Faculty Collaboration Database

Effects of ghrelin on interdigestive contractions of the rat gastrointestinal tract. World J Gastroenterol 2008 Nov 07;14(41):6299-302

Date

11/15/2008

Pubmed ID

19009642

Pubmed Central ID

PMC2766108

DOI

10.3748/wjg.14.6299

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-63449099349 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   24 Citations

Abstract

Ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions of the stomach in rats. However, it remains unknown whether ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions in the small intestine. Four strain gauge transducers were implanted on the antrum, duodenum, proximal and distal jejunum. After an overnight fast, gastrointestinal (GI) contractions were recorded in freely moving conscious rats. Spontaneous phase III-like contractions were observed at every 13-16 min in rat GI tract. The fasted motor patterns were replaced by the fed motor pattern immediately after food intake. Two minutes after finishing the spontaneous phase III-like contractions in the antrum, acyl ghrelin (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0 microg/kg per min) was continuously infused for 30 min. Three-five minutes after the starting ghrelin infusion, augmented phase III-like contractions were observed at the antrum, duodenum, and jejunum. Ghrelin infusion (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0 microg/kg per min) significantly increased motility index of phase III-like contractions at the antrum and jejunum in a dose dependent manner, compared to that of saline injection. Thus, it is likely that exogenously administered ghrelin causes phase III-like contraction at the antrum, which migrates to the duodenum and jejunum. The possible role of 5-HT, in addition to ghrelin, in mediating intestinal migrating motor complex (MMC), is discussed.

Author List

Taniguchi H, Ariga H, Zheng J, Ludwig K, Takahashi T

Author

Kirk A. Ludwig MD Chief, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Digestion
Duodenum
Fasting
Gastric Emptying
Gastrointestinal Motility
Ghrelin
Infusions, Intravenous
Jejunum
Male
Myoelectric Complex, Migrating
Peristalsis
Postprandial Period
Pyloric Antrum
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Serotonin
Telemetry
Time Factors
Transducers, Pressure