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Physiological Roles of Des-Acyl Ghrelin

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Book cover Ghrelin in Health and Disease

Part of the book series: Contemporary Endocrinology ((COE,volume 10))

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Abstract

Ghrelin circulates into two different forms: (1) acylated ghrelin (AG) which holds an n-octanoic acid at its third serine residue, and (2) des-acyl ghrelin (DAG). AG, but not DAG, binds the GH secretagogue type 1a receptor (GHS-R1a) and stimulates secretion of GH and other pituitary hormones.

Accumulating evidence indicate that both AG and DAG have non-GHS-R1a-mediated biological activities and particularly exert a significant role in the fine-tuning of insulin secretion and glucose metabolism, sometimes acting as agonists others as antagonists. DAG promotes insulin secretion from β-cell lines and enhances the portal insulin response following an intravenous glucose tolerance test in rats. In addition, DAG has been shown to inhibit in vitro hepatic glucose output, suggesting that at least part of the beneficial effect on glucose could also be secondary to an insulin-independent mechanism. Finally, recent results suggest that DAG has also proliferative and protective effects on β-cells. Transgenic mice over-expressing DAG display reduced fat mass and blood triglycerides. Also, the coadministration of AG and DAG reduces plasma FFA in GHD patients. Finally, results of recent preliminary experiments on circulating angiogenic cells (CAC) suggest that DAG may beneficially impact the vascular remodeling process, which is known to be impaired in type 2 diabetes patients.

In this chapter, we summarize the data that indicate that DAG exerts several important (metabolic) actions that should separate DAG from AG and make DAG a signaling factor with its own intrinsic role in many metabolic processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    S. J. C. M. M. Neggers M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Molinette Hospital, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

    Riccarda Granata Ph.D. & Ezio Ghigo M.D.

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University MC, Room D-437, 2040, Rotterdam, 2662 CW, The Netherlands

    Aart J. van der Lely M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. S. J. C. M. M. Neggers M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Riccarda Granata Ph.D.
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  3. Ezio Ghigo M.D.
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  4. Aart J. van der Lely M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Aart J. van der Lely M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Metabolism and Aging, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Scripps Way 3B3 130, Jupiter, 33458, Florida, USA

    Roy G. Smith

  2. , Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Ray C Hunt Drive 450, Charlottesville, 22908, Virginia, USA

    Michael O. Thorner

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Neggers, S.J.C.M.M., Granata, R., Ghigo, E., van der Lely, A.J. (2012). Physiological Roles of Des-Acyl Ghrelin. In: Smith, R., Thorner, M. (eds) Ghrelin in Health and Disease. Contemporary Endocrinology, vol 10. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-903-7_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-903-7_15

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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