database / hormone
Ghrelin
Research reference only. The observations below are recorded in the cited literature. Nothing here is advice or a recommendation, and no dosing information is published on this site.
Sequence
GSSFLSPEHQRVQQRKESKKPPAKLQPR
Gly-Ser-Ser-Phe-Leu-Ser-Pro-Glu-His-Gln-Arg-Val-Gln-Gln-Arg-Lys-Glu-Ser-Lys-Lys-Pro-Pro-Ala-Lys-Leu-Gln-Pro-Arg
- hydrophobic
- positive
- negative
- polar
- aromatic
- glycine
- proline
- cysteine
Modified molecule. Ser3 is octanoylated by GOAT; the acyl group is required for receptor activation.
Backbone carries modifications, so computed backbone mass is not comparable to the reported mass of the complete molecule.
Molecular data
| molecular formula | not characterised |
|---|---|
| molecular weight | 3244.71 Da (computed from sequence) |
| computed backbone mass | 3244.71 Da |
| length | 28 residues |
| net charge (pH 7.4) | +5 |
| mean hydropathy | -1.68 |
| half-life | not characterised |
| delivery route | not characterised |
| PubChem CID | not characterised |
| PDB | not characterised |
| UniProt parent | Q9UBU3 |
Mechanism
Endogenous GHS-R1a agonist; the hunger hormone.
Reported targets: GHS-R1a
Experimental structure
No experimental structure of this peptide is deposited in the PDB. Nothing is rendered here — a predicted fold would not be a structure, and this site does not draw one.
Position in the parent protein
MPSPGTVCSLLLLGMLWLDLAMAGSSFLSPEHQRVQQRKESKKPPAKLQPRALAGWLRPEDGGQAEGAEDELEVR…
Parent sequence from UniProt Q9UBU3. Ghrelin and obestatin derive from the same precursor.
Reported effects
Each row is an outcome described in the literature indexed for this peptide. Reported in the cited work — not a claim, not a recommendation.
| reported outcome | where it appears |
|---|---|
| GH release | Alcohol Exposure Alters the Ghrelin System: In Vitro Mechanistic Insights In… Alcohol, clinical & experimental research 2026 |
| appetite stimulation | Lactobacillus paragasseri OLL2716 Promotes Ghrelin Expression in Gastric Cel… Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins 2026 |
Literature (8)
Alcohol Exposure Alters the Ghrelin System: In Vitro Mechanistic Insights Into Impaired Glucose Sensing and Enhanced Ghrelin Secretion — Alcohol, clinical & experimental research 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42552663 · DOI 10.1111/acer.70392
Lactobacillus paragasseri OLL2716 Promotes Ghrelin Expression in Gastric Cells — Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42593614 · DOI 10.1007/s12602-026-11172-x
Targeting the leptin-ghrelin axis for obesity management: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches — Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42462482 · DOI 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2026.107093
Preliminary investigation of ghrelin in horses and ponies: receptor expression and associations with prandial state, morphometry and signalment — BMC veterinary research 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42426797 · DOI 10.1186/s12917-026-05700-8
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and their role in ghrelin-producing cells — Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42269270 · DOI 10.1016/j.bbrc.2026.154114
Activation of GHSRs Facilitates the Excitability of Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells and Short-Term Spatial Memory via Multiple Ionic and Signaling Mechanisms — Advanced biology 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42552604 · DOI 10.1002/adbi.70145
Food anticipation, ghrelin and anxiety in juvenile goldfish: evidence for a mesolimbic dopaminergic link? — The Journal of experimental biology 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 42165603 · DOI 10.1242/jeb.252553
Altered responses to ghrelin and food cues in AgRP neurons during pregnancy and lactation — Journal of neuroendocrinology 2026
Pregnancy and lactation trigger many metabolic adaptations, including increased food intake to support the energy demands of the growing foetus and then to provide nutrition through milk production after birth. Ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone, activates agouti related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus to promote food intake. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that increased sensitivity to ghrelin during pregnancy and lactation may contribute to elevated maternal food intake. Acute food intake was measured after a single dose of ghrelin or vehicle across reproductive states including virgin, pregnant (Day 8 and Day 15), lactating (Day 10) mice and dams 2 weeks after weaning. In vivo GCaMP fibre photometry of the AgRP neuron population was used to measure AgRP neuronal response to ghrelin. Unlike virgin mice, pregnant mice did not show an acute increase in food intake after gh…
open access ↗ · PMID 42265978 · DOI 10.1111/jne.70202