Email: hiwaku@wakayama-med.ac.jp
CV
College, Medical Degree: Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University (1990-1996)
Residency: Kyoto University Hospital (1996-1997), Kitano Hospital, Osaka (1997-1999)
Graduate: Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine (1999-2003)
Fellow: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyoto University Hospital (2003-2004).
Assistant professor at Ghrelin Research Project, Translational Research Center, Kyoto University Hospital (2004-2011)
Associate professor at TK project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine (2011-2015).
Lecturer at the first Department of Medicine, Wakayama Medical University (2015-2022).
Professor at Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, School of Pharmacotherapeutics, Wakayama Medical University.
Membership of Academic Societies
- Endocrine Society
- The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
- The Japan Diabetes Society
- The Japan Endocrine Society (Councilor)
- Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO)
- Japan Thyroid Association
Awards
- JES Research Award (2013)
- JASSO Research Award (2016)
Publications
The full list of publications is available on the Japanese page. Here are some external links:
Selected Publications
Ueda Y, Iwakura H, Ensho T, Bando-Shimizu M, Doi A, Matsutani N, Morita S, Inaba H, Ariyasu H, Fukuda N, Hayata K, Nishi M, Matsuoka TA, Yamaue H, Akamizu T.
Tryptophan-sensing receptor GPR142 expression levels are directly regulated by proinflammatory cytokines in ghrelin-producing cells.
FEBS Open Bio.2025;15(5):763-772.
Iwakura H, Ensho T, Ueda Y.
Desacyl-ghrelin, not just an inactive form of ghrelin?-A review of current knowledge on the biological actions of desacyl-ghrelin.[Review]
Peptides.2023;167:171050.
Iwakura H, Takagi T, Inaba H, Doi A, Ueda Y, Uraki S, Takeshima K, Furukawa Y, Ishibashi T, Morita S, Matsuno S, Nishi M, Furuta H, Matsuoka T, Akamizu T.
Thyroid function, glycemic control, and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes over 24 months: prospective observational study
BMC Endocrine Disorders.2023;23(1):146.
Godlewski G, Cinar R, Coffey NJ, Liu J, Jourdan T, Mukhopadhyay B, Chedester L, Liu Z, Osei-Hyiaman D, Iyer MR, Park JK, Smith RG, Iwakura H, Kunos G.
Targeting Peripheral CB1 Receptors Reduces Ethanol Intake via a Gut-Brain Axis.
Cell Metab. 2019;29(6):1320-1333.
Ueda Y, Iwakura H, Bando M, Doi A, Ariyasu H, Inaba H, Morita S, Akamizu T.
Differential role of GPR142 in tryptophan-mediated enhancement of insulin secretion in obese and lean mice.
PLoS One. 2018;13(6):e0198762.
Bando M, Iwakura H, Ueda Y, Ariyasu H, Inaba H, Furukawa Y, Furuta H, Nishi M, Akamizu T.
IL-1β directly suppress ghrelin mRNA expression in ghrelin-producing cells.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2017;447:45-51.
Iwakura H, Dote K, Bando M, Koyama H, Hosoda K, Kangawa K, Nakao K.
Establishment of Leptin-Responsive Cell Lines from Adult Mouse Hypothalamus.
PLoS One 2016;11(2):e0148639.
Bando M, Iwakura H, Koyama H, Hosoda H, Shigematsu Y, Ariyasu H, Akamizu T, Kangawa K, Nakao K.
High Incorporation of Long-Chain Fatty Acids Contributes to the Efficient Production of Acylated Ghrelin in Ghrelin-producing Cells.
FEBS Lett. 2016;590(7):992-1001.
Koyama H, Iwakura H, Dote K, Bando M, Hosoda H, Ariyasu H, Kusakabe T, Son C, Hosoda K, Akamizu T, Kangawa K, Nakao K.
Comprehensive Profiling of GPCR Expression in Ghrelin-producing Cells.
Endocrinology. 2016;157(2):692-704.
Iwakura H, Kangawa K, Nakao K.
The regulation of circulating ghrelin - with recent updates from cell-based assays [Review].
Endocr J. 2015;62(2):107-22.
Karra E, O'Daly OG, Choudhury AI, Yousseif A, Millership S, Neary MT, Scott WR, Chandarana K, Manning S, Hess ME, Iwakura H, Akamizu T, Millet Q, Gelegen C, Drew ME, Rahman S, Emmanuel JJ, Williams SC, Rüther UU, Brüning JC, Withers DJ, Zelaya FO, Batterham RL.
A link between FTO, ghrelin, and impaired brain food-cue responsivity.
J Clin Invest. 2013;123(8):3539-51.
Bando M, Iwakura H, Ariyasu H, Koyama H, Hosoda K, Adachi S, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
Overexpression of intraislet ghrelin enhances β-cell proliferation after streptozotocin-induced β-cell injury in mice.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013;305(1):E140-8.
Bando M, Iwakura H, Ariyasu H, Hosoda H, Yamada G, Hosoda K, Adachi S, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
Transgenic overexpression of intra-islet ghrelin does not affect insulin secretion or glucose metabolism in vivo.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2012;302(4):E403-8.
Iwakura H, Ariyasu H, Hosoda H, Yamada G, Hosoda K, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
Oxytocin and dopamine stimulate ghrelin secretion by the ghrelin-producing cell line, MGN3-1 in vitro.
Endocrinology. 2011;152(7):2619-25.
Iwakura H, Li Y, Ariyasu H, Hosoda H, Kanamoto N, Bando M, Yamada G, Hosoda K, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
Establishment of a Novel Ghrelin-Producing Cell Line.
Endocrinology. 2010;151(6):2940-5.
Iwakura H, Ariyasu H, Li Y, Kanamoto N, Bando M, Yamada G, Hosoda H, Hosoda K, Shimatsu A, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
A mouse model of ghrelinoma exhibited activated growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I axis and glucose intolerance.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009;297(3):E802-11.
Iwakura H, Ariyasu H, Kanamoto N, Hosoda K, Nakao K, Kangawa K, Akamizu T.
Establishment of a novel neuroblastoma mouse model.
Int J Oncol 2008;33(6):1195-9
Iwakura H, Akamizu T, Ariyasu H, Irako T, Hosoda K, Nakao K, Kangawa K.
Effects of ghrelin administration on decreased growth hormone status in obese animals.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.2007;293(3):E819-25.
Iwakura H, Hosoda K, Son C, Fujikura J, Tomita T, Noguchi M, Ariyasu H, Takaya K, Masuzaki H, Ogawa Y, Hayashi T, Inoue G, Akamizu T, Hosoda H, Kojima M, Itoh H, Toyokuni S, Kangawa K, Nakao K.
Analysis of rat insulin II promoter-ghrelin transgenic mice and rat glucagon promoter-ghrelin transgenic mice.
J Biol Chem.2005;280(15):15247-56.