Ghrelin acts in the brain to block colonic hyperpermeability in response to lipopolysaccharide through the vagus nerve.

Ghrelin acts in the brain to block colonic hyperpermeability in response to lipopolysaccharide through the vagus nerve. Neuropharmacology. 2020 May 19;:108116 Authors: Ishioh M, Nozu T, Igarashi S, Tanabe H, Kumei S, Ohhira M, Okumura T Abstract Brain ghrelin plays a role in gastrointestinal functions. Among them, ghrelin acts centrally to stimulate gastrointestinal motility and induce visceral antinociception. Intestinal barrier function, one of important gastrointestinal functions, is also controlled by the central nervous system. Little is, however, known about a role of central ghrelin in regulation of intestinal permeability. The present study was performed to clarify whether brain ghrelin is also involved in regulation of intestinal barrier function and its mechanism. Colonic permeability was estimated in vivo by quantifying the absorbed Evans blue in colonic tissue in rats. Intracisternal injection of ghrelin dose-dependently abolished increased colonic permeability in response to LPS while intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin at the same dose or intracisternal injection of des-acyl-ghrelin failed to block it. Carbachol potently attenuated LPS-induced intestinal hyperpermeability, and atropine or bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy prevented the improvement of intestinal hyperpermeability by central ghrelin. Intracisternal (D-Lys3)-GHRP-6, a selective ghrelin receptor antagonist, significantly blocked improvement of intestinal...
Source: Neuropharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Neuropharmacology Source Type: research