The relationship between ghrelin and inflammation in diabetic rat stomach.

Background: Ghrelin is a hormone that regulates the digestive system, as well as has immunomodulating effects. The aim of this study is to explain effects of ghrelin on inflammation and oxidative stress parameters in the stomach.

Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats 8-10 weeks old (n = 21) were randomly divided into three groups as control, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and diabetes and given exogenous ghrelin (T2DM+Gh). The daily feed and water intake of the animals were measured. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA in tissues were analyzed using RT-PCR technique. Ghrelin and nuclear factor-κβ (NF-κβ) peptides were detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results: T2DM group had a significant increase in water intake when compared to control group. T2DM group had significantly higher levels of IL-6, IL-1, and IL-10 mRNA expression than control group. IL-1β and IL-10 mRNA expression were significantly lower in T2DM+Gh group than in T2DM group. In T2DM group, NF-κβ was higher than in control group, but it was lower in T2DM+Gh group. In terms of oxidative stress, there were non-significant changes.

Conclusion: According to our findings, exogenous ghrelin intake was found to be highly effective in reducing inflammation in stomach tissue with type 2 diabetes (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 33). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: ghrelin, rat, type 2 diabetes, stomach, inflammation.