Untargeted Urinary Proteomics Uncovers Nephroprotective and Systemic Adaptations after Obesity Surgery-Induced Weight...

Area of Science:

• Proteomics
• Metabolic Surgery
• Nephrology

Background:

• Bariatric surgery (BS) induces substantial weight loss, impacting multiple biological systems.
• Understanding systemic and kidney adaptations post-BS is crucial for managing obesity-related complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify urinary proteins that reflect kidney and systemic adaptations in patients with obesity before and after bariatric surgery.
• To explore the impact of BS-induced weight loss on the urinary proteome.

Main Methods:

• Collected urine samples from individuals with obesity before and two years after BS (n=16).
• Utilized untargeted high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with label-free quantification.
• Analyzed proteomic changes, identifying significantly altered protein abundances (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Identified 2347 urinary proteins; 1016 showed significant abundance changes post-BS.
• Observed substantial alterations in 54 proteins (≥1.5-fold change), including those related to immune function, cytoskeleton/cell adhesion, and kidney adaptation.
• Detected decreased inflammation markers (e.g., α-1-acid glycoproteins) and increased immune modulation/oxidative stress protection proteins (e.g., dipeptidase 1).

Conclusions:

• Urinary proteome changes post-BS indicate significant shifts in inflammation, oxidative stress, kidney function, and cellular organization.
• These findings suggest novel pathways involved in systemic modifications and nephroprotective effects of BS-induced weight loss.
• Urinary protein profiling offers insights into the multifaceted adaptations following bariatric surgery.