Ghrelin does not stimulate gastrointestinal motility and gastric emptying: an experimental study of conscious dogs.
Ghrelin is a peptide that was discovered in endocrine cells of the stomach. However, its action in regulating the fasted and fed motor activity of the digestive tract is not fully understood. In the present study, we examined the effects of an intravenous (i.v.) injection of canine ghrelin on the physiological fasted and fed motor activities in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum and colon of freely moving conscious dogs. An i.v. injection of canine ghrelin released growth hormone in a dose-dependent manner; however, it did not stimulate the motor activity of the digestive tract in either the fasted or the fed state. Moreover, an i.v. injection of high-dose canine ghrelin significantly reduced the motility index in the gastric body in the fasted state. Ghrelin did not accelerate gastric emptying, either. These results differ from previous reports dealing with rodents. It is significant that such results were obtained in research with dogs, which are larger animals.
Ohno
T
T
Department of General Surgical Science and the 21st Century COE Program, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Japan. tetsuro@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
Kamiyama
Y
Y
Aihara
R
R
Nakabayashi
T
T
Mochiki
E
E
Asao
T
T
Kuwano
H
H
D000818:Animals; D003243:Consciousness; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D054439:Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D013006:Growth Hormone