Estrogen modulates ghrelin expression in the female rat stomach.
Ghrelin was recently identified as an endogenous ligand for GH secretagogue receptor. In this study, we investigated the effects of ovariectomy on the numbers of ghrelin-immunopositive and -expressing cells, ghrelin mRNA levels, and plasma ghrelin concentrations in 4- and 9-week-old female rats. Three days after ovariectomy, the number of ghrelin cells and plasma ghrelin level significantly increased in both 4- and 9-week-old rats and the ghrelin mRNA level also increased in 4-week-old rats. These responses were reversed by 17beta-estradiol replacement. We also found that ghrelin-immunopositive cells express estrogen receptor alpha. These results suggested that estrogen is involved in the regulation of ghrelin expression.
Matsubara
Maki
M
Department of Regulation Biology, Faculty of Science, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan.
Sakata
Ichiro
I
Wada
Reiko
R
Yamazaki
Mami
M
Inoue
Kinji
K
Sakai
Takafumi
T
D000818:Animals; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D054439:Ghrelin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010052:Ovariectomy; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004958:Estradiol