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.
Huda
M S B
MS
Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Group, Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK.
Durham
B H
BH
Wong
S P
SP
Deepak
D
D
Kerrigan
D
D
McCulloch
P
P
Ranganath
L
L
Pinkney
J
J
Wilding
J P H
JP
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