Go to JCI Insight
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Alerts
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Neuroscience
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • Vascular biology
    • All ...
  • Videos
    • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
    • Author's Takes
  • Reviews
    • View all reviews ...
    • Next-Generation Sequencing in Medicine (Upcoming)
    • New Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Diseases (Mar 2022)
    • Immunometabolism (Jan 2022)
    • Circadian Rhythm (Oct 2021)
    • Gut-Brain Axis (Jul 2021)
    • Tumor Microenvironment (Mar 2021)
    • 100th Anniversary of Insulin's Discovery (Jan 2021)
    • View all review series ...
  • Viewpoint
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Commentaries
    • Concise Communication
    • Editorials
    • Viewpoint
    • Top read articles
  • Clinical Medicine
  • JCI This Month
    • Current issue
    • Past issues

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • Reviews
  • Review series
  • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
  • Author's Takes
  • In-Press Preview
  • Commentaries
  • Concise Communication
  • Editorials
  • Viewpoint
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Alerts
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Is ghrelin a signal for the development of metabolic systems?
Kevin L. Grove, Michael A. Cowley
Kevin L. Grove, Michael A. Cowley
Published December 1, 2005
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2005;115(12):3393-3397. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI27211.
View: Text | PDF
Commentary

Is ghrelin a signal for the development of metabolic systems?

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Ghrelin, produced in the stomach, acts on growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHSRs) in hypothalamic neurons to potently increase food intake. However, male mice with deletions of ghrelin (Ghrl–/– mice) or GHSR (Ghsr–/– mice) display normal growth and regulation of food intake. Furthermore, adult Ghrl–/– mice display a normal sensitivity to high-fat diet–induced obesity. These findings from early studies raised the question as to whether the ghrelin system is an essential component for the regulation of food intake and body weight homeostasis. However, recent studies by Wortley et al. and Zigman et al. demonstrate that Ghrl–/– and Ghsr–/– mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity when fed a high-fat diet during the early post-weaning period. This commentary highlights 3 key issues raised by these 2 reports: (a) the impact of ghrelin on the development of metabolic systems; (b) the constitutive activity of GHSR; and (c) gender differences in the sensitivity to deletion of the ghrelin signaling system.

Authors

Kevin L. Grove, Michael A. Cowley

×

Full Text PDF | Download (1.04 MB)


Copyright © 2022 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

Sign up for email alerts