Effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) surgery on glycemic control and metabolic disease–associated microRNA (MD-miRNA) expression in liver-specific Ago2-deficiency (L-Ago2) knockout (KO) mice. A, Body weight gain of L-Ago2 wild-type (WT)-SHAM (n = 7) and L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 7), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 6) mice post surgery. B, Body weight loss of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM (n = 7) and L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 7), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 5) mice pre surgery and post surgery. C, Blood glucose levels after 6 hours of fasting of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM (n = 7), L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 7), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 6) mice 4 weeks post surgery. D, Serum insulin levels after 6 hours of fasting of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM (n = 7), L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 7), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 6) mice 4 weeks post surgery. E, hematoxylin-eosin–stained liver section of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM, L-Ago2 WT-VSG, L-Ago2 KO-SHAM, and L-Ago2 KO-VSG mice 4 weeks post surgery. F, Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM (n = 4), L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 6), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 6) mice 4 weeks post surgery. G, MD-miRNAs and their target messenger RNA (mRNA), de novo lipogenesis, and H, gluconeogenesis gene expression levels in livers of L-Ago2 WT-SHAM (n = 6), L-Ago2 WT-VSG (n = 6), L-Ago2 KO-SHAM (n = 7), and L-Ago2 KO-VSG (n = 6) mice 4 weeks post surgery. Data are shown as mean ± SEM of group size (n). Statistical analyses were performed by multiple t test for A or by unpaired 2-tailed test for C and F, or by 2-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey post hoc test for B, G, and H. *P less than or equal to .05, * P less than or equal to .01, *** P less than or equal to .001.