Plasma progranulin levels in obese patients before and after Roux-en-Y gastric bariatric surgery: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: Bariatric surgery stands out as the most effective long-term intervention for sustainable weight loss and metabolic improvement in patients with severe obesity. Progranulin was recently identified as an adipokine related to obesity and inflammation, revealing a metabolic function and proinflammatory properties.

Objective: To evaluate plasma progranulin levels before and after 6 months of bariatric surgery in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital, southern Brazil.

Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study, including 23 obese patients who underwent RYGB. Demographic and clinical characteristics, body composition, and resting energy expenditure were evaluated. Plasma progranulin was determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in a peripheral blood sample collected before and 6 months after the surgical procedure.

Results: The participants were mostly women (78.3%), with a mean age of 42.3 ± 10.8 years and baseline body mass index of 48.8 ± 10.4 kg/m². Regarding the anthropometric parameters, there were differences in the pre- and post-RYGB values, with reduction of weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and cervical and abdominal circumferences. All laboratory parameters improved, such as lipid profile and fasting glycemia, and resting energy expenditure values decreased significantly. Plasma progranulin levels decreased from 47.6 ± 13.5 ng/mL before RYGB to 40.4 ± 9.9 ng/mL after 6 months of surgery (P = .005). The reduction of progranulin did not correlate with body composition or laboratory data.

Conclusions: Plasma progranulin levels significantly reduced 6 months after RYGB, but it could not be explained by changes in anthropometry, body composition, or glycemic or lipid profile.

Keywords: Adipokine; Adipose tissue; Bariatric surgery; Inflammation; Obesity; Progranulin.