title: Brain-gut communication: cortistatin, somatostatin and ghrelin.
abstract: Although cortistatin (CST) shares great structural homology with somatostatin (SST) and binds to all SST receptor subtypes with similar affinity, these neurohormones have divergent biological roles, as evidenced by their different patterns of tissue expression and biological actions. Moreover, CST, but not SST, can bind to the proadrenomedullin N-terminal peptide (PAMP) receptor MrgX2 and type 1a growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor (GHSR-1a), also known as the 'ghrelin' receptor. These findings suggest that CST-specific actions could be mediated by the GHSR-1a and CST might represent a link between the ghrelin and the SST systems. Here, we review the data leading to this working hypothesis and discuss the in vitro, in vivo and clinical implications of potential SST-receptor-independent, GHSR-1a-mediated neuroendocrine and metabolic effects of CST.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, corso Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy. fabio.broglio@unito.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Broglio
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papotti
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muccioli
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghigo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000502:physiology; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000378:metabolism; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000502:physiology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D009479:Neuropeptides; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; C099323:cortistatin; D013004:Somatostatin