title: Effect of ghrelin on autonomic activity in healthy volunteers.
abstract: Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide originally isolated from the stomach. Recently, we have shown that ghrelin suppresses cardiac sympathetic activity and prevents early left ventricular remodeling in rats with myocardial infarction. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of ghrelin on autonomic nerve activity in healthy human subjects. An intravenous bolus of human synthetic ghrelin (10μg/kg) was administered to 10 healthy men (mean age, 33 years). Holter monitoring assessment was performed before and during 2h after the ghrelin therapy. The standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN), square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent RR intervals (rMSSD), high-frequency power (HF), and low-frequency power (LF) were analyzed. Blood samples were also obtained before and after the therapy. A single administration of ghrelin decreased both heart rate and blood pressure. Interestingly, ghrelin significantly decreased the LF and LF/HF ratio of heart rate variability and increased the SDNN, rMSSD, and HF. Ghrelin also elicited a marked increase in circulating GH, but not insulin-like growth factor-1. These data suggest that ghrelin might suppress cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and stimulate cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan. Electronic address: soeki@tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soeki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Anan Central Hospital of the Medical Association, Anan, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koshiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shikoku Medical Center for Children and Adults, Zentsuji, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kusunose
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuzo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakatsuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-Diabetes Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimabukuro
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minakuchi
authors.affiliation: National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.affiliation: National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D013002:Somatomedins
keywords: Autonomic nerve activity; Electrocardiography; Ghrelin; Heart rate variability; Hemodynamics