Journal of Endocrinology (2009) 202, 191-198
DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0056
© 2009 Society for Endocrinology
Shedding light on the intricate puzzle of ghrelin's effects on appetite regulation
Blerina Kola and
Márta Korbonits
Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Centre for Endocrinology, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
(Correspondence should be addressed to M Korbonits; Email: m.korbonits{at}qmul.ac.uk)
Ghrelin, a hormone primarily produced by the stomach, has a wide range of metabolic and non-metabolic effects. It also stimulates food intake through activation of various hypothalamic and brain stem neurons. A series of recent studies have explored the intracellular mechanisms of the appetite-inducing effect of ghrelin in the hypothalamus, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms of appetite regulation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key metabolic enzyme involved in appetite regulation. Calmodulin kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) has been identified as an upstream kinase of AMPK and a key mediator in the effect of ghrelin on AMPK activity. The fatty acid pathway, hypothalamic mitochondrial respiration, and uncoupling protein 2 have been outlined as downstream targets of AMPK and mediators of ghrelin's appetite stimulating effect. This short overview summarises the present data in this field.
Copyright © 2009 by the Society for Endocrinology.