title: Physiological roles of ghrelin on obesity.
abstract: Ghrelin is a stomach hormone that acts as an endogenous ligand of orphan G-protein coupled receptor. Ghrelin has various physiological functions, such as the stimulation of growth hormone release and of appetite, and fat accumulation. Ghrelin is the only peripheral hormone to transmit satiety signal. Mature ghrelin peptide is consisted of 28 amino acid residues, and is unusual among peptide hormones in that Ser3 is n-octanoylated to obtain. Furthermore, this modification is essential for ghrelin's activity. In order to add this side chain to acyl ghrelin, it is necessary for the recently discovered enzyme, ghrelin-O-acyl transferase (GOAT). Therefore, to understand of ghrelin's functions, it is useful to obtain the knowledge on structures and functions of ghrelin, ghrelin receptor and GOAT. Here, we review our current understanding of the structures and functions of ghrelin, and the relation between obesity and ghrelin. Finally, we referred to the ghrelin and related substances as a drug design target for obesity.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume 839-0864, Japan. Electronic address: satou_takahiro@kurume-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Research Organization, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume 839-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume 839-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita 565-8565, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume 839-0864, Japan. Electronic address: kojima_masayasu@kurume-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D000217:Acyltransferases; C542776:MBOAT4 protein, human
keywords: Ghrelin; Ghrelin-O-acyl transferase; Prader-Willi syndrome