Circulating ghrelin/obestatin ratio in subjects with Helicobacter pylori infection.
OBJECTIVE
Ghrelin is a peptide hormone involved in human energy homeostasis. Obestatin is a recently discovered active peptide derived from preproghrelin. It seemed that obestatin was a physiologic opponent of ghrelin. Helicobacter pylori infection may be associated with appetite and nutrition. We compared the plasma ghrelin/obestatin ratio in H. pylori-positive and -negative groups.


METHODS
People undergoing an annual health checkup were included. Helicobacter pylori status was based on serologic and carbon-13 urea breath findings. Fifty adults with H. pylori infection and 50 adults matched by age and body mass index without H. pylori infection were enrolled in this study. Plasma ghrelin and obestatin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
Ghrelin concentrations and ghrelin/obestatin ratios were lower in the H. pylori-positive group than in the H. pylori-negative group. There was no significant difference in circulating obestatin between those with and without H. pylori infection. In all subjects, the ghrelin/obestatin ratio was negatively correlated with body mass index, the homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance, and serum levels of triacylglycerol. There was a positive correlation between circulating obestatin and ghrelin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with a reduction in the circulating ghrelin/obestatin ratio in Chinese adults.
Gao
Xin-Yuan
XY
Department of Endocrinology, The First Clinical Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Kuang
Hong-Yu
HY
Liu
Xiao-Min
XM
Duan
Peng
P
Yang
Yi
Y
Ma
Zhi-Bin
ZB
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods
D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D036361:Peptide Hormones; C505799:obestatin, human