Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Reduces Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Blood Inflammation in Nondiabetic Morbidly Obese Individuals

Background: Significant and sustained excess weight loss (EWL) appears to reduce the risk of obesity-related comorbidities (insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and inflammation), but this has been primarily shown in adult diabetic obese patients. We evaluated whether the EWL obtained 3 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) improves the metabolic phenotype in nondiabetic morbidly obese (NDMO) individuals from south Italy. Methods: Serum and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples from 20 obese individuals (median BMI = 41.5 kg/m2) before (T0) and after LAGB (T1) and from 10 controls (median BMI = 22.8 kg/m2) were taken. Serum leptin, adiponectin, C reactive protein (CRP), and main analyte levels were evaluated by routine methods or immunoassay. In SAT, adipocyte size was measured by hematoxylin/eosin staining, cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) macrophage infiltration marker by immunohistochemistry, and adiponectin, adiponectin receptors 1 and 2, and interleukin 6 (IL6) messenger RNAs by qRT-PCR. Results: The average EWL was 66.7 %, and CRP, triglycerides, hepatic markers, leptin levels, homeostasis model assessment, and the leptin/adiponectin ratio were lower (p < 0.05) at T1 than at T0. The expression of small adipocytes and adiponectin was increased (p < 0.05), and inflammation markers (CD68 and IL6) decreased (p < 0.05) at T1 vs. T0. At linear regression multivariate analysis, over 90 % (R2 = 0.905) of EWL (dependent variable) was explained by CD68, adiponectinemia, triglyceridemia, CRP, and total protein levels. Conclusions: The EWL obtained 3 years after LAGB resulted in an improvement of lipid metabolism and a reduction of inflammation in NDMO patients, thereby decreasing the risk of obesity-associated diseases.