Effects Of Ghrelin Research Articles

Emerging Relevance of Ghrelin in Programmed Cell Death and Its Application in Diseases.

Ghrelin, comprising 28 amino acids, was initially discovered as a hormone that promotes growth hormones. The original focus was on the effects of ghrelin on controlling hunger and satiation. As the research further develops, the research scope of ghrelin has expanded to a wide range of systems and diseases. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In recent years, substantial studies have demonstrated that ghrelin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and other effects, which could affect the signaling pathways of various kinds of programmed cell death (PCD) in treating diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the function of ghrelin in different kinds of PCD have not been thoroughly illuminated. This review describes the relationship between ghrelin and four kinds of PCD (apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis) and then introduces the clinical applications based on the different features of ghrelin.

Abstract A072: Ghrelin deletion reduces mammary tumor growth and enhances response to immunotherapy

Abstract Ghrelin is a peptide hormone, primarily produced in the stomach, best known for its role as a regulator of nutrient sensing, appetite, and meal initiation. However, increasing evidence supports a more complex and nuanced role for ghrelin in a diverse array of biological processes, including cancer. Ghrelin’s effects on breast cancer development and progression are not clear, as the literature detailing its effects is conflicting. Several studies in breast cancer survivors have concluded that higher expression of ghrelin is correlated with better recurrence-free and breast cancer-specific survival. However, additional clinical and foundational science studies have suggested greater complexity for ghrelin’s role in breast cancer development as a splice variant of ghrelin, namely In1-ghrelin, is associated with increased tumor proliferation and reduced disease-free survival of breast cancer patients. Thus, the current study sought to determine the effects of ghrelin deletion within mammary tumor cells (67NR) on subsequent tumor growth. Specifically, we hypothesized that ghrelin deletion would significantly alter tumor growth. Adult female mice received bilateral orthotopic injections of the nonmetastatic murine breast carcinoma cell line 67NR or one of two CRISPR generated ghrelin deleted cell lines 1G9 or 2G2 (derived from the 67NR cell line). Ghrelin deletion significantly reduced tumor volume and tumor mass by ~60% and ~55%, respectively. Additionally, ghrelin deletion significantly increased median survival duration by ~30%. When examining changes within the tumor microenvironment we observed a significant increase in macrophage colonization in ghrelin knockouts relative to the parental 67NR tumors. Notably, the percent F4/80 staining within the tumor positively correlated with length of survival. To determine the role of these F4/80 cells on tumor progression, we ablated these macrophages by feeding chow containing the colony stimulating factor receptor 1 inhibitor, PLX5622, for the entirety of the study. Ablating macrophages significantly increased tumor volume and tumor mass and rendered the previous beneficial effects of ghrelin deletion null, suggesting that the positive effects of ghrelin deletion may be due to actions on macrophages. Lastly, because of the increased macrophage infiltration within ghrelin knockout tumors, we sought to determine their repose to an immunotherapy targeting macrophages, namely anti-CD47. Notably, ghrelin deleted tumors displayed a positive response to the immunotherapy and further reduction in tumor growth (~80% reduction in tumor volume compared to 67NR tumors). Whereas, 67NR tumors were unresponsive to the immunotherapy. These data add to the literature detailing the complex effects of ghrelin on tumor growth and suggest that ghrelin may be a druggable target to slow tumor development. Citation Format: William H Walker II, Brittany D Elliott, Claire O Kisamore, Randy J Nelson, A. Courtney DeVries. Ghrelin deletion reduces mammary tumor growth and enhances response to immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2023 Oct 11-15; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A072.

Regulation of hormonal receptors of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by ghrelin in ovary of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Ghrelin has been well known as an orexigenic hormone that regulates appetite and energy metabolism in animals. Recent studies imply the regulatory function of ghrelin on ovary development, however, the mechanism about the effects of ghrelin on key hormonal receptors in ovary is far away from systematically understood. The present study aimed to analyze the tissue distribution of ghrelin and related genes and elucidate the regulation of ghrelin on key hormonal receptors in ovary of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). High expression of ghrelin and ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) was found in the ovary compared to heart, kidney, spleen, muscle, brain, liver, gill and intestine. To understand the regulatory function of ghrelin on ovarian development, the effects of ghrelin on the key hormone receptors participated in ovarian maturation were determined by ghrelin, acyl-ghrelin and octanoic acid (substrate in the ghrelin acylation system) treatments with 1, 10 and 100 nM concentration. The in vivo study showed that all the 1, 10 and 100 nM ghrelin treatment stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) expression compared to the control. Estrogen Receptor-α (ERα) was depressed by 10 nM acyl-ghrelin compared to the control, while ERβ1 and ERβ2 could be inhibited by 1 nM and 10 nM octanoic acid treatment compared to the control, respectively. The present results for the first time provided novel information about the regulatory role of ghrelin on key hormonal receptors in ovarian of grass carp providing potential new ideas for cultivating of grass carp broodstock.

Hypobaric hypoxia induces iron mobilization from liver and spleen and increases serum iron via activation of ghrelin/GHSR1a/MAPK signalling pathway in mice

Hypobaric hypoxia (HH) exposure affects appetite and serum iron levels in both humans and animals. Thus, whether appetite-regulating ghrelin is involved in iron regulation under HH needs to be elucidated. In vivo, C57BL/6J mice were placed in a hypobaric chamber to establish a 6000-m-high altitude exposure animal model. In vitro, mouse primary hepatocytes and peritoneal macrophages were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) to examine the effects of ghrelin on iron-regulating proteins. HH obviously reduced the body weight of mice and significantly increased the levels of erythrocytes, and also significantly enhanced the levels of serum iron and plasma ghrelin. However, iron content in the liver and spleen was decreased, while ferroportin (Fpn) expression was increased. Moreover, ghrelin significantly induced Fpn and pERK expression in both hepatocytes and macrophages under hypoxia, which were reversed by pretreatment with growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a) antagonist or pERK inhibitor. Our findings indicated that HH leads to decreased appetite and insufficient dietary intake, which may negatively regulate the levels of ghrelin. Furthermore, GHSR1a/ERK signalling pathway is further activated to upregulate the expression of Fpn, and then promoting iron mobilization both in the liver/hepatocytes and spleen/macrophages in mice. Thus, these results revealed that ghrelin may be a potential iron regulatory hormone, and raised the possibility of ghrelin as a promising therapeutic target against iron disorders under HH.

Ghrelin alleviates hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced H9C2 injury by activating autophagy and AMPK/ULK1 pathway.

The research aims to explore the protective effects of ghrelin and its underlying molecular mechanisms in an H9C2 hypoxia/reoxygenation model. H9C2 cells were transfected with ghrelin overexpression lentiviral vector. The hypoxia/reoxygenation H9C2 model was constructed. The expression of ghrelin was analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western Blotting. CCK8, flow cytometry and TUNEL assay were used to analyze the impact of ghrelin on the survival and apoptosis of H9C2 injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation. The levels of autophagy-related proteins in H9C2 cells were evaluated through Western blotting. ELISA was utilized to assess how ghrelin affects the inflammatory response triggered by hypoxia/reoxygenation. Western blotting was utilized to investigate the regulatory role of ghrelin on the AMPK/ULK1 pathway. Additionally, the AMPK inhibitor Compound C was introduced to delve further into the associated mechanism. Hypoxia/reoxygenation injury decreased the expression of ghrelin. Transfection of ghrelin overexpression lentiviral vector significantly increased the expression of ghrelin in H9C2 cells. Ghrelin overexpression can significantly promote cell survival, reduce apoptosis, activate AMPK, ULK1 and AMBRA1, promote autophagy, increase the expression of LC3BII/LC3BI and Beclin-1, reduce the expression of P62, and reduce inflammatory response. Ghrelin inhibited apoptosis of H9C2 caused by hypoxia/reoxygenation and reduced inflammatory response, which mechanism is related to activation of AMPK/ULK1 pathway and autophagy.

From the stomach to locus coeruleus: new neural substrate for ghrelin's effects on ingestive, motivated and anxiety-like behaviors.

Ghrelin, a stomach-derived orexigenic hormone, has a well-established role in energy homeostasis, food reward, and emotionality. Noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) are known to play an important role in arousal, emotion, cognition, but recently have also been implicated in control of feeding behavior. Ghrelin receptors (the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHSR) may be found in the LC, but the behavioral effects of ghrelin signaling in this area are still unexplored. Here, we first determined whether GHSR are present in the rat LC, and demonstrate that GHSR are expressed on noradrenergic neurons in both sexes. We next investigated whether ghrelin controls ingestive and motivated behaviors as well as anxiety-like behavior by acting in the LC. To pursue this idea, we examined the effects of LC GHSR stimulation and blockade on food intake, operant responding for a palatable food reward and, anxiety-like behavior in the open field (OF) and acoustic startle response (ASR) tests in male and female rats. Our results demonstrate that intra-LC ghrelin administration increases chow intake and motivated behavior for sucrose in both sexes. Additionally, females, but not males, exhibited a potent anxiolytic response in the ASR. In order to determine whether activation of GHSR in the LC was necessary for feeding and anxiety behavior control, we utilized liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2), a newly identified endogenous GHSR antagonist. LEAP2 delivered specifically into the LC was sufficient to reduce fasting-induced chow hyperphagia in both sexes, but food reward only in females. Moreover, blockade of GHSR in the LC increased anxiety-like behavior measured in the ASR test in both sexes. Taken together, these results indicate that ghrelin acts in the LC to alter ingestive, motivated and anxiety-like behaviors, with a degree of sex divergence.

Evaluation of the effects of ghrelin and metformin on sperm parameters, testosterone hormones, and immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent markers in an experimental diabetes model

Evaluation of the effects of ghrelin and metformin on sperm parameters, testosterone hormones, and immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent markers in an experimental diabetes model

Antioxidative effects of ghrelin on human trabecular meshwork cells

Glaucoma is a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells and visual field defects and is one of the major causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is one of the classifications of glaucoma. Oxidative stress in trabecular reticulated cells is one of the possible mechanisms of the development of glaucoma. At present, there is still a lack of effective methods to treat glaucoma. Ghrelin is characterized by its wide distribution and high potency and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects, which may be beneficial in the treatment of glaucoma. In this study, we investigated whether ghrelin can protect human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMCs) from oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as well as the possible mechanism of action. CCK8 and flow cytometry results revealed that treatment of HTMCs with ghrelin showed a dose-dependent protective effect against H2O2-induced damage. Ghrelin significantly decreased the rate of apoptosis and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in HTMCs. The difference was statistically significant compared with the H2O2 group. Ghrelin activated Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-1 signaling pathways and decreased HIF-1α level in H2O2-injured HTMCs as shown on qPCR and Western blot. In conclusion, ghrelin can protect HTMCs from oxidative damage induced by H2O2 and reduce apoptosis in HTMCs, which can be a new approach to treating POAG. The underlying therapeutic mechanism may be related to Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-1 signaling pathways and HIF-1α.

Ghrelin inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation by upregulating autophagy to improve Alzheimer's disease.

Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, autophagy, and the aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ) are key factors in Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. Ghrelin has shown promise in providing neuroprotection for AD. However, the mechanism underlying ghrelin's ability to improve AD by modulating autophagy and the NLRP3 inflammasome requires further clarification. Primary hippocampus neurons and mice were stimulated with Aβ1-42 to create an in vitro and in vivo AD model, followed by ghrelin administration for intervention. Additionally, we subjected the cells to 3-methyladenine (3-MA) treatment. Neuron morphology, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) expression, apoptosis, cytokine levels, and protein expression were measured using various techniques. The escape latency of mice was assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) test, and histopathology of the hippocampus was determined using hematoxylin-eosin staining. At 1-100nM, ghrelin increased neuron/synapse numbers and MAP-2 expression dose-dependently while blocking apoptosis in Aβ1-42-treated cells. Moreover, ghrelin reduced the expression of Aβ1-42, p-Tau/Tau, p62, NLRP3, ASC, and cleaved Caspase-1, while increasing the expression of LC3II/LC3I and Beclin1 in AD cells. Furthermore, ghrelin treatment also decreased the levels of Aβ1-42, IL-1β, and IL-18 in the cells. The effects of ghrelin were reversed by 3-MA. Our in vivo experiments provided further confirmation of the above effect of ghrelin on AD. Additionally, the injection of Aβ1-42 induced increased escape latency in mice and histopathological changes in hippocampal neurons. All of these abnormalities were significantly improved following administration of ghrelin. Ghrelin mitigated Aβ1-42-induced neurotoxicity and relieved neuronal damage by upregulating autophagy to inactivate NLRP3, thus showing promising potential in treating AD.

Role and molecular mechanism of ghrelin in degenerative musculoskeletal disorders.

Ghrelin is a brain-gut peptide, and the first 28-peptide that was found in the gastric mucosa. It has a growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-like effect and can potently promote the release of GH from pituitary GH cells; however, it is unable to stimulate GH synthesis. Therefore, ghrelin is believed to play a role in promoting bone growth and development. The correlation between ghrelin and some degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system has been reported recently, and ghrelin may be one of the factors influencing degenerative pathologies, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia and intervertebral disc degeneration. With population ageing, the risk of health problems caused by degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system gradually increases. In this article, the roles of ghrelin in musculoskeletal disorders are summarized to reveal the potential effects of ghrelin as a key target in the treatment of related bone and muscle diseases and the need for further research.

Ghrelin is hungry hormone

The article provides data on the history of creation, study of the functions and role of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin in the human body and animals The regulatory effect of ghrelin on formation is described in detail appetite and eating behavior, the amount of its content in the blood under different conditions. Establishing the role of ghrelin in physiological processes is an important discovery. Actuality of theme. New data appear every year on the role of ghrelin in various processes. The conducted research is relevant and up-to-date. Main part. The role of ghrelin in conditions of chronic stress and depression, dysfunction is shown hypothalamus and obesity. Ghrelin is one of the main regulators of appetite and eating behavior. It plays an important role in the regulation of biochemical processes related to digestion, mainly by influencing the synthesis of various enzymes. The hormone is a powerful stimulator of gastric secretion and motility of the organs of the digestive system, including the gallbladder, which prevents bile stagnation and improves the function of other organs and systems. The work of scientists has opened another direction of the properties of ghrelin regarding its effect on the psyche. It becomes clear why some people who are in a state of stress or depression begin to overeat. According to the authors, ghrelin coordinates the body's overall behavioral response to stress and affects mood, stress and the level of energy consumption by the body. Conclusions. Therefore, ghrelin plays an essential role in the functioning of many organs and body systems. As an orexigenic hormone, it is one of the most important regulators of appetite and eating behavior, the level of which depends on the nature and mode of nutrition. Activating neurons of the hypothalamus leads to a positive energy balance due to stimulation of food consumption and increased utilization of fat

ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF GHRELIN ON NICOTINE-INDUCED RENAL TISSUE DAMAGE IN MICE

Background: Ghrelin is an orexiogenic peptide released from stomach. It protects multiple organs of the body by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Ghrelin combats oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes and decreasing lipid peroxidation. This study was done to determine the nephroprotective effect of ghrelin against nicotine induced renal tissue damage in BALB/c mice by estimating tissue antioxidant enzyme levels, namely catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA). Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted at Foundation University School of Health Sciences, Islamabad in collaboration with National Institute of Health, Islamabad. Total of 27 male mice from NIH were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Group I (control) received 1 ml/Kg body weight saline, Group II (nicotine only) received 2.5 mg/Kg of body weight nicotine daily and Group III (nicotine plus ghrelin) received nicotine 2.5 mg/Kg body weight each day along with ghrelin 10 ?g/Kg on alternate days for 29 days via intraperitoneal administration. Renal tissue sampling was done on 30th day for estimation of tissue oxidative stress markers through ELISA. Results: Nicotine administration led to significantly increased levels of CAT (p<0.001), SOD (p<0.001), GR (p<0.001), and decreased MDA (p<0.001) levels in group II. Administration of ghrelin along with nicotine in Group III resulted in significant restoration (p<0.001) of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GR) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) (p<0.001) levels. Conclusion: Ghrelin acted as a potent antioxidant in nicotine induced oxidative stress in renal tissue suggesting its potential nephroprotective role. Pak J Physiol 2023;19(2):3–5

Antagonic effect of ghrelin and LEAP-2 on hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis in obesity-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Growing evidence suggests the key role of ghrelin in the onset and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The potential participation of ghrelin and the ghrelin receptor antagonist, LEAP-2, in the onset of liver fibrosis in patients with severe obesity and NAFLD through the regulation of TGF-β1-induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation was investigated. Circulating (n = 179) and hepatic expression (n = 95) of ghrelin and LEAP-2 were measured in patients with severe obesity and available liver pathology analysis undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The effect of ghrelin isoforms and LEAP-2 on TGF-β1-induced HSC activation, fibrogenic response, and contractile properties was evaluated in vitro in human LX-2 cells. Plasma and hepatic ghrelin were negatively associated, while LEAP-2 exhibited a positive association with liver fibrosis in patients with obesity and NAFLD. Six months after RYGB, hepatic function was improved and, although acylated ghrelin and LEAP-2 concentrations remained unchanged, both hormones were inversely related to post-surgical levels of profibrogenic factors TGF-β1 and TIMP-1. Acylated ghrelin treatment reversed TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast-like phenotype, collagen contractile properties, and the upregulation of factors involved in HSC activation and fibrogenesis via PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Moreover, acylated ghrelin inhibited the mild HSC activation induced by LEAP-2. Ghrelin is an anti-fibrogenic factor blocking HSC activation induced by the most potent fibrogenic cytokine, TGF-β1, and LEAP-2. The imbalance between acylated ghrelin and ghrelin receptor antagonist LEAP-2 might contribute to maintain liver fibrosis in patients with obesity and NAFLD.

Hepatic transcriptome analysis provides new insights into ghrelin regulation of the liver in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Ghrelin is a growth-promoting hormone produced by the gastrointestinal tract that plays a crucial role through the ghrelin-growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) and growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) axes. To explore the effect of ghrelin on the transcriptomic profile of tilapia liver, the hepatic transcriptome of tilapia was sequenced for two groups, including saline-injected control (CL) and ghrelin-injected (GL; 2 μg/g body weight) tilapia. The transcriptome of livers from the two groups was sequenced using an Illumina HiSeqTM 2000 platform and yielded approximately 310.53 million raw reads. Subsequently, approximately 308.51 million clean reads were obtained from the total raw reads using in-house Perl scripts. Approximately 92.36% clean reads were mapped to the Nile tilapia genome using RSEM. Using the DESeq package, 250 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed enrichment of two pathways related to RNA transcription (ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes pathway and RNA transport pathway), with a total of 14 functional DEGs. ATP-binding and muscle contraction terms were identified as enriched using Gene Ontology (GO), yielding a total of 28 DEGs. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to confirm the accuracy of the transcriptomic results. The results of RT-qPCR were highly consistent with the RNA-seq, indicating that results of RNA-seq were valid. The differences in gene expression between the groups indicated that ghrelin-injection altered energy metabolism and RNA transcription in the tilapia liver, which provides new information to help promote the growth of tilapia.

LNX2 involves in the role of ghrelin to promote the neuronal differentiation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) have promising effects on nerve repair due to the differentiation ability to neural cells. Ghrelin has been shown to promote the neural differentiation of ADSCs. This work was designed to explore its underlying mechanism. Herein, we found high expression of LNX2 in ADSCs after neuronal differentiation. Knockdown of LNX2 might block neuronal differentiation of ADSCs, as evidenced by the decreased number of neural-like cells and dendrites per cell, and the reduced expressions of neural markers (including β-Tubulin III, Nestin, and MAP2). We also demonstrated that LNX2 silencing suppressed the nuclear translocation of β-catenin in differentiated ADSCs. Luciferase reporter assay indicated that LNX2 inhibited wnt/β-catenin pathway by reducing its transcriptional activity. In addition, results showed that LNX2 expression was increased by ghrelin, and its inhibition diminished the effects of ghrelin on neuronal differentiation. Altogether, the results suggest that LNX2 is involved in the role of ghrelin to facilitate neuronal differentiation of ADSCs.

Transcriptomics reveals amygdala neuron regulation by fasting and ghrelin thereby promoting feeding.

The central amygdala (CeA) consists of numerous genetically defined inhibitory neurons that control defensive and appetitive behaviors including feeding. Transcriptomic signatures of cell types and their links to function remain poorly understood. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we describe nine CeA cell clusters, of which four are mostly associated with appetitive and two with aversive behaviors. To analyze the activation mechanism of appetitive CeA neurons, we characterized serotonin receptor 2a (Htr2a)-expressing neurons (CeAHtr2a) that comprise three appetitive clusters and were previously shown to promote feeding. In vivo calcium imaging revealed that CeAHtr2a neurons are activated by fasting, the hormone ghrelin, and the presence of food. Moreover, these neurons are required for the orexigenic effects of ghrelin. Appetitive CeA neurons responsive to fasting and ghrelin project to the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) causing inhibition of target PBN neurons. These results illustrate how the transcriptomic diversification of CeA neurons relates to fasting and hormone-regulated feeding behavior.

GHSR MODULATION BY LEAP2 IN PERINATAL PHASES IMPACTS GLUCOSE OVERLOAD RESPONSIVENESS IN YOUNG RATS

GHSr signaling is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis. LEAP2, a recentlydiscovered peptide hormone, counteracts the effects of ghrelin. This study sought to evaluatethe effects of perinatal LEAP2 exposure in young rat offspring. For this, two protocols weredesigned to assess the roles of GHSr antagonism during the pregnancy and during thelactation. Sex-specific impacts on AUC and peak-responses of glucose tolerance tests werepresented. However, no differences were detected in the blood glucose of mixed meal fedanimals. In conclusion, perinatal LEAP2 exposure could impact the glucose-stimulatedinsulin secretion in young rats.

Ghrelin improves endothelial function and reduces blood pressure in Ang II-induced hypertensive mice: Role of AMPK

ABSTRACT Background Endothelial dysfunction is a major pathophysiology observed in hypertension. Ghrelin, a key regulator of metabolism, has been shown to play protective roles in cardiovascular system. However, whether it has the effect of improving endothelial function and lowering blood pressure in Ang II-induced hypertensive mice remains unclear. Methods In this study, hypertension was induced by continuous infusion of Ang II with a subcutaneous osmotic pumps and ghrelin (30 μg/kg/day) was intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks. Acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation in aortae was measured on wire myograph and superoxide production in mouse aortae was assessed by fluorescence imaging. Results We found that ghrelin had protective effects on Ang II-induced hypertension by inhibiting oxidative stress, increasing NO production, improving endothelial function, and lowering blood pressure. Furthermore, ghrelin activated AMPK signaling in Ang II-induced hypertension, leading to inhibition of oxidative stress. Compound C, a specific inhibitor of AMPK, reversed the protective effects of ghrelin on the reduction of oxidative stress, the improvement of endothelial function and the reduction of blood pressure. Conclusions our findings indicated that ghrelin protected against Ang II-induced hypertension by improving endothelial function and lowering blood pressure partly through activating AMPK signaling. Thus, ghrelin may be a valuable therapeutic strategy for hypertension.

Ghrelin prevents lethality in a rat endotoxemic model through central effects on the vagal pathway and adenosine A2B signaling : Brain ghrelin and anti-septic action.

Accumulating evidence suggest that ghrelin plays a role as an antiseptic peptide. The present study aimed to clarify whether the brain may be implicated ghrelin's antiseptic action. We examined the effect of brain ghrelin on survival in a novel endotoxemic model achieved by treating rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and colchicine. The observation of survival stopped three days after chemicals' injection or at death. Intracisternal ghrelin dose-dependently reduced lethality in the endotoxemic model; meanwhile, neither intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin nor intracisternal des-acyl-ghrelin injection affected the mortality rate. The brain ghrelin-induced lethality reduction was significantly blocked by surgical vagotomy. Moreover, intracisternal injection of a ghrelin receptor antagonist blocked the improved survival achieved by intracisternal ghrelin injection or intravenous 2-deoxy-d-glucose administration. Intracisternal injection of an adenosine A2B receptor agonist reduced the lethality and the ghrelin-induced improvement of survival was blocked by adenosine A2B receptor antagonist. I addition, intracisternal ghrelin significantly blocked the colonic hyperpermeability produced by LPS and colchicine. These results suggest that ghrelin acts centrally to reduce endotoxemic lethality. Accordingly, activation of the vagal pathway and adenosine A2B receptors in the brain may be implicated in the ghrelin-induced increased survival. Since the efferent vagus nerve mediates anti-inflammatory mechanisms, we speculate that the vagal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is implicated in the decreased septic lethality caused by brain ghrelin.

Ghrelin Modifies the Impact of Life Stress on Suicidality in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

This study investigated associations of life stressors and serum ghrelin levels with suicidal ideation (SI), and evaluated the potential mediating effect of ghrelin on associations between life stressors and SI in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In total, 969 ACS patients recruited from a tertiary university hospital in Korea within 2 weeks of disease onset were evaluated in terms of life stressors (using the List of Threatening Events Questionnaire), serum ghrelin levels, and SI (using the "suicidal thoughts" item of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale). Covariates included sociodemographics, depression, vascular risk factors, and disease severity. After 1 year, 711 patients were re-evaluated in terms of SI; logistic regression was performed with adjustment for covariates. Life stressors were significantly associated with SI at baseline and follow-up. Serum ghrelin showed no such associations, but high levels thereof mediated associations of life stressors with SI; significant interaction terms were also observed after adjustment for covariates. By evaluating life stressors and serum ghrelin levels, clinical prediction of SI in the acute and chronic phases of ACS could be improved.