title: Ghrelin and lipid metabolism: key partners in energy balance.
abstract: Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand of the GH secretagogue receptor, has a pleiotropic role in the modulation of energy balance. Recent evidence has demonstrated that besides its orexigenic role, ghrelin regulates central and peripheral lipid metabolism through specific control of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a critical metabolic gauge regulating both cellular and whole-body energy homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the new milestones of ghrelin's actions on energy balance, with particular focus on its molecular interaction with hypothalamic AMPK and fatty acid metabolism. Understanding this new metabolic pathway can provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity and the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña) 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cordido
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nogueiras
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vidal-Puig
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diéguez
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012377:Rodentia; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases