title: Ghrelin suppresses proliferation of fetal neural progenitor cells, and induces their differentiation into neurons.
abstract: Although considerable progress has been made in understanding how the temporal and regional control of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) dictates their fate, their key regulators during neural development are still unknown. Ghrelin, which is isolated from porcine stomach extract, is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). The widespread expression of ghrelin and GHS-R in the central nervous system during development suggests that ghrelin may be involved in developmental neural growth. However, its role in regulating fetal NPCs is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of ghrelin on primary cultured NPCs derived from fetal mouse telencephalon. The expressions of both ghrelin and its receptor were observed in NPCs using RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunocytostaining. Interestingly, the exposure of fetal NPCs to ghrelin at concentrations of 10(-7) and 10(-9)M suppressed their proliferation, and caused them to differentiate into neurons and to extend neurites. These results strongly suggest that ghrelin plays an autocrine modulatory role in fetal neural development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan; Center for Biotechnology, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan; Faculty of Health Care, Kiryu University, Midori City, Gunma 379-2392, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Norimitsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirako
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Center for Biotechnology, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arata
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan. Electronic address: shioda@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shioda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin
keywords: Differentiation; GHS-R; Ghrelin; Neural progenitor cells; Neuron