title: Administration of antisense DNA for ghrelin causes an antidepressant and anxiolytic response in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ghrelin is a peptide of 28 amino acids found in mammals that increases the release of growth hormone, food intake, and body weight.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the relationship between ghrelin and the states of anxiety and depression by giving rats either antisense DNA for ghrelin, scrambled DNA or vehicle into the lateral ventricle of rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In forced swimming tests, rats that received antisense DNA decreased the length of time that they were immobile in the water. Ghrelin antisense oligonucleotides produced an anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus maze test, black and white test, or conditioned fear tests. Treatment with antisense DNA for ghrelin significantly decreased rat body weight. No significant effect on general locomotor activity was seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that administration of antisense DNA for ghrelin causes an antidepressant and anxiolytic response in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Hasama-Machi, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanehisa
authors.forename: Jotaro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitaichi
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Etsuhiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isogawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001835:Body Weight; D003118:Color Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D017931:DNA Primers; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004597:Electroshock; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology; D054439:Ghrelin; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017931:DNA Primers; D016373:DNA, Antisense; D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones