Homeobox B4 gene expression is upregulated by ghrelin through PI3-kinase signaling pathway in rat’s bone marrow stromal cells

Objective. Ghrelin, a 28 amino acid peptide, has diverse physiological roles. Phosphatidylino-sitol-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are involved in some of the recognized actions of ghrelin. It has been shown that ghrelin upregulates HOXB4 gene expression but the real mechanism of this effect is not clear.