title: The role of ghrelin on apoptosis, cell proliferation and oxidant-antioxidant system in the liver of neonatal diabetic rats.
abstract: Ghrelin is a multifunctional peptide hormone which stimulates appetite and regulates glucose metabolism and adipogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ghrelin has protective effects in the liver of streptozocin (STZ) diabetic rats or not. Wistar-type neonatal rats were divided into four groups: I. Controls, II. Ghrelin administrated controls, III. STZ-diabetic rats, and IV. Ghrelin administrated diabetic rats. On the second day after birth, 100 mg/kg STZ was administered intraperitoneally in a single dose to induce diabetes in rats. 100 µg/kg/day ghrelin was administrated to rats subcutaneously for 4 weeks. Ghrelin administration improved histopathologic changes in STZ-diabetic liver. Obestatin immunoreactivity has been shown in livers of neonatal rats. The immunoreactivity of obestatin increased in diabetic rats and a decline was observed in ghrelin administrated diabetic rats. Caspase 8 and 3 immunoreactivities increased in diabetic rats; however, ghrelin administration differently affected caspases 8 and 3 immunoreactivities. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunoreactivities decreased in diabetic rats and in ghrelin administrated diabetic rats. Serum alanine (P < 0.05) and aspartate transaminase (P < 0.0001) and serum alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.0001) activities were decreased in ghrelin administrated diabetic rats compared to the diabetic rats. Gamma glutamyl transferase activity (P < 0.001) decreased in ghrelin administrated diabetic rats compared to the diabetic rats. The response of antioxidants including glutathione levels, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were altered in ghrelin administrated diabetic rats. Our findings indicate that ghrelin administration affects hepatic functions in neonatal diabetic rats and might be considered as a therapeutic agent.
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Turkey.
authors: Meral
authors: M
authors: Koyuturk
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul University, Avcilar, Turkey.
authors: Ozlem
authors: O
authors: Sacan
authors: Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Turkey.
authors: Sezin
authors: S
authors: Karabulut
authors: Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Turkey.
authors: Neslihan
authors: N
authors: Turk
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Vezneciler, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Sehnaz
authors: S
authors: Bolkent
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul University, Avcilar, Turkey.
authors: Refiye
authors: R
authors: Yanardag
authors: Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Turkey.
authors: Sema
authors: S
authors: Bolkent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D020011:Protective Agents
keywords: diabetes; ghrelin; neonatal liver; obestatin; oxidative stress