title: Development of a sleeve gastrectomy weight loss model in obese Zucker rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity promotes the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The most effective weight loss treatment is bariatric surgery, but results greatly vary depending on the procedure. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has recently emerged as a reduced risk weight loss procedure for super obese patients. However, the mechanism of weight loss from SG and its effects on obesity-induced complications are yet to be determined. Our goal was to develop an experimental model of SG in genetically obese rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male obese Zucker rats (400-500 g, leptin-insensitive) were anesthetized with isoflurane. After a midline laparotomy, the stomach was clamped, the greater curvature was excised, and a triple suture line was used to close the gastric remnant. Sham rats underwent laparotomy only. Metabolic parameters were followed for 14 d after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caloric intake and body weight decreased in SG rats over 14 d by 98 +/- 10 kcal/d and 74 +/- 14 g, respectively. Blood total cholesterol levels were lower in rats that lost weight. Furthermore, blood glucose levels were lower in rats that lost weight. Active ghrelin levels were unchanged in SG rats 14 d after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that SG promotes weight loss in obese Zucker rats. Furthermore, SG-induced weight loss is accompanied by improved plasma cholesterol and glucose profile. However, SG does not promote a prolonged decrease in ghrelin levels. These results suggest that SG is an effective weight loss procedure in leptin insensitivity to improve the lipid profile and decrease insulin resistance and these effects might be independent of changes in ghrelin levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Laparoendoscopic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and the National Trauma Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA.
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Susannah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Gabriel E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Fruzsina K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin; D002784:Cholesterol