Effects of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Blood Pressure and the Renal Renin-Angiotensin System in Rats with Diet-Induced...

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has been reported to decrease blood pressure (BP), although the reason has not been revealed. The present study aimed to establish the reason why SG decreases BP.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to surgical (sham operation or SG) and dietary interventions (fed a normal diet or high-fat diet ad libitum or fed by pair-feeding [PF]). Systolic BP (SBP), urinary sodium excretion, and endocrine parameters were examined 4 weeks after surgery.

Both SG and PF rats had reduced body weight compared with SO rats fed normal diet or high-fat diet ad libitum. SG rats exhibited a reduction in SBP compared with PF, which was associated with a reduction in renal renin, angiotensin II, and catechol-O-methyltransferase levels (P < 0.01 for each). SG increased plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) levels compared with PF (P < 0.0001 for each), whereas glucagon-like peptide 1 and peptide YY were not changed in fasting. Exogenous administration of CCK reduced renal catechol-O-methyltransferase (P = 0.0233), renin (P < 0.0001), and angiotensin II (P < 0.0001) levels and SBP (P = 0.0053).

SG reduced SBP, at least in part, through suppression of sympathetic nerve action by elevation of CCK, which was followed by suppression of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system.