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Changes in plasma ghrelin levels, gastric ghrelin production, and body weight after Helicobacter pylori cure

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Abstract

Background

Ghrelin is a body weight-regulating peptide produced and secreted primarily by the gastric mucosa. Helicobacter pylori infection impairs gastric ghrelin production, leading to a lower plasma ghrelin concentration. However, the effect of H. pylori eradication on plasma ghrelin levels and its relation to body weight change after H. pylori cure are still uncertain. We examined the association of plasma ghrelin levels with gastric ghrelin production and body weight change before and after H. pylori eradication.

Methods

Plasma ghrelin concentrations, gastric ghrelin expression, and body weight were determined in a total of 134 consecutive individuals before and 12 weeks after successful H. pylori eradication. Gastric ghrelin expression was evaluated by determining mRNA expression levels and the number of ghrelin-producing cells in gastric mucosa biopsy specimens by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

Plasma ghrelin concentration increased in 50 patients and decreased in 84 patients after H. pylori eradication. After H. pylori cure, however, gastric preproghrelin mRNA expression was increased nearly fourfold (P < 0.0001), and the number of ghrelin-positive cells was increased or unchanged. In contrast, plasma ghrelin changes after H. pylori cure were inversely correlated with both body weight change (P < 0.0001) and initial plasma ghrelin levels (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Changes in plasma ghrelin concentrations before and after H. pylori cure were inversely correlated with body weight change and initial plasma ghrelin levels but not with gastric ghrelin production in Japanese patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Japan

    Hiroyuki Osawa, Hiroto Kita, Hirohide Ohnishi, Yumiko Ishino, Eiko Watanabe, Hiroko Hoshino, Kiichi Satoh & Kentaro Sugano

  2. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan

    Masamitsu Nakazato, Yukari Date, Tomomi Shiiya & Hiroaki Ueno

  3. Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Christopher L. Bowlus

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  1. Hiroyuki Osawa
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  2. Hiroto Kita
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  3. Hirohide Ohnishi
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  4. Masamitsu Nakazato
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  5. Yukari Date
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Osawa, H., Kita, H., Ohnishi, H. et al. Changes in plasma ghrelin levels, gastric ghrelin production, and body weight after Helicobacter pylori cure. J Gastroenterol 41, 954–961 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1880-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1880-4

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