Gut microbiota alterations induced by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass result in glucose-lowering by enhancing intestinal glucose excretion

Abstract

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) results in glucose-lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may be associated with increased intestinal glucose excretion. However, the contribution of intestinal glucose excretion to glycemic control after RYGB and its underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Here, we confirmed that intestinal glucose excretion significantly increased in obese rats after RYGB, which was negatively correlated with postoperative blood glucose levels. Moreover, we also found that the contribution of Biliopancreatic limb length, an important factor affecting glycemic control after RYGB, to the improvement of glucose metabolism after RYGB attributed to the enhancement of intestinal glucose excretion. Subsequently, we further determined through multiple animal models that intestinal glucose excretion is physiological rather than pathological and plays a crucial role in maintaining glucose homeostasis in the body. Finally, we employed germ-free mice colonized with fecal samples from patients and rats to demonstrate that enhanced intestinal glucose excretion after RYGB is directly modulated by the surgery-induced changes in the gut microbiota. These results indicated that the gut microbiota plays a direct causal role in the hypoglycemic effect of RYGB by promoting intestinal glucose excretion, which may provide new insights for developing gut microbiota-based therapies for T2DM.