title: Nesfatin-1 and ghrelin levels in serum and saliva of epileptic patients: hormonal changes can have a major effect on seizure disorders.
abstract: Nesfatin-1 and ghrelin are the two recently discovered peptide hormones involved in the control of appetite. Besides its main appetite-control function, ghrelin also has anticonvulsant effects, while nesfatin-1 causes depolarization in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). The aims of this study, therefore, were to investigate: (i) whether there are differences in the concentrations of nesfatin-1 and ghrelin in saliva and serum samples between eplilepsy patients and normal controls and (ii) whether salivary glands produce nesfatin-1. The study included a total of 73 subjects: 8 patients who were newly diagnosed with primary generalized seizures and had recently started antiepileptic drug therapy; 21 who had primary generalized seizures and were continuing with established antiepileptic drug therapy; 24 who had partial seizures (simple: n = 12 or complex: n = 12) and were continuing with established antiepileptic drug therapy; and 20 controls. Salivary gland tissue samples were analyzed for nesfatin-1 expression by immunochemistry and ELISA. Saliva and serum ghrelin levels were measured by ELISA and RIA, and nesfatin-1 levels by ELISA. Nesfatin-1 immunoreactivity was detected in the striated and interlobular parts of the salivary glands and the ducts. The nesfatin-1 level in the brain was around 12 times higher than in the salivary gland. Before antiepileptic treatment, both saliva and serum nesfatin-1 levels were around 160-fold higher in patients who are newly diagnosed with primary generalized epilepsy (PGE) than in controls; these levels decreased with treatment but remained about 10 times higher than the control values. Saliva and serum nesfatin-1 levels from patients with PGE and partial epilepsies who were continuing antiepileptic drugs were also 10-fold higher than control values. Serum and saliva ghrelin levels were significantly (twofold) lower in epileptic patients before treatment than in controls; they recovered somewhat with treatment but remained below the control values. These results suggest that the low ghrelin and especially the dramatically elevated nesfatin-1 levels might contribute to the pathophyisology of epilepsy. Therefore, serum and saliva ghrelin and especially the remarkably increased nesfatin-1 might be candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of epilepsy and for monitoring the response to anti-epileptic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Firat University, Firat University Hospital, Elazig, Turkey. saydin1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Ersel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dag
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Fazilet
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erman
authors.forename: Adile Ferda
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dagli
authors.forename: Nermin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karatas
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoldas
authors.forename: Abdullah Onder
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Barim
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kendir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015415:Biomarkers; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D054439:Ghrelin; C000630650:NUCB2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D036361:Peptide Hormones