The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica) as a model for evaluating nutritional and metabolic consequences of bariatric surgery practiced on morbid obese humans

Abstract

M. Gandarillas, and F. Bas. 2009. The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica) as a model for evaluating nutritional and metabolic consequences of bariatric surgery practiced on morbid obese humans. Cien. Inv. Agr. 36(2):163-176. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. Moreover, morbid obese patients routinely suffer from serious medical problems, especially cardiovascular disease. Medical therapy for morbid obesity offers no substantial long-term benefi t, and thus the fi rst choice therapy for severe obesity is effectively surgery. Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process by limiting food intake and facilitating malabsorption of nutrients from the diet. This article reviews the types and evolution of morbid obesity surgery performed in humans and proposes the pig model as an alternative when practicing new surgical techniques or improving actual procedures, as well as to evaluate the metabolic consequences of these procedures. Based on similarities between humans and pigs in terms of their anatomical, physiological and metabolic characteristics, the pig also provides an opportunity to develop, evaluate specifi c techniques in open and laparoscopic surgery. Finally, a complete review of macronutrient digestion and absorption between pigs and humans is done in order to justify the use of this model. Therefore, the objective of this article was to illustrate the use of the pig as a model for studying nutrient digestion and absorption in humans who undergo bariatric surgery and to review how, through digestibility trials, a digestion and absorption assessment of nutrients should complement classical human assessments with surgery.

Food preferences and aversions in human health and nutrition: how can pigs help the biomedical research?

“…Pigs and humans also have approximately the same dietary requirements in terms of nutrients, although the quantitative requirements for each nutrient differ between the two species (Gandarillas and Bas, 2009). As a consequence of their similar digestive physiology, pigs have been extensively used as a model for assessing nutrient absorption in humans (Gandarillas and Bas, 2009).…”

“…Moreover, due to the similar size and physiological capacity of the organs, pigs may be the most suitable donors for animal-to-human xenotransplantation (Vodicka et al, 2005;Sahni et al, 2008). For the same reasons, pigs have also been used as a general surgical model for most organs and systems, particularly to assess the feasibility of surgical techniques or to evaluate their postoperative metabolic consequences (for a review, see Gandarillas and Bas, 2009). Another interesting factor is that pigs can develop some of the same disease as humans, such as obesity, diabetes, or cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis (for a review, see Jokinen et al, 1985).…”

“…For instance, miniature Ossabaw pigs have a 'thrifty genotype' that confer them with a naturally increased predisposition to the development of obesity or insulin resistance in response to high-fat/high-carbohydrate diets (Dyson et al, 2006;Clark et al, 2011). Gö ttingen minipigs also have a high propensity The pig model in human nutrition (Gandarillas and Bas, 2009) Differences in the relative absorptive surface areas of the GIT (e.g. faster nutrient absorption in humans than in rats; DeSesso and Jacobson, 2001) Ability to develop human diseases Obesity (Val-Laillet et al, 2010a, 2010band 2010cClark et al, 2011), diabetes (Bellinger et al, 2006Liu et al, 2007), atherosclerosis (Xi et al, 2004;Miyoshi et al, 2010).…”

“…Pigs and humans also have approximately the same dietary requirements in terms of nutrients, although the quantitative requirements for each nutrient differ between the two species (Gandarillas and Bas, 2009). As a consequence of their similar digestive physiology, pigs have been extensively used as a model for assessing nutrient absorption in humans (Gandarillas and Bas, 2009).The similarities between the two species extend to numerous other physiological functions (Vodicka et al, 2005). For example, pigs and humans also have very similar cardiovascular systems (Xi et al, 2004;Sahni et al, 2008;Spurlock and Gabler, 2008), making pigs an excellent model for cardiovascular studies and for the development of new surgical procedures.…”

Genetically identical co-housed pigs as models for dietary studies of gut microbiomes

“…Second, the pig's GIT is anatomically, metabolically, and physiologically similar to human beings [31]. Third, pigs grow quickly and are especially susceptible to nutrient modulation.…”