Plasma obestatin levels are lower in obese and post-gastrectomy subjects, but do not change in response to a meal.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a potential role for obestatin in humans by examining response to a fixed energy meal.


BACKGROUND
A new anorectic peptide hormone, obestatin has recently been isolated from rat stomach. The significance of this peptide in humans is unknown.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Hospital-based study.


METHODS
Nine healthy controls, nine morbidly obese subjects and eight post-gastrectomy subjects.


METHODS
Subjects attended after an overnight fast and were given a fixed energy meal (1550 kJ).


METHODS
The response of obestatin to a meal in the different groups.


RESULTS
Fasting obestatin was significantly lower in obese subjects as compared to lean subjects (27.8+/-4 vs 17.2+/-2 pg/ml, P=0.03). Obestatin was also decreased in gastrectomy subjects but this did not reach statistical significance (27.8+/-4 vs 21.9+/-3 pg/ml, P=0.3). Obestatin did not change significantly from baseline in response to the meal. Lean and obese subjects had a similar obestatin/ghrelin ratio (0.04+/-0.003 vs 0.05+/-0.009, P=0.32), but this was higher in the gastrectomy group (0.04+/-0.003 vs 0.1+/-0.01, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Obestatin does not vary significantly with a fixed energy meal, but is significantly lower in morbidly obese subjects as compared to lean subjects supporting a possible role for obestatin in long-term body weight regulation. Obestatin tended to be lower in gastrectomy subjects and their obestatin/ghrelin ratio differed from healthy controls. Hence, the expression of obestatin is altered following gastrectomy, suggesting other sites outside the stomach may also secrete obestatin.
Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Group, Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK.
M S B
MS
Huda
B H
BH
Durham
S P
SP
Wong
D
D
Deepak
D
D
Kerrigan
P
P
McCulloch
L
L
Ranganath
J
J
Pinkney
J P H
JP
Wilding
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D013851:Thinness / Q000097:blood*
D054439:Ghrelin