Interferon-γ inhibits ghrelin expression and secretion via a somatostatin-mediated mechanism

Figure 2 Interferon γ expression is increased and ghrelin expression is reduced in old but not young gastrin knockout mice and histidine decarboxylase knockout mice. The expression of interferon γ (IFNγ) and ghrelin mRNA in young (12-16 wk) and old (48-56 wk) achlorhydric gastrin KO mice and old (48-56 wk) hypochlorhydric histidine decarboxylase (HDC) KO mice (n = 6 in each group) is shown. There is no change in either IFNγ (A) or ghrelin (B) expression in HDC KO mice as compared to wt mice. While the gastric inflammation evaluated by expression of IFNγ increases when the gastrin KO mice get older (C), the expression of ghrelin decreases (D). ^aP < 0.05.