Impact of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Body Weight and Food Intake Regulation in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review Comments

This article investigates the effects of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on weight, food intake, and metabolic parameters in diet-induced obese mice. The study demonstrates that SG effectively reduces weight and food intake, but these effects do not appear to be related to changes in appetite-regulating gene expression in the hypothalamus. Although the study presents important findings, several areas still require improvement to enhance its academic and clinical value:

1. Research Design Improvement: The study only observed the effects four weeks post-surgery, which limits understanding of long-term outcomes and potential delayed side effects. It is recommended to include subgroups across different time points to capture dynamic changes in central gene expression.   

2. Limited Result Interpretation: The discussion focuses on the hypothalamus, but other factors influencing appetite and energy expenditure, such as peripheral hormones and metabolic changes, are insufficiently explored. Expanding the analysis beyond the hypothalamus could provide a more comprehensive understanding of SG’s effects.

3. Broader Validation of Findings: To strengthen the reliability of the results, future studies should validate the findings at multiple levels, including gene expression, protein levels, corresponding hormone levels, and related neurophysiological changes.

4. Overly Broad Conclusion: The conclusion is too general and not fully grounded in the study's results. It should be more closely aligned with the data and clearly acknowledge the study’s limitations.

 

 

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Title

Propose a more informative title that emphasizes significant results, for example:  "Impact of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Body Weight and Food Intake Regulation in Diet-Induced Obese Mice''

Abstract

1. Clearly articulate the objective, methods, findings, and conclusions within the abstract. Additionally, incorporate the exceptional values of the acquired results.
2. Keywords: Incorporate additional particular keywords pertinent to the findings (e.g., "FGF15/19 pathway").
Introduction
1. Enhance the introduction by elaborating on the reasons of obesity and the importance of bariatric surgery.
2. Elaborate on scientific terminology upon first mention.
Materials and Methods:
Elucidate the surgical techniques and post-operative management to guarantee repeatability.
Enhance the legends of Figures and Tables for improved clarity.
Discussion

1. Interpretation of Results: Elaborate on the significance of discoveries related to non-canonical pathways and their prospective contribution to obesity management.
2. Comparison with Existing Literature: Incorporate latest research pertaining to FGF15/19 and bariatric surgery to enhance the contextualization of findings.
3. Future Directions: Propose particular research trajectories informed by the findings.
Conclusion

1. Emphasize the principal findings and their ramifications for clinical practice and prospective research.
2. Recognize any constraints in the study design or methods that may influence the interpretation of outcomes.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript by Lucinei Balbo et al. evaluates the effect of a Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) on body weight, fasting glycemia, insulinemia, leptinemia, and anorexigenic and orexigenic gene expression.

 

The authors found that SG reduced body weight in 10-week high fat fed-mice (to induce obesity) and improved glycemia, insulinemia, and leptinemia. However, no differences were found in anorexigenic and orexigenic gene expression.

 

The authors nicely added data to their previous publication “Vertical sleeve gastrectomy improves glucose-insulin homeostasis by enhancing β-cell function and survival via FGF15/19” and appropriately referenced this source.

 

Minor points:

 

Could the authors comment on the potential long-term effects of SG? As the investigated gene expression was unaltered, would it be possible that the positive effects seen only last for a short period of time?

 

Major points:

 

This paper has an iThenticate percent match of 44% which means that it uses a lot of the same language as other sources. The language and the percent match should be addressed (especially lines 168-173).

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have thoroughly addressed all the concerns raised by the reviewer, and the reviewer believes the research article is now suitably prepared for publication in the CIMB Journal.

Author Response

Thank you very much! 

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have sufficiently addressed my comments.

Author Response

Thank you very much!