Roux-en-Y gastric bypass promotes expression of PDX-1 and regeneration of beta-cells in Goto-Kakizaki rats.
Li Z, Zhang HY, Lv LX, Li DF, Dai JX, Sha O, Li WQ, Bai Y, Yuan L.
Southern Medical University, Institute of Basic Medical Anatomy National Key Disciplines, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China.
Abstract
AIM: To study the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on the expression of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) and pancreatic beta-cell regeneration/neogenesis, and their possible mechanisms in diabetics. METHODS: Three groups of randomly selected non-obese diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats were subjected to RYGB, sham-RYGB and sham-operation (sham-op) surgery, respectively. The rats were euthanized at post-operative 1, 2, 4 and 12 wk. Their pancreases were resected and analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to detect the mRNA of PDX-1. Anti-PDX-1 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blotting were used to detect the protein of PDX-1. Double IHC staining of anti-Brdu and -insulin was performed to detect regenerated beta-cells. The index of double Brdu and insulin positive cells was calculated. RESULTS: In comparison with sham-RYGB and sham-op groups, a significant increase in the expressions of PDX-1 mRNA in RYGB group was observed at all experimental time points (1 wk: 0.378 +/- 0.013 vs 0.120 +/- 0.010, 0.100 +/- 0.010, F = 727.717, P < 0.001; 2 wk: 0.318 +/- 0.013 vs 0.110 +/- 0.010, 0.143 +/- 0.015, F = 301.509, P < 0.001; 4 wk: 0.172 +/- 0.011 vs 0.107 +/- 0.012, 0.090 +/- 0.010, F = 64.297, P < 0.001; 12 wk: 0.140 +/- 0.007 vs 0.120 +/- 0.010, 0.097 +/- 0.015, F = 16.392, P < 0.001); PDX-1 protein in RYGB group was also increased significantly (1 wk: 0.61 +/- 0.01 vs 0.21 +/- 0.01, 0.15 +/- 0.01, F = 3031.127, P < 0.001; 2 wk: 0.55 +/- 0.00 vs 0.15 +/- 0.01, 0.17 +/- 0.01, F = 3426.455, P < 0.001; 4 wk: 0.39 +/- 0.01 vs 0.18 +/- 0.01, 0.22 +/- 0.01, F = 882.909, P < 0.001; 12 wk: 0.41 +/- 0.01 vs 0.20 +/- 0.01, 0.18 +/- 0.01, F = 515.833, P < 0.001). PDX-1 mRNA and PDX-1 protein production showed no statistical significance between the two sham groups. Many PDX-1 positive cells could be found in the pancreatic islets of the rats in RYGB group at all time points. In addition, the percentage of Brdu-insulin double staining positive cells was higher in RYGB group than in the other two groups (1 wk: 0.22 +/- 0.13 vs 0.03 +/- 0.06, 0.03 +/- 0.06, P < 0.05; 2 wk: 0.28 +/- 0.08 vs 0.00 +/- 0.00, 0.03 +/- 0.06, P < 0.05; 4 wk: 0.24 +/- 0.11 vs 0.07 +/- 0.06, 0.00 +/- 0.00, P < 0.001; 12 wk: 0.20 +/- 0.07 vs 0.03 +/- 0.06, 0.00 +/- 0.00, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: RYGB can increase the expression of pancreatic PDX-1 and induce the regeneration of beta-cells in GK rats. The associated regeneration of islet cells may be a possible mechanism that how RYGB could improve type 2 diabetes mellitus.