The role of ALF4, a transcription factor, in the regulation of growth hormone secretion in the hypothalamus

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AF5q31 expression was exclusively observed in growth hormone secretagogue-receptor (GHS-R)-expressing neurons during fasting. The intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin induced the expression of AF5q31 in the GHS-R-positive neurons of the arcuate nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. The decrease of AF5q31 expression in heterozygous mice attenuated the fasting-induced expression of AMPKα, as well as the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, the increase in fasting-induced food intake in heterozygous mice was less than that observed in wild-type mice. From these findings, ghrelin-induced AF5q31 in the hypothalamus appear to play an important role in the expression of AMPK, which may induce the expressions of NPY and AgRP, and thereby increase food intake.