Ghrelin has been found to exert protective effects on the cardiovascular system.7 These include inhibition of vascular endothelial cell apoptosis,8 promotion of angiogenesis,9 improvement of endothelial dysfunction, enhancement of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression,10 reduction of pro-inflammatory reactions in human endothelial cells, and suppression of vascular inflammation.11 This evidence concerns the gene NOS3 and endothelial dysfunction.