title: Uremic anorexia and ghrelin expression in the amygdala.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ghrelin can act as a signal for mealtime hunger and meal initiation. Amygdala is indispensable in appetitive behavior motivated by learned emotions. This study was to investigate the alteration of ghrelin in the amygdala of rats with chronic renal failure (CRF) and its relation with uremic anorexia.
  
  
  METHODS
  SD rats were randomly classified into CRF group and control group (n=16 per group). The CRF model was constructed using 5/6 nephrectomy. When plasma creatinine (PCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the CRF group were twice more than the normal level, food intake (g/24h) was measured and then all rats were killed for detection of ghrelin protein expression in the amygdala using immunohistochemical analysis and mRNA expression using RT-PCT. Statistics was conducted with one-way analysis of variance, Student-Newman-Keuls-q test and correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the 8th week after the surgery, the BUN and PCr of CRF rats exceeded double the normal level, and their food intake was obviously decreased compared with the controls (P<0.05). The protein and mRNA expression of ghrelin in the amygdala of CRF group were significantly reduced, and there was a positive correlation between this reduction and the decrease in food intake (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduction of amygdala's ghrelin in CRF rats may be associated with uremic anorexia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China. pipifu@126.com
authors.forename: Rong-Guo
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Rong-Liang
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jian-Rui
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang-Lian
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhao-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Yarong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D001066:Appetite; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin