This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nedvídková, J. Articles by Pacak, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nedvídková, J. Articles by Pacak, K.

Loss of Meal-Induced Decrease in Plasma Ghrelin Levels in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa

Institute of Endocrinology (J.N., I.K., V.B.), Faculty of Natural Sciences (I.K., V.B.), and Department of Psychiatry (H.P.), Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Pediatric and Reproductive Endocrinology Branch (S.A., K.P.), NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland; Clinical Neuroendocrinology Branch (S.A., P.W.G.), NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland; and Sezione di Endocrinologia, Dipartimento Clinico Sperimentale di Medicina e Farmacologia (S.A.), University of Messina, Messina, Italy

Address correspondence to: Karel Pacak, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., Chief, Unit on Clinical Neuroendocrinology, Pediatric and Reproductive Endocrine Branch Building 10, Room 9D42, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1583, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1583. Tel: 301-402-4594, Fax: 301-402-4712 karel{at}mail.nih.gov

Abstract

Studies have shown that ghrelin plays a major role in energy homeostasis and modulation of feeding behavior. However, little is known about the influence of food consumption on plasma ghrelin levels in humans. Therefore, we investigated responses of plasma ghrelin to food intake, meal volume and meal nutritional value in healthy volunteers and women with anorexia nervosa (AN). After overnight fasting, all subjects received either a standardized breakfast or fiber. Plasma ghrelin levels were measured before and after the meal. Fasting plasma ghrelin was significantly higher in AN patients than in controls (1,800.6 ± 47.0 vs. 795.9 ± 24.3 pg/ml, P < 0.001) (606.8 ± 15.8 vs. 268.2 ± 8.2 pmol/l, P < 0.001), and correlated negatively with percentage of body fat in both groups. Ghrelin levels markedly fell after consumption of either a standardized meal or fiber in controls, but not in anorexic women. Thus, we concluded that the acute plasma ghrelin response to food intake, which in healthy individuals is independent of meal caloric value, is impaired in women with AN. This abnormality may be part of a chronic adaptation to prolonged food restriction, which attempts to restore a normal feeding conduct by maintaining the drive to eat.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Perez-Fontan, F. Cordido, A. Rodriguez-Carmona, M. Penin, H. Diaz-Cambre, A. Lopez-Muniz, S. Sangiao-Alvarellos, and J. Garcia-Buela Short-term regulation of peptide YY secretion by a mixed meal or peritoneal glucose-based dialysate in patients with chronic renal failure Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., May 23, 2008; (2008) gfn297v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. K. Stoving, J.-W. Chen, D. Glintborg, K. Brixen, A. Flyvbjerg, K. Horder, and J. Frystyk Bioactive Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF) I and IGF-Binding Protein-1 in Anorexia Nervosa J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2007; 92(6): 2323 - 2329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Bellone, R. Baldelli, G. Radetti, A. Rapa, D. Vivenza, A. Petri, S. Savastio, M. Zaffaroni, F. Broglio, E. Ghigo, et al. Ghrelin Secretion in Preterm Neonates Progressively Increases and Is Refractory to the Inhibitory Effect of Food Intake J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2006; 91(5): 1929 - 1933. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Misra, K. K. Miller, K. Kuo, K. Griffin, V. Stewart, E. Hunter, D. B. Herzog, and A. Klibanski Secretory dynamics of ghrelin in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa and healthy adolescents Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, August 1, 2005; 289(2): E347 - E356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Gimenez-Palop, G. Gimenez-Perez, D. Mauricio, E. Berlanga, N. Potau, C. Vilardell, J. Arroyo, J.-M. Gonzalez-Clemente, and A. Caixas Circulating ghrelin in thyroid dysfunction is related to insulin resistance and not to hunger, food intake or anthropometric changes Eur. J. Endocrinol., July 1, 2005; 153(1): 73 - 79. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Calissendorff, O. Danielsson, K. Brismar, and S. Rojdmark Inhibitory effect of alcohol on ghrelin secretion in normal man Eur. J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2005; 152(5): 743 - 747. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Stock, P. Leichner, A. C. K. Wong, M. A. Ghatei, T. J. Kieffer, S. R. Bloom, and J.-P. Chanoine Ghrelin, Peptide YY, Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide, and Hunger Responses to a Mixed Meal in Anorexic, Obese, and Control Female Adolescents J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2005; 90(4): 2161 - 2168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. W. le Roux, M. Patterson, R. P. Vincent, C. Hunt, M. A. Ghatei, and S. R. Bloom Postprandial Plasma Ghrelin Is Suppressed Proportional to Meal Calorie Content in Normal-Weight But Not Obese Subjects J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2005; 90(2): 1068 - 1071. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Barazzoni, A. Bosutti, M. Stebel, M. R. Cattin, E. Roder, L. Visintin, L. Cattin, G. Biolo, M. Zanetti, and G. Guarnieri Ghrelin regulates mitochondrial-lipid metabolism gene expression and tissue fat distribution in liver and skeletal muscle Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, January 1, 2005; 288(1): E228 - E235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hotta, R. Ohwada, H. Katakami, T. Shibasaki, N. Hizuka, and K. Takano Plasma Levels of Intact and Degraded Ghrelin and Their Responses to Glucose Infusion in Anorexia Nervosa J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2004; 89(11): 5707 - 5712. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Arosio, C. L. Ronchi, P. Beck-Peccoz, C. Gebbia, C. Giavoli, V. Cappiello, D. Conte, and M. Peracchi Effects of Modified Sham Feeding on Ghrelin Levels in Healthy Human Subjects J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2004; 89(10): 5101 - 5104. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. De Souza, H. J. Leidy, E. O'Donnell, B. Lasley, and N. I. Williams Fasting Ghrelin Levels in Physically Active Women: Relationship with Menstrual Disturbances and Metabolic Hormones J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2004; 89(7): 3536 - 3542. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Marchesini, G. Bianchi, P. Lucidi, N. Villanova, M. Zoli, and P. De Feo Plasma Ghrelin Concentrations, Food Intake, and Anorexia in Liver Failure J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2004; 89(5): 2136 - 2141. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Misra, K. K. Miller, D. B. Herzog, K. Ramaswamy, A. Aggarwal, C. Almazan, G. Neubauer, J. Breu, and A. Klibanski Growth Hormone and Ghrelin Responses to an Oral Glucose Load in Adolescent Girls with Anorexia Nervosa and Controls J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2004; 89(4): 1605 - 1612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Bellone, N. Castellino, F. Broglio, A. Rapa, D. Vivenza, G. Radetti, J. Bellone, C. Gottero, E. Ghigo, and G. Bona Ghrelin Secretion in Childhood Is Refractory to the Inhibitory Effect of Feeding J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2004; 89(4): 1662 - 1665. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. S. Callahan, D. E. Cummings, M. S. Pepe, P. A. Breen, C. C. Matthys, and D. S. Weigle Postprandial Suppression of Plasma Ghrelin Level Is Proportional to Ingested Caloric Load but Does Not Predict Intermeal Interval in Humans J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2004; 89(3): 1319 - 1324. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. INUI, A. ASAKAWA, C. Y. BOWERS, G. MANTOVANI, A. LAVIANO, M. M. MEGUID, and M. FUJIMIYA Ghrelin, appetite, and gastric motility: the emerging role of the stomach as an endocrine organ FASEB J, March 1, 2004; 18(3): 439 - 456. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Chan, J. Bullen, J. H. Lee, N. Yiannakouris, and C. S. Mantzoros Ghrelin Levels Are Not Regulated by Recombinant Leptin Administration and/or Three Days of Fasting in Healthy Subjects J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2004; 89(1): 335 - 343. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Monteleone, R. Bencivenga, N. Longobardi, C. Serritella, and M. Maj Differential Responses of Circulating Ghrelin to High-Fat or High-Carbohydrate Meal in Healthy Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2003; 88(11): 5510 - 5514. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]