title: Estrogen modulates ghrelin expression in the female rat stomach.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regulation Biology, Faculty of Science, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-ohkubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 338-8570, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Kinji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004958:Estradiol