ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on early damage of renal tissue in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats, and explore the mechanism of the protective effects. MethodsDiabetes mellitus animal models were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg /kg) and a high-fat diet.Diabetic rats were divided into three groups randomly (digital table method): diabetes control group (n=8), sham operation group (n=8), and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass group (n=14).Another 8 normal SD rats as the normal control group.The fasting blood glucose, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) were measured before operation and in 8 weeks after operation; plasma BUN and Cr were measured respectively before operation and in 4 and 8 weeks after operation in each group rats, 24 h urine microalbumin and urine 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were measured respectively before operation and in 8 weeks after operation in each group rats.Renal pathological changes were observed and the indexes of kidney hypertrophy, the mean glomerular area (MGA), and the mean glomerular volume (MGV) were analyzed in 8 weeks after operation.The expressions of fibronectin, typeⅣcollagen (CoⅣ), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4), and Bcl-2 protein in renal tissues were investigated by immunohistochemical staining. ResultsRoux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery could reduce the blood glucose, blood lipid, MGA, MGV, and the index of kidney hypertrophy of diabetic rats significantly (P < 0.05), improved renal pathological morphology and kidney function (P < 0.05), reduced the protein expressions of fibronectin and CoⅣ, decreased the protein expressions of TGF-β1, ICAM-1, and NOX4, and increased the protein expression of Bcl-2. ConclusionRoux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery can improve kidney function and the pathological damage of diabetes rats, its mechanism may be related to inhibition the protein expressions of TGF-β1, ICAM-1, and NOX4, and increase the protein expression of Bcl-2.