Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Quintyne, Nicholas

Abstract

Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid peptide secreted by the stomach. Over the past decade, studies have shown ghrelin to have broad effects on growth hormone release, appetite regulation, and glucose metabolism. These effects are explained largely by the high expression of the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) in both the hypothalamus and pituitary. Recently, ghrelin has been shown to have possible neuroprotective effects in other brain regions expressing GHS-R1a, specifically stimulating anti-apoptotic and antiinflammatory pathways. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a cellular organelle responsible for processing proteins. When an abundance of misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER, cellular stress pathways ensue, and are linked to a number of neurodegenerative diseases. This project will examine the effects of ghrelin during ER stress in a human neuronal cell line. Expression of genes and proteins involved in potential neuroprotective pathways will be examined to learn how ghrelin mediates its anti-apoptotic effects in neurons.

Comments

Includes bibliography.

Extent

61 p.

Identifier

FA00003595

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