Long-term changes in adipose tissue gene expression following bariatric surgery.

Abstract

Patients undergoing bariatric surgery present long-term metabolic improvements and reduced type 2 diabetes risk, despite long-term weight regain. We hypothesized that part of these protective effects could be linked to altered gene expression in white adipose tissue (WAT). Transcriptomic profiling by gene microarray was performed in abdominal subcutaneous WAT from women before (n=50) and two (n=49) and five (n=38) years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery as well as in 28 age-matched nonoperated women. In the obese women, the average body weight decrease was 38kg 2years postsurgery followed by an 8kg weight regain between 2 and 5years. Most of the long-term changes in WAT gene expression occurred during the first 2years. However, a subset of genes encoding proteins involved in inflammation displayed a continued decrease between baseline, 2 and 5years, respectively; that is an expression pattern independent of body weight regain. Expression of 71 of these genes correlated with measurements of adipocyte morphology or serum adipokine levels. The continuous improvement in WAT inflammatory gene expression, despite body weight relapse, may contribute to the sustained effects on adipose morphology after bariatric surgery.