Increase in bile acids after sleeve gastrectomy improves metabolism by activating GPBAR1 to increase cAMP in mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Background Bile acids (BAs) concentration can affect metabolic improvement caused by bariatric surgery and BA concentrations increase in patients after sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Here, how BAs after SG affect metabolism in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was studied. Methods Mice were given high‐fat diet (HFD) to induce NAFLD and received SG surgery. Hepatic and fecal BA concentrations in mice were detected by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method. BA‐related genes were detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. G protein BA receptor 1 (GPBAR1) expression was identified using western blot analysis. NAFLD mice after SG received GPBAR1 inhibitor Triamterene. The weight of mice and mice liver was detected. Mouse liver tissue was observed by hematoxylin–eosin and Oil Red O staining. Triglyceride (TG), nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels in mouse liver tissue were analyzed by metabolic assay and enzyme‐linked immune sorbent assay. Results SG boosted increase in hepatic total/conjugated BAs and related genes and GPBAR1 expression, and attenuated increase in fecal total BAs/muricholic acid in HFD‐induced mice and increased fecal taurine‐BAs in HFD‐induced mice. Triamterene (72 mg/kg) reversed the inhibitory role of SG in HFD‐induced increase of body weight, lipid accumulation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and increase of hepatic weight and TG/NEFA content, and counteracted the positive role of SG in HFD‐induced increase of hepatic cAMP concentration in mice. Conclusions BAs improve metabolism via activating GPBAR1 to increase cAMP in NAFLD mice after SG. (1) SG increased hepatic BAs in NAFLD mice. (2) SG improved metabolism in NAFLD mice. (3) GPBAR1 inhibitor aggravated metabolism in NAFLD mice after SG.