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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: JOE-09-0227v1 203/1/175    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Vila, G. Articles by Luger, A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vila, G. Articles by Luger, A.

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
¹ Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands

(Correspondence should be addressed to G Vila; Email: greisa.vila{at}meduniwien.ac.at)

Oxytocin (OXT) and ghrelin have several common properties such as the involvement in the first phase response to stressors, in appetite regulation, and in the modulation of neural functions. Despite a recent study showing that intraventricular administration of ghrelin activates OXT neurons, little is known on the cross-talk between these two peptides. Here, we investigated the role of the i.v. administration of OXT on circulating ghrelin concentrations under fasting conditions and during the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia. A randomized placebo-controlled cross-over study was performed in ten healthy men. In four study sessions, the participants received once placebo, once OXT (1 pmol/kg per min over 90 min), once LPS (2 ng/kg), and once both OXT and LPS. Plasma ghrelin, glucose, and free fatty acid (FFA) levels were measured at regular intervals during the first 6 h following the LPS bolus. Systemic administration of OXT decreased within 1 h plasma ghrelin levels (611±54 vs 697±52 pg/ml in placebo days, P=0.013) and increased plasma glucose and FFA concentrations (P=0.002 and P=0.005 respectively). OXT also reduced the LPS-induced surge in ghrelin at time point 2 h (P=0.021). In summary, i.v. administration of OXT decreases circulating levels of ghrelin during fasting, as well as following LPS-induced endotoxemia in healthy men. The cross-talk between OXT and ghrelin might be important in the regulation of energy homeostasis and stress responses.