MSU researchers study effects of gastric bypass surgery on immune system

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An MSU team is following gastric bypass surgery patients with high expectations that the surgery has positive effects on the patients’ immune systems.

“I think we’ll see a more positive effect of the surgery and I think the immune function is one of those,” MSU surgeon Pandu Yenumula said.

Yenumula will work with Pam Fraker, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital, to research the effects the surgery has on the immune system.

Immune system cells called neutrophils will be studied in patients to give researchers some idea of how well the immune system is performing after surgery, Fraker said.

“We’re talking about the cells that defend against disease and infection and also do a lot of wound healing and tissue repair after the surgery,” she said.

Positive effects of the surgery include the cure of diabetes, in addition to a more effective ability for the body to fight disease, cancer and infections, Yenumula said.

Patients from the Sparrow Weight Management Center were chosen to participate in the study, which hopefully will address unanswered questions, said Kathy Kacynski, the manager of the center.

“We’ve been doing gastric bypass surgery for more than 30 years and there’s still some things that we don’t know happens to the body in the long term,” she said.

Patients are hopeful the research will benefit others who are in the same position.

“If this study can help other women who have been overweight most of their lives like I have and improve procedures that will help other people … in the end I feel this could benefit someone else who walks in my shoes,” Lansing resident Sandy Schutte said.

Schutte had the surgery and will be followed for two years by researchers, but despite the time commitment she is excited to see the results.

“It really isn’t taking any of my time away or causing me any inconvenience,” she said.

Having the surgery can result in many benefits to the patient, said Melissa Richardson, a doctor at the Minimally Invasive Surgical Associates in Lansing.
Richardson has performed the surgery and seen results in her patients.

“If obesity can lead to cancer, then the reversal of obesity … is not changing your genetics, but you’re obviously changing some of your risk factors,” she said.

The research most likely will lead to positive results, she said.

“I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t find some benefit with their study. It would be shocking to me if they didn’t,” she said.

Staff writer Brittany Shammas contributed to this article.

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