title: Acute administration of acyl, but not desacyl ghrelin, decreases blood pressure in healthy humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of acyl ghrelin (AG) and desacyl ghrelin (DAG) on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and other autonomic parameters in healthy humans and to elucidate the hormonal mechanisms through which AG could exert its cardiovascular effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen healthy participants underwent frequent monitoring of systolic (sBP) and diastolic blood pressure (dBP), HR, respiratory rate (RR) and body surface temperature (Temp) during continuous infusion of AG, DAG, combined AG + DAG or saline control before and during an IV glucose tolerance test on 4 separate days. Plasma catecholamines, renin and aldosterone levels were also measured. Differences in outcome measures between treatment groups were assessed using mixed-model analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the saline control, AG and combined AG + DAG infusions decreased sBP, dBP, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), HR and Temp. In contrast, DAG infusion did not alter BP, RR or Temp, but did decrease HR. The AG and AG + DAG infusions also raised plasma aldosterone levels compared to saline (P < 0.001) without affecting renin or catecholamine levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decrease in BP, HR, RR and Temp with AG infusion suggests mediation through the autonomic nervous system. The lack of response to DAG suggests that these autonomic effects require activation of the ghrelin receptor.
authors.affiliation: Division of EndocrinologyMetabolism and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Cecilia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IVLudwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bidlingmaier
authors.affiliation: BiostatisticsClinical Translational Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Mekibib
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altaye
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and DiabetesDepartment of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Page
authors.affiliation: Division of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.|Division of EndocrinologyMetabolism and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.|Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.affiliation: Division of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.|Institute for Obesity and DiabetesHelmholtz Diabetes Center Munich and Division of Metabolic Diseases, Technical University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tschöp
authors.affiliation: Division of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA jenny.tong@duke.edu.|Division of EndocrinologyMetabolism and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013696:Temperature; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D054439:Ghrelin; C422650:ghrelin, des-n-octanoyl