Ghrelin可由胰岛α、β、ε细胞及胃黏膜细胞等分泌,可能通过旁分泌、自分泌或内分泌作用影响β细胞的分泌功能;同时抑制胰岛β细胞凋亡。Ghrelin呈剂量依赖性抑制葡萄糖刺激的胰岛素分泌,并呈瞬时调节,与胰岛素共同参与生理条件下的摄食和体重调节。1型糖尿病患者的Ghrelin基础水平偏高,经胰岛素治疗后下降,因此被认为是1型糖尿病初发及胰岛素治疗有效的标志物。Ghrelin水平与2型糖尿病的发病呈负相关;机体胰岛素抵抗时Ghrelin水平下降,胰岛素分泌增加,葡萄糖耐受性提高,是早期2型糖尿病的一种保护机制。 Ghrelin can be secreted by pancreatic islets α, β, ε cells and gastric mucosal cells, which may affect the secretion of β cells through paracrine, autocrine or endocrine effects; at the same time, inhibit the apoptosis of pancreatic β cells. Ghrelin inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner and is transiently regulated, together with insulin involved in physiological conditions of feeding and body weight regulation. Patients with type 1 diabetes have high basal levels of Ghrelin, which are reduced after insulin therapy and are therefore considered to be effective markers of type 1 diabetes onset and insulin therapy. The level of Ghrelin is negatively correlated with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The level of Ghrelin, the increase of insulin secretion and the increase of glucose tolerance in insulin resistance are the protective mechanisms of early type 2 diabetes.