Sleeve gastrectomy drives persistent shifts in the gut microbiome

Abstract

Background: Changes in the gut microbiome following bariatric surgery have been causally linked to metabolic benefits.

Objectives: We sought to characterize and assess the stability of gut microbiome shifts following sleeve gastrectomy (SG).

Setting: University laboratories.

Methods: Diet-induced obese mice were randomized to SG or sham surgery. Mice were housed individually or cohoused such that one SG mouse was housed with one weight-matched, sham-operated mouse. Fecal samples were collected before and on postoperative days 7 and 28. Bacterial composition in feces was characterized by using next-generation Illumina sequencing of 16 S rRNA.

Results: SG mice lost more weight and were more insulin sensitive than sham mice independent of housing status (P<.05). One week following surgery, fecal samples from all mice showed shifts in the microbiome that only persisted in SG-operated mice. Cohousing did not alter the microbial composition of SG-operated mice. Cohoused sham-operated mice showed a unique shift in microbial composition on postoperative day 28 that differed from individually housed, sham-operated mice (P<.001). Cohousing did not affect metabolic outcomes of either SG or sham surgeries.

Conclusion: SG results in acute and sustained shifts in the gut microbiome. SG associated shifts are not altered by reexposure to obesity-associated gut microbiota.

Keywords: Microbiome; Obesity.