title: [Ghrelin: a striking example of neuroendocrine peptide pleiotropy].
abstract: Ghrelin, a peptide predominantly produced by the stomach, has been discovered as a natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) type 1a. Shortly there after, it attracted enormous interest since it appeared as the first peripheral orexigenic factor. Besides, ghrelin exerts other neuroendocrine metabolic and non-endocrine actions (e.g. cardiovascular activities) that may rely on the widespread distribution of ghrelin and its receptor (GHS-R). The existence of several GHS-R subtypes and evidences that neuroendocrine and metabolic but not all other ghrelin actions are dependent on acylation on serine 3 add further complexity to the system whose major physiological role remains to be definitely elucidated. Ghrelin knockout(-/-) mice are neither anorectic nor dwarf though GHS-R-/- are slightly underweight and do not respond to ghrelin with increased GH secretion or appetite. Thus, the continuation of the fascinating ghrelin story as well as its potential pathophysiological implications in endocrinology and internal medicine remain open avenues for future investigations.
authors.affiliation: IFR Broca-Sainte-Anne, INSERM U.549, 2 ter, rue d'Alésia, 75014 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Thérèse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bluet-Pajot
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tolle
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zizzari
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomasetto
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grouselle
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Epelbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054439:Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009452:Neuroendocrinology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D013006:Growth Hormone