Abstract
Ghrelin is a gut hormone that stimulates food intake. In physiological conditions, ghrelin plasma levels rise with fasting and decrease after meals. Obese individuals have low fasting ghrelin levels that rise after food restriction, which is pointed out as a reason for the difficulty in maintaining weight loss. Some bariatric surgery procedures prevent rise in ghrelin levels with weight loss and this has been hypothesised to contribute to the long-term success of the treatment.
The main goal of this study was to develop a safe and effective anti-ghrelin vaccine for obesity, through the chemical conjugation of ghrelin with a virus like particle, namely NS1 protein tubules from the Bluetongue Virus (BTV) using a hetero-bifunctional cross linker.
Male adult C57BL/6 mice, with a normal weight and with diet-induced obesity (DIO), were randomized into six weight matched groups (n=6/group) and each group of mice received three intra-peritoneal injections with two weeks intervals, containing either 75 μg of ghrelin- NS1 immunoconjugate, 75 μg of NS1 or PBS. Our data show that immunized animals present increasing titres of anti-ghrelin antibodies, while their cumulative food intake significantly decreased and energy expenditure was significantly enhanced, although there were no significative changes in body weight.Vaccinated DIO mice also displayed significant decrease of NPY gene expression in the basal hypothalamus reflecting a decrease in central orexigenic signals.
This study suggests that this anti-ghrelin vaccine has a positive impact on energy homeostasis and may be an additional therapeutical tool to be used with diet and exercise for obesity treatment.
Keywords: obesity, ghrelin, vaccine, virus-like particles, treatment.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Immunization Against Active Ghrelin Using Virus-Like Particles for Obesity Treatment
Volume: 19 Issue: 36
Author(s): Sara Andrade, Filipa Pinho, Andreia M. Ribeiro, Marcos Carreira, Felipe F. Casanueva, Polly Roy and Mariana P. Monteiro
Affiliation:
Keywords: obesity, ghrelin, vaccine, virus-like particles, treatment.
Abstract: Ghrelin is a gut hormone that stimulates food intake. In physiological conditions, ghrelin plasma levels rise with fasting and decrease after meals. Obese individuals have low fasting ghrelin levels that rise after food restriction, which is pointed out as a reason for the difficulty in maintaining weight loss. Some bariatric surgery procedures prevent rise in ghrelin levels with weight loss and this has been hypothesised to contribute to the long-term success of the treatment.
The main goal of this study was to develop a safe and effective anti-ghrelin vaccine for obesity, through the chemical conjugation of ghrelin with a virus like particle, namely NS1 protein tubules from the Bluetongue Virus (BTV) using a hetero-bifunctional cross linker.
Male adult C57BL/6 mice, with a normal weight and with diet-induced obesity (DIO), were randomized into six weight matched groups (n=6/group) and each group of mice received three intra-peritoneal injections with two weeks intervals, containing either 75 μg of ghrelin- NS1 immunoconjugate, 75 μg of NS1 or PBS. Our data show that immunized animals present increasing titres of anti-ghrelin antibodies, while their cumulative food intake significantly decreased and energy expenditure was significantly enhanced, although there were no significative changes in body weight.Vaccinated DIO mice also displayed significant decrease of NPY gene expression in the basal hypothalamus reflecting a decrease in central orexigenic signals.
This study suggests that this anti-ghrelin vaccine has a positive impact on energy homeostasis and may be an additional therapeutical tool to be used with diet and exercise for obesity treatment.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Andrade Sara, Pinho Filipa, Ribeiro M. Andreia, Carreira Marcos, Casanueva F. Felipe, Roy Polly and Monteiro P. Mariana, Immunization Against Active Ghrelin Using Virus-Like Particles for Obesity Treatment, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2013; 19 (36) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990506
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990506 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Ectopic ATP Synthase in Endothelial Cells: A Novel Cardiovascular Therapeutic Target
Current Pharmaceutical Design Insulin Resistance and Alzheimers Disease Pathogenesis: Potential Mechanisms and Implications for Treatment
Current Alzheimer Research The Significance of Pain in Chronic Venous Disease and its Medical Treatment
Current Vascular Pharmacology Ketamine as Antidepressant? Current State and Future Perspectives
Current Neuropharmacology Effects of Honey Against the Accumulation of Adipose Tissue and the Increased Blood Pressure on Carbohydrate-Induced Obesity in Rat
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Inhibitors of Steroidal Cytochrome P450 Enzymes as Targets for Drug Development
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Meet Our Editor:
Current Hypertension Reviews Fibrates and Microvascular Complications in Diabetes - Insight from the FIELD Study
Current Pharmaceutical Design Pharmacological Applications of Antioxidants: Lights and Shadows
Current Drug Targets Clinical Perspectives on the Role of Anti-Platelet and Statin Therapy in Patients with Vascular Diseases
Current Vascular Pharmacology Vasoproliferation and Antiproliferative Treatment Options in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery The Role of Catecholamines in Formation and Resolution of Pulmonary Oedema
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Caspases as Drug Targets in Ischemic Organ Injury
Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders Gender Differences in Aminoglycoside Induced Nephrotoxicity: A Prospective, Hospital - Based Study
Current Clinical Pharmacology Progress in the Development of Melanocortin Receptor Selective Ligands
Current Pharmaceutical Design Contraception in Women with Medical Conditions
Current Women`s Health Reviews Carbon Monoxide: Medicinal Chemistry and Biological Effects
Current Medicinal Chemistry Novel Therapeutics for Diabetic Micro- and Macrovascular Complications
Current Medicinal Chemistry The Coronary Circulation in Arterial Hypertension
Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued) A Review of Obesity and Body Fat Distribution and Its Relationship to Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Men and Women of Chinese Origin
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets