Ablation of ghrelin receptor in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice has paradoxical effects on glucose homeostasis when compared with ablation of ghrelin in ob/ob mice

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Aug 1;303(3):E422-31. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00576.2011. Epub 2012 Jun 5.

Abstract

The orexigenic hormone ghrelin is important in diabetes because it has an inhibitory effect on insulin secretion. Ghrelin ablation in leptin-deficient ob/ob (Ghrelin(-/-):ob/ob) mice increases insulin secretion and improves hyperglycemia. The physiologically relevant ghrelin receptor is the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), and GHS-R antagonists are thought to be an effective strategy for treating diabetes. However, since some of ghrelin's effects are independent of GHS-R, we have utilized genetic approaches to determine whether ghrelin's effect on insulin secretion is mediated through GHS-R and whether GHS-R antagonism indeed inhibits insulin secretion. We investigated the effects of GHS-R on glucose homeostasis in Ghsr-ablated ob/ob mice (Ghsr(-/-):ob/ob). Ghsr ablation did not rescue the hyperphagia, obesity, or insulin resistance of ob/ob mice. Surprisingly, Ghsr ablation worsened the hyperglycemia, decreased insulin, and impaired glucose tolerance. Consistently, Ghsr ablation in ob/ob mice upregulated negative β-cell regulators (such as UCP-2, SREBP-1c, ChREBP, and MIF-1) and downregulated positive β-cell regulators (such as HIF-1α, FGF-21, and PDX-1) in whole pancreas; this suggests that Ghsr ablation impairs pancreatic β-cell function in leptin deficiency. Of note, Ghsr ablation in ob/ob mice did not affect the islet size; the average islet size of Ghsr(-/-):ob/ob mice is similar to that of ob/ob mice. In summary, because Ghsr ablation in leptin deficiency impairs insulin secretion and worsens hyperglycemia, this suggests that GHS-R antagonists may actually aggravate diabetes under certain conditions. The paradoxical effects of ghrelin ablation and Ghsr ablation in ob/ob mice highlight the complexity of the ghrelin-signaling pathway.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Deletion
  • Ghrelin / deficiency
  • Ghrelin / genetics*
  • Ghrelin / physiology
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Homeostasis / genetics
  • Homeostasis / physiology
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology
  • Hyperglycemia / genetics
  • Leptin / deficiency
  • Leptin / genetics*
  • Leptin / physiology
  • Male
  • Metabolome
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Obese
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Ghrelin / genetics*
  • Receptors, Ghrelin / physiology

Substances

  • Ghrelin
  • Leptin
  • Receptors, Ghrelin
  • Glucose