Objective: Doxorubicin is an anthracycline group antibiotic that has effects on cell damage by increasing oxidative stress. It is known that ghrelin is a strong endogen growth hormone releaser and reduces free radical production via increasing Glutathione peroxidase activity. In this study, we purposed to evaluate the effects doxorubicin application on ghrelin immunoreactivity in liver, heart and kidney tissues of rats using immunohistochemical methods.

Material and Method: In this study, 14 adult Wistar Albino male rats were used. Rats were divided into two groups equally (n=7). The rats in the first group were used as control. The second group of rats were injected single dose doxorubicin 10 mg/kg intraperitonealy (i.p.) on 1st day of experimental study and there is no any application during 14 days. At the end of the study, rats were decapitated and liver, heart and kidney tissues removed. Following routine procedures, the tissues were set into the paraffin block and examined using immunohistochemical stain method. Immunohistochemical evaluation was based on the assessment of the prevalence of staining.

Results: Ghrelin immunoreactivity was observed as +2 in control group and 1+ in doxorubicine groups in liver tissue. In control group, 1+ ghrelin immunoreactivity was observed in heart and kidney tissues. There is a significant increase in heart and kidney tissues in Dx group and +3 ghrelin immunoreactivity was observed.

Conclusion: According to results of this study performed immunohistochemically, ghrelin different shows immunreactivty across damage caused by doxorubicin in the liver, kidney and heart tissue.