In plain words
GFRAL is a receptor in the brainstem. It sits in an area that controls nausea and vomiting. A hormone called can attach to it. When that happens, the brain may signal nausea, a dislike of some foods, and less eating. This pathway is found in many mammals. It seems to be a response to toxins and to stress on the body. In pregnancy, the placenta's GDF15 is thought to reach this receptor. The same pathway may help explain why some people feel very sick or lose weight in early pregnancy. Researchers study GFRAL because it may matter for future work. It is not something a mother can see or measure on her own.
The deeper version
GFRAL, the GDNF family receptor alpha-like protein that serves as the receptor for GDF15, is expressed in the and the nucleus of the solitary tract, the brainstem emetic center. Emmerson and colleagues (Nature Medicine, 2017) and Hsu and colleagues (Nature, 2017) showed in animal models that GDF15 acts through GFRAL to reduce food intake, produce aversion, and drive nausea-like responses. The pathway is conserved across mammals and appears to be a response to toxins and tissue stress. In pregnancy, placental GDF15 is thought to act on GFRAL, linking the placenta to brainstem circuits that control appetite and vomiting. Evidence in humans is largely indirect, drawn from genetic association, biomarker studies, and animal models. The open questions are how well rodent findings translate to people, and whether GFRAL signaling is necessary for hyperemesis or only sufficient to produce it.
Where it comes up
- Nausea and vomiting in pregnancyPregnancy: Your Body
- Hyperemesis gravidarum: when sickness is severePregnancy: Your Body
- Cravings and food aversionsPregnancy: Eating
- Eating when nothing sounds goodPregnancy: Eating
What mothers here say about GFRAL
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Emmerson PJ and colleagues — The GDF15-GFRAL pathway is a metabolic signal for modulating energy balance. Nature Medicine, 2017
- Hsu JY and colleagues — Non-homeostatic body weight regulation through a brainstem-restricted receptor for GDF15. Nature, 2017