Acylated and unacylated ghrelin inhibit doxorubicin‐induced apoptosis in skeletal muscle

Abstract

Collectively, our data demonstrated that acylated ghrelin administration suppresses the doxorubicin-induced activation of apoptosis and enhances the cellular signalling of autophagy. The treatment of unacylated ghrelin has similar effects as acylated ghrelin on apoptotic and autophagic signalling, suggesting that the effects of ghrelin are probably mediated through a signalling pathway that is independent of GHSR-1a. These findings were consistent with the hypothesis that acylated ghrelin inhibits doxorubicin-induced upregulation of apoptosis in skeletal muscle while treatment of unacylated ghrelin can achieve similar effects as the treatment of acylated ghrelin. The inhibition of apoptosis and enhancement of autophagy induced by acylated and unacylated ghrelin might exert myoprotective effects on doxorubicin-induced toxicity in skeletal muscle.