Ghrelin induces adiposity in rodents

Matthias Tschöp (), David L. Smiley and Mark L. Heiman
Additional contact information
Matthias Tschöp: Endocrine Research and BioResearch Technologies & Proteins Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center
David L. Smiley: Endocrine Research and BioResearch Technologies & Proteins Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center
Mark L. Heiman: Endocrine Research and BioResearch Technologies & Proteins Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center

Nature, 2000, vol. 407, issue 6806, 908-913

Abstract: Abstract The discovery of the peptide hormone ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor1,2, yielded the surprising result3 that the principal site of ghrelin synthesis is the stomach and not the hypothalamus. Although ghrelin is likely to regulate pituitary growth hormone (GH) secretion3,4 along with GH-releasing hormone and somatostatin, GHS receptors have also been identified on hypothalamic neurons5 and in the brainstem6. Apart from potential paracrine effects, ghrelin may thus offer an endocrine link between stomach, hypothalamus and pituitary, suggesting an involvement in regulation of energy balance. Here we show that peripheral daily administration of ghrelin caused weight gain by reducing fat utilization in mice and rats. Intracerebroventricular administration of ghrelin generated a dose-dependent increase in food intake and body weight. Rat serum ghrelin concentrations were increased by fasting and were reduced by re-feeding or oral glucose administration, but not by water ingestion. We propose that ghrelin, in addition to its role in regulating GH secretion, signals the hypothalamus when an increase in metabolic efficiency is necessary.

Date: 2000
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/35038090 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nature:v:407:y:2000:i:6806:d:10.1038_35038090

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/

DOI: 10.1038/35038090

Access Statistics for this article

Nature is currently edited by Magdalena Skipper

More articles in Nature from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().