BACKGROUND: Ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, acts on growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHS-R1A), expressed in the hypothalamus as well as in important reward nodes such as the ventral tegmental area. Interestingly, ghrelin has been found to activate an important part of the reward systems, i.e., the cholinergic-dopaminergic reward link. Additionally, the rewarding and neurochemical properties of alcohol are, at least in part, mediated via this reward link. There is comorbidity between alcohol dependence and eating disorders. Thus, plasma levels of ghrelin are altered in patients with addictive behaviors such as alcohol and nicotine dependence and in binge eating disorder. This overlap prompted as to investigate the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes in a haplotype analysis of heavy alcohol-using individuals. METHODS: A total of 417 Spanish individuals (abstainers, moderate, and heavy alcohol drinkers) were investigated in a haplotype analysis of the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes. Tag SNPs were chosen using HapMap data and the Tagger and Haploview softwares. These SNPs were then genotyped using TaqMan Allelic Discrimination. RESULTS: SNP rs2232165 of the GHS-R1A gene was associated with heavy alcohol consumption and SNP rs2948694 of the same gene as well as haplotypes of both the pro-ghrelin and the GHS-R1A genes were associated with body mass in heavy alcohol consuming individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings are the first to disclose an association between the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes and heavy alcohol use, further strengthening the role of the ghrelin system in addictive behaviors and brain reward.
BACKGROUND:Ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, acts on growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHS-R1A), expressed in the hypothalamus as well as in important reward nodes such as the ventral tegmental area. Interestingly, ghrelin has been found to activate an important part of the reward systems, i.e., the cholinergic-dopaminergic reward link. Additionally, the rewarding and neurochemical properties of alcohol are, at least in part, mediated via this reward link. There is comorbidity between alcohol dependence and eating disorders. Thus, plasma levels of ghrelin are altered in patients with addictive behaviors such as alcohol and nicotine dependence and in binge eating disorder. This overlap prompted as to investigate the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes in a haplotype analysis of heavy alcohol-using individuals. METHODS: A total of 417 Spanish individuals (abstainers, moderate, and heavy alcohol drinkers) were investigated in a haplotype analysis of the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes. Tag SNPs were chosen using HapMap data and the Tagger and Haploview softwares. These SNPs were then genotyped using TaqMan Allelic Discrimination. RESULTS: SNP rs2232165 of the GHS-R1A gene was associated with heavy alcohol consumption and SNP rs2948694 of the same gene as well as haplotypes of both the pro-ghrelin and the GHS-R1A genes were associated with body mass in heavy alcohol consuming individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings are the first to disclose an association between the pro-ghrelin and GHS-R1A genes and heavy alcohol use, further strengthening the role of the ghrelin system in addictive behaviors and brain reward.
Authors: Elisabet Jerlhag; Emil Egecioglu; Sara Landgren; Nicolas Salomé; Markus Heilig; Diederik Moechars; Rakesh Datta; Daniel Perrissoud; Suzanne L Dickson; Jörgen A Engel Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2009-06-29 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Lorenzo Leggio; Anna Ferrulli; Silvia Cardone; Antonio Nesci; Antonio Miceli; Noemi Malandrino; Esmeralda Capristo; Benedetta Canestrelli; Palmiero Monteleone; George A Kenna; Robert M Swift; Giovanni Addolorato Journal: Addict Biol Date: 2011-03-11 Impact factor: 4.280
Authors: Boris Tabakoff; Laura Saba; Morton Printz; Pam Flodman; Colin Hodgkinson; David Goldman; George Koob; Heather N Richardson; Katerina Kechris; Richard L Bell; Norbert Hübner; Matthias Heinig; Michal Pravenec; Jonathan Mangion; Lucie Legault; Maurice Dongier; Katherine M Conigrave; John B Whitfield; John Saunders; Bridget Grant; Paula L Hoffman Journal: BMC Biol Date: 2009-10-27 Impact factor: 7.431
Authors: Maureen T Cruz; Melissa A Herman; Dawn M Cote; Andrey E Ryabinin; Marisa Roberto Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2012-09-12 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Petra Suchankova; Jia Yan; Melanie L Schwandt; Bethany L Stangl; Elisabet Jerlhag; Jörgen A Engel; Colin A Hodgkinson; Vijay A Ramchandani; Lorenzo Leggio Journal: Alcohol Alcohol Date: 2017-07-01 Impact factor: 2.826