title: Differential expression of ghrelin mRNA according to anatomical portions of human stomach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The detailed ghrelin distribution on mRNA level in different anatomical portions of adult stomach and its association with plasma ghrelin levels are not yet well established. We investigated the ghrelin mRNA and peptide expression in different anatomical portions of stomach in human adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stomach tissue samples were obtained from 16 patients with gastric cancer who underwent total gastrectomy. The normal stomach tissues were taken from the upper (gastric fundus and upper body), middle (gastric middle and lower body) and lower (gastric antrum and pylorus) portions of stomach, respectively. The expression of ghrelin mRNA and peptide in stomach tissue samples were measured using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ghrelin/actin ratio was 0.78 (range 0-3.38; n=16) at the upper portion, 0.20 (range 0-1.28; n=16) at the middle portion and 0.07 (range 0-0.67; n=16) at the lower portion of the stomach (p=0.001). Ghrelin-positive cells were seen in all parts of the gastric mucosa and were most numerous in the glandular compartment compared to foveolar compartment. Gastric body or fundic mucosa showed ghrelin-positive cells most abundantly as compared to other portions of the gastric mucosa (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ghrelin mRNA expression and immunoreactivity is highest at the upper portion of the human stomach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyong Hoi
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Do Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yun Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Yeoup
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jee Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong Gyu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Yu Hyone
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Young Hye
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sun Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Mi Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C515349:GHRL protein, human; D054439:Ghrelin; D012333:RNA, Messenger