a model of severe obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Using single-cell profiling of islets of Langerhans, the researchers showed that VSG induced distinct, intrinsic changes in the β-cell transcriptome, but not in that of α-, δ-, and PP-cells. 

Furthermore, within two weeks of interventions, VSG triggered fast β-cell redifferentiation and functional improvement.

Expansion of β-cell area was attributed to both redifferentiation and by creating a proliferation competent β-cell state.

In addition, the paper presents substantial information on changes in molecular pathways that would in part explain these observations. 

Although evidence from animal studies should always be taken with a grain of salt, these studies should lead to further exploration of similar mechanisms resulting in the restoration of ß-cell function in humans following metabolic surgery. 

DrSharma
Berlin, D