title: Ghrelin and cancer progression.
abstract: Ghrelin is a small peptide with 28 amino acids, and has been characterized as the ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). In addition to its original function in stimulating pituitary growth hormone release, ghrelin is multifunctional and plays a role in the regulation of energy balance, gastric acid release, appetite, insulin secretion, gastric motility and the turnover of gastric and intestinal mucosa. The discovery of ghrelin and GHSR expression beyond normal tissues suggests its role other than physiological function. Emerging evidences have revealed ghrelin's function in regulating several processes related to cancer progression, especially in metastasis and proliferation. We further show the relative GHRL and GHSR expression in pan-cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), suggesting the potential pathological role of the axis in cancers. This review focuses on ghrelin's biological function in cancer progression, and reveals its clinical significance especially the impact on cancer patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Genomic Medicine Core Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: mhsiao@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone
keywords: Cancer; GHSR; Ghrelin; Metastasis