title: Ghrelin reverses experimental diabetic neuropathy in mice.
abstract: Ghrelin, an acylated peptide produced in the stomach, increases food intake and growth hormone secretion, suppresses inflammation and oxidative stress, and promotes cell survival and proliferation. We investigated the pharmacological potential of ghrelin in the treatment of polyneuropathy in uncontrolled streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in mice. Ghrelin or desacyl-ghrelin was administered daily for 4 weeks after STZ-induced diabetic polyneuropathy had developed. Ghrelin administration did not alter food intake, body weight gain, blood glucose levels, or plasma insulin levels when compared with mice given saline or desacyl-ghrelin administration. Ghrelin administration ameliorated reductions in motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities in diabetic mice and normalized their temperature sensation and plasma concentrations of 8-isoprostaglandin alpha, an oxidative stress marker. Desacyl-ghrelin failed to have any effect. Ghrelin administration in a mouse model of diabetes ameliorated polyneuropathy. Thus, ghrelin's effects represent a novel therapeutic paradigm for the treatment of this otherwise intractable disorder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Respirology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kyoraku
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiomi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin