Reduced autophagy in livers of fasted, fat-depleted, ghrelin-deficient mice: Reversal by growth hormone

Plasma growth hormone (GH) and hepatic autophagy each have been reported to protect against hypoglycemia in the fasted state, but previous data have not linked the two. Here we demonstrate a connection using a mouse model of fasting in a fat-depleted state. Mice were subjected to 1 wk of 60% calorie restriction, causing them to lose nearly all body fat. They were then fasted for 23 h. During fasting, WT mice developed massive increases in plasma...