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No Difference in Ghrelin-Producing Cell Expression in Obese Versus Non-obese Stomach: a Prospective Histopathological
Mario Musella1, Francesco Di Capua2, Maria D'Armiento3
1Advanced Biomedical Sciences Department, Naples "Federico II" University, AOU "Federico II" - Via S. Pansini 5 Building 12, 80131, Naples, Italy. mario.musella@unina.it.
Background:
To understand the role of ghrelin in the mechanism of action of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), a prospective cohort case-control study to assess the expression of ghrelin-producing cells (GPC) in two groups of patients was designed.
Methods:
Specimens of resected stomach from 26 obese patients who underwent LSG (group A), were compared by immunohistochemistry to control stomach samples from 26 non-obese patients (group B) resected for other pathologies or during autopsy; (GIST: 6 cases, inflammatory diseases: 4 cases, post-mortem autopsy cases with stomachs from healthy persons victims of traumatic accidents: 16 cases). Immunohistochemistry investigation was performed with the use of Ventana Benchmark ultra, anti-ghrelin antibody NOVUS, mouse monoclonal 2F4, diluted at 1:100.
Results:
No significant difference in the expression of GPC number between group A and B was found (p = 0.87). No significant correlation between patients presenting a GPC number above (subgroup 1) or below (subgroup 2) the average, and EWL% changes, both at 1 and 6 years of follow-up, was recorded.
Conclusions:
Our study has shown that the expression of GPC is similar in the stomach of obese and non-obese controls, being mostly influenced by the inflammatory status of the gastric mucosa. A variation in the preoperative number of GPC has not influenced the weight loss in patients who underwent LSG.
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