Effects of obestatin on energy balance and growth hormone secretion in rodents

Endocrinology. 2007 Jan;148(1):21-6. doi: 10.1210/en.2006-0915. Epub 2006 Sep 28.

Abstract

Ghrelin stimulates food intake and adiposity and thereby increases body weight (BW) in rodents after central as well as peripheral administration. Recently, it was discovered that the gene precursor of ghrelin encoded another secreted and bioactive peptide named obestatin. First reports appeared to demonstrate that this peptide requires an amidation for its biological activity and acts through the orphan receptor, GPR-39. Obestatin was shown to have actions opposite to ghrelin on food intake, BW, and gastric emptying. In the present study, we failed to observe any effect of obestatin on food intake, BW, body composition, energy expenditure, locomotor activity, respiratory quotient, or hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in energy balance regulation. In agreement with the first report, we were unable to find any effect of obestatin on GH secretion in vivo. Moreover, we were unable to find mRNA expression of GPR-39, the putative obestatin receptor, in the hypothalamus of rats. Therefore, the results presented here do not support a role of the obestatin/GPR-39 system in the regulation of energy balance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Eating / physiology
  • Energy Metabolism / drug effects*
  • Energy Metabolism / physiology
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / physiology
  • Ghrelin
  • Growth Hormone / metabolism*
  • Hypothalamus / drug effects*
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Hypothalamus / physiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Peptide Hormones / metabolism
  • Peptide Hormones / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Vagotomy
  • Weight Gain / drug effects
  • Weight Gain / physiology

Substances

  • GPR39 protein, mouse
  • Ghrelin
  • Peptide Hormones
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • obestatin, mouse
  • Growth Hormone