Table 1. Phenotypical characterization of WT, Tg, and Ghrl KO mice at different ages.
| 3 months (young) | 6 months (adult) | 12 months (middle aged) | 24 months (old) | ||
| BMI (g/cm2) | WT | 3.34±0.18 | 3.88±0.08* | 3.97±0.07** | 3.88±0.11** |
| Tg | 3.30±0.12 | 3.81±0.14* | 4.16±0.21** | 3.71±0.07**,# | |
| KO | 3.77±0.16 | 3.61±0.12 | 4.75±0.14**,$$,££ | 3.68±0.09## | |
| nose-to-anus length (NAL, mm) | WT | 90.25±0.35 | 95.26±1.26** | 95.68±1.42** | 90.66±1.23££,# |
| Tg | 91.07±1.49 | 93.87±1.75 | 95.76±1.01* | 89.56±1.33## | |
| KO | 85.11±0.76$$ | 96.52±1.74** | 97.96±1.57** | 93.06±0.89**,# | |
| tibial length (TL, mm) | WT | 19.84 ± 0.09 | 20.47 ± 0.24 | 20.48 ± 0.13** | 20.49 ± 0.17** |
| Tg | 19.85 ± 0.11 | 20.50 ± 0.18** | 20.70 ± 0.11**,$$ | 20.07 ± 0.10**,$$,£ | |
| KO | 19.82 ± 0.09$ | 20.10 ± 0.07* | 20.27 ± 0.18 | 20.70 ± 0.32**,££ | |
| tibialis anterior/TL (mg/mm) | WT | 2.38±0.02 | 2.54±0.07 | 2.56±0.01** | 2.28±0.03££,## |
| Tg | 2.52±0.04$ | 2.5±0.02 | 2.49±0.09 | 2.23±0.04**,££,# | |
| KO | 2.65±0.14 | 2.95±0.08*,$$ | 2.81±0.04$$ | 2.38±0.06££,## | |
| quadriceps/TL (mg/mm) | WT | 10.1±0.36 | 11.74±0.38** | 10.79±0.16£ | 7.98±0.25**,££,## |
| Tg | 10.20±0.45 | 10.87±0.2 | 10.34±0.42 | 7.97±0.12**,££,## | |
| KO | 11.28±0.57 | 12.36±0.42 | 11.64±0.08$$ | 8.50±0.36**,££,## | |
| extensor digitorum longus/TL (mg/mm) | WT | 0.56±0.02 | 0.58±0.02 | 0.56±0.02 | 0.48±0.01**,££,## |
| Tg | 0.51±0.03 | 0.51±0.01$$ | 0.58±0.01**,££ | 0.48±0.01## | |
| KO | 0.55±0.03 | 0.61±0.03 | 0.61±0.01* | 0.47±0.02*,££,## | |
| soleus/TL (mg/mm) | WT | 0.45±0.02 | 0.46±0.03 | 0.48±0.01 | 0.38±0.01**,££,## |
| Tg | 0.46±0.01$$ | 0.47±0.03 | 0.46±0.02 | 0.36±0.01**,££,## | |
| KO | 0.43±0.02$$ | 0.49±0.01** | 0.56±0.02**,££ | 0.36±0.02**,$$,££,## | |
| heart weight/NTA (mg/mm) | WT | 1.34±0.04 | 1.62±0.07** | 1.56±0.09** | 2.00±0.10**,££,# |
| Tg | 1.40±0.08 | 1.35±0.03$$ | 1.47±0.04 | 2.14±0.11**,££,## | |
| KO | 1.38±0.14 | 1.37±0.02$$ | 1.40±0.04$$ | 1.92±0.11**,££,## | |
| liver weight/NTA (mg/mm) | WT | 14.44±0.63 | 15.75±1.14 | 17.31±0.71** | 19.44±0.52**,££,# |
| Tg | 15.64±0.48 | 15.14±0.77 | 18.21±1.35 | 20.55±0.64**,££,# | |
| KO | 14.64±0.81 | 15.55±0.66 | 18.55±1.2* | 18.13±0.94** | |
| spleen weight/NTA (mg/mm) | WT | 0.81±0.04 | 1.07±0.10* | 0.91±0.05*,££ | 1.91±0.27*,£ |
| Tg | 0.84±0.04$$ | 0.89±0.05 | 0.84±0.02 | 1.67±0.11**,££,## | |
| KO | 0.83±0.05$$ | 0.84±0.04 | 1.04±0.06*,$$,££ | 1.29±0.14*,£ | |
| daily food intake (g) | WT | 4.11±0.11 | 4.56±0.11** | 4.23±0.10£ | 4.18±0.23 |
| Tg | 3.96±0.11 | 4.78±0.04* | 4.21±0.25£ | 4.39±0.21££ | |
| KO | 4.33±0.23$ | 4.26±0.19 | 4.33±0.17 | 4.21±0.14 |
Young (WT = 6, Tg = 7, Ghrl KO = 5), adult (WT = 7, Tg = 4, Ghrl KO = 5), middle aged (WT = 5, Tg = 6, Ghrl KO = 9), old (WT = 13, Tg = 14, Ghrl KO = 11) mice were sacrificed and measurements of the indicated parameters were carried out as described in Materials and Methods. Muscle mass and tibial length values were calculated as the mean of right and left hindlimbs. Values are the means ± SEM; *p<0.05 and **p<0.01 vs. young mice; £p<0.05 and ££p<0.01 vs. adult mice; #p<0.05 and ##p<0.01 vs. middle aged mice; $p<0.05 and $$p<0.01 Tg and Ghrl KO vs. WT.