Ghrelin Acylation-A Post-Translational Tuning Mechanism Regulating Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis.
Martina SassiAlwena H MorganJeffrey S DaviesPublished in: Cells (2022)
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis-the generation of new functional neurones in the adult brain-is impaired in aging and many neurodegenerative disorders. We recently showed that the acylated version of the gut hormone ghrelin (acyl-ghrelin) stimulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis while the unacylated form of ghrelin inhibits it, thus demonstrating a previously unknown function of unacyl-ghrelin in modulating hippocampal plasticity. Analysis of plasma samples from Parkinson's disease patients with dementia demonstrated a reduced acyl-ghrelin:unacyl-ghrelin ratio compared to both healthy controls and cognitively intact Parkinson's disease patients. These data, from mouse and human studies, suggest that restoring acyl-ghrelin signalling may promote the activation of pathways to support memory function. In this short review, we discuss the evidence for ghrelin's role in regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis and the enzymes involved in ghrelin acylation and de-acylation as targets to treat mood-related disorders and dementia.
Keyphrases
- cerebral ischemia
- growth hormone
- mild cognitive impairment
- end stage renal disease
- subarachnoid hemorrhage
- blood brain barrier
- bipolar disorder
- chronic kidney disease
- cognitive decline
- brain injury
- multiple sclerosis
- working memory
- deep learning
- fatty acid
- prognostic factors
- peritoneal dialysis
- electronic health record
- big data
- patient reported