[(18) F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography imaging with remission of type 2 diabetes after gastric bypass surgery

Intestinal glucose excretion: A potential mechanism for glycemic control

The gut has been increasingly recognized in recent years as a pivotal organ in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. Specifically, the profound and enduring improvement in glucose metabolism achieved through metabolic surgery to modify the anatomy of the gut has prompted scholars to acknowledge that the most effective strategy for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) involves the gut. The mechanisms underlying the regulation of glucose metabolism by the gut encompass gut hormones, bile acids, intestinal gluconeogenesis, gut microbiota, and signaling interactions between the gut and other organs (liver, brain, adipose, etc.). Recent studies have also revealed a novel phenomenon of glucose lowering through the gut: metabolic surgery and metformin promote the excretion of glucose from the circulation into the intestinal lumen by enterocytes. However, there is still limited understanding regarding the underlying mechanisms of intestinal glucose excretion and its contribution to glycemic control. This article reviews current research on intestinal glucose excretion while focusing on its role in T2DM management as well as potential mechanisms.

The Role of Positron Emission Tomography in Bariatric Surgery Research: a Review

Bariatric surgery, initially understood as restricting or bypassing the amount of food that reaches the stomach to reduce food intake and/or increase malabsorption of food to promote weight loss, is now recognized to also affect incretin signaling in the gut and promote improvements in system-wide metabolism. Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technique whereby patients are injected with picomolar concentrations of radioactive molecules, below the threshold of having physiological effects, to measure spatial distributions of blood flow, metabolism, receptor, and enzyme pharmacology. Recent advances in both whole-body PET imaging and radioligand development will allow for novel research that may help clarify the roles of peripheral and central receptor/enzyme systems in treating obesity with bariatric surgery.