title: Is Ghrelin Synthesized in the Central Nervous System?
abstract: Ghrelin is an octanoylated peptide that acts via its specific receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHSR-1a), and regulates a vast variety of physiological functions. It is well established that ghrelin is predominantly synthesized by a distinct population of endocrine cells located within the gastric oxyntic mucosa. In addition, some studies have reported that ghrelin could also be synthesized in some brain regions, such as the hypothalamus. However, evidences of neuronal production of ghrelin have been inconsistent and, as a consequence, it is still as a matter of debate if ghrelin can be centrally produced. Here, we provide a comprehensive review and discussion of the data supporting, or not, the notion that the mammalian central nervous system can synthetize ghrelin. We conclude that no irrefutable and reproducible evidence exists supporting the notion that ghrelin is synthetized, at physiologically relevant levels, in the central nervous system of adult mammals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (IMBICE), Universidad de La Plata-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CONICET, and Comision de Investigaciones de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), Buenos Aires 1900, Argentina. agustinacabral177@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Agustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. ejlopezsoto@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eduardo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: López Soto
authors.affiliation: Centre Psychiatrie & Neurosciences UMR_S894 INSERM Université Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France. jacques.epelbaum@inserm.fr.|MECADEV UMR 7179 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle France, 91800 Brunoy, France. jacques.epelbaum@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Epelbaum
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Multidisciplinary Institute of Cell Biology (IMBICE), Universidad de La Plata-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CONICET, and Comision de Investigaciones de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), Buenos Aires 1900, Argentina. mperello@imbice.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perelló
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: acyl-ghrelin; brain; neuron