Endocrine Abstracts

Ghrelin as well as leptin are involved into regulation of food intake, development of obesity, diabetes (DM I, DM II) and inflammation. However, in spite of many experiments, the correlation between their effects are not fully established. As a part of study dealing with the interaction of ghrelin and leptin in metabolic disorders the present study was carried out to assess the effect of statin, DMI, DMII on the ghrelin and leptin plasma levels in lean and obese piglets. Animal studies were performed on sixty 6 weeks old piglets of two genetically different strains – lean(L) and obese (F), divided into control and four experimental groups. DMI group was treated with streptozotocin 3 times every two days (75+50+25 mg, i.p.), ATOR group received statin for 5 days, 10 mg/day, per os), third group received streptozotocin and statin (STZ+ATOR) and DMII group was injected i.p. with glucocorticoid for three days in a manner of 30, 20, 10 mg/piglet. Ghrelin and leptin levels were estimated by RIA. The plasma levels of both hormones in control piglets were significantly higher in obese than in lean −4.66±0.11 vs 3.03±0.08 nmol/l (ghrelin) and 27.01±1.1 vs 23.2±0.9 pmol/l, (leptin). Obese piglets were susceptible to streptozotocin, statin and glucocorticoid treatment and reacted by higher significant increase of ghrelin plasma level (by 18–60%) than lean animals. Unexpectedly, the increase of leptin plasma level was much higher in lean piglets treated with streptozotocin and statin than in obese animals. Molar ratio ghrelin/leptin was much higher in obese control and STZ+ATOR groups but was decreased by streptozotocin in lean and obese piglets. The results clearly showed involvement of both hormones into the development of DMI and DMII in piglets but their interaction in lean and obese animals was genetically dependent.

Study was supported by NCBiR grant NR 12 0064 06

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details unavailable.