Plasma ghrelin and obestatin levels are increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Obestatin, encoded by the same gene as ghrelin, was first described as a physiological opponent of ghrelin. We investigated fasting plasma ghrelin and obestatin levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats. We found that ghrelin levels, obestatin levels and the ratio of ghrelin to obestatin were significantly higher in spontaneously hypertensive rats than Wistar-Kyoto rats. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were positively correlated; however, heart period and baroreflex sensitivity were negatively correlated with ghrelin levels. Systolic blood pressure was positively correlated, whereas baroreflex sensitivity was negatively correlated with obestatin levels. In addition, systolic blood pressure was a significantly independent variable of ghrelin levels, obestatin levels, and the ghrelin to obestatin ratio in a multiple regression analysis. Our data suggests that there is a disturbance of ghrelin and obestatin in the circulation of spontaneously hypertensive rats and the ghrelin/obestatin system might play a role in blood pressure regulation.
Li
Zhao-Feng
ZF
Department of Cardiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Guo
Zhi-Fu
ZF
Cao
Jiang
J
Hu
Jian-Qiang
JQ
Zhao
Xian-Xian
XX
Xu
Rong-Liang
RL
Huang
Xin-Miao
XM
Qin
Yong-Wen
YW
Zheng
Xing
X
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; C505798:obestatin, rat