title: Ghrelin gene products, receptors, and GOAT enzyme: biological and pathophysiological insight.
abstract: Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid acylated hormone, highly expressed in the stomach, which binds to its cognate receptor (GHSR1a) to regulate a plethora of relevant biological processes, including food intake, energy balance, hormonal secretions, learning, inflammation, etc. However, ghrelin is, in fact, the most notorious component of a complex, intricate regulatory system comprised of a growing number of alternative peptides (e.g. obestatin, unacylated ghrelin, and In1-ghrelin, etc.), known (GHSRs) and, necessarily unknown receptors, as well as modifying enzymes (e.g. ghrelin-O-acyl-transferase), which interact among them as well as with other regulatory systems in order to tightly modulate key (patho)-physiological processes. This multiplicity of functions and versatility of the ghrelin system arise from a dual, genetic and functional, complexity. Importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests that dysregulation in some of the components of the ghrelin system can lead to or influence the development and/or progression of highly concerning pathologies such as endocrine-related tumors, inflammatory/cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration, wherein these altered components could be used as diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic targets. In this context, the aim of this review is to integrate and comprehensively analyze the multiple components and functions of the ghrelin system described to date in order to define and understand its biological and (patho)-physiological significance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Edificio Severo Ochoa (C6), Planta 3, University of Córdoba, 14014-Córdoba; Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), University of Córdoba; Reina Sofia University Hospital, Córdoba; and CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gahete
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rincón-Fernández
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villa-Osaba
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hormaechea-Agulla
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibáñez-Costa
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Fuentes
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gracia-Navarro
authors.forename: Justo P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Castaño
authors.forename: Raúl M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Luque
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D000217:Acyltransferases; C542776:MBOAT4 protein, human
keywords: GHSR; GOAT; endocrine actions; ghrelin; ghrelin gene splice variants; obestatin; pathophysiology