title: Ghrelin deficiency does not influence feeding performance.
abstract: Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor that is synthesized predominantly in the stomach. Previous studies demonstrated that ghrelin stimulates growth hormone release and food intake. These data suggested that antagonism of ghrelin could serve as a useful treatment for eating disorders and obesity. To study the role of endogenous ghrelin in feeding performance further, we generated ghrelin-deficient (ghrl(-/-)) mice. Unexpectedly, ghrl(-/-) mice exhibited normal growth, cumulative food intake, reproduction, histological characters, and serum parameters. There were no differences in feeding patterns between ghrl(+/+) and ghrl(-/-) mice. Ghrl(-/-) mice displayed normal responses to scheduled feedings as seen for ghrl(+/+) mice. Memory-related feeding performances of ghrl(-/-) mice were indistinguishable from ghrl(+/+) littermates. These data indicate that ghrelin is not critical for feeding performance.
authors.affiliation: Molecular genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, Kurume University, B-3, Kurume research center building, 1-1, Hyakunen-koen, Kurume, 839-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukue
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikawa
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008568:Memory
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin