Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:4.6.1.1 (adenylate cyclase)
 19,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Melanocortins, melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) are homologous natural peptides derived from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). Recent breakthroughs in melanocortin receptor (MCR) biology are relevant to neuroimmunomodulation because melanocortins are known to modulate fever, inflammation and immunity, by acting both on peripheral targets and within the brain. During fever, endogenous melanocortins exert antipyretic effects by acting on MCR located within the brain, suggesting a protective counterregulatory role of the central melanocortin system. MCR are also found in melanocytic cells and adrenal cortical cells, the classical targets for alpha-MSH and ACTH, respectively, in myelogenous and lymphoid tissues, and in various endocrine and exocrine glands, adipocytes, and in autonomic ganglia. In the CNS, MCR are prominently distributed in close proximity to the terminal fields of melanocortinergic neurons that innervate neuroendocrine and autonomic motor nuclei as well as other subcortical brain regions important in neuroendocrine and autonomic regulation, sensory processing and various aspects of behavior. Furthermore, the presence of MCR in circumventricular organs of the brain provides direct access of systemic melanocortin hormones to central MCR. Together, these attributes provide an anatomical basis for bidirectional MCR-mediated communication between brain and periphery. A group of five G-protein-associated MCR subtypes, each of which is positively coupled to adenylate cyclase, has been identified. Among these, the adrenal ACTH receptor (MC2-R) is selectively activated by ACTH. In contrast, the other MCR subtypes (MC1-R, MC3-R, MC4-R, MC5-R) recognize a common group of ligands that includes various forms of MSH as well as ACTH; nevertheless they do exhibit important differences in ligand selectivity. MCR concentrations and MCR mRNA levels are influenced by availability of cognate ligands, by drugs, and by pathological stimuli. Two types of endogenous MCR antagonist proteins have been discovered: agouti protein and the corticostatins. Agouti protein dramatically alters coat color in mammals by antagonizing melanocytic MC1-R. Moreover, spontaneous dominant mutations of the agouti gene in several strains of mice lead to its ubiquitous overexpression and produces not only yellow coat color, but also obesity and insulin resistance, perhaps as a result of its antagonism of other MCR subtypes. The recent emergence of synthetic MCR antagonists, and the feasibility of molecular approaches for targeted inactivation of individual MCR subtypes, should facilitate elucidation of the roles and mechanisms of neuroimmunomodulation by endogenous melanocortins, and the determination of whether selective pharmacological targeting of MCR may ultimately have therapeutic utility.
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PMID:Receptor biology of the melanocortins, a family of neuroimmunomodulatory peptides. 921 48

Among the five members of the melanocortin receptor (MC-R) family, MC2 and MC5 are expressed in peripheral tissues. The receptor MC2 (ACTH receptor) almost exclusively expressed in the adrenal cortex whereas MC5-R is expressed in several organs including the adrenal cortex. Both receptors bind ACTH and activate adenylate cyclase. The aim of this work was to study the spatial distribution of MC5-R among the different zones of the bovine adrenal cortex and to analyze the regulation of its expression by its own ligands, ACTH and alpha-MSH and by angiotensin II (AII). Using semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and RNase protection assay, MC5-R was detected only in the glomerulosa zone whereas MC2-R was present in both glomerulosa and fasciculata zones of adult adrenal cortex. Treatments by ACTH, alpha-MSH, or AII increased the MC5-R mRNA level in glomerulosa cells by factors 7, 5, and 4.5, respectively. However, although potentially regulated by hormones, MC5-R is expressed at a level at least 100 times less than MC2-R, suggesting that MC5-R expression might only be at trace levels in grown adults, but could be much higher during embryogenesis.
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PMID:Expression and regulation of melanocortin receptor-5 (MC5-R) in the bovine adrenal cortex. 1068 56

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) are known to exhibit mostly functionally antagonistic, but in some cases agonistic activities, e.g., in pigment cells and in the brain. Neuropeptide E-I (NEI) displays functional MCH-antagonist and MSH-agonist activity in different behavioral paradigms; the role of neuropeptide G-E (NGE) is not known. This study addressed the question of possible molecular interactions between alpha-MSH, MCH and the MCH-precursor-derived peptides NEI and NGE at the level of the pigment cell MCH receptor subtype (MCH-Rpc) and the different melanocortin (MC) receptors. Radioreceptor assays using [125I]MCH, [125l]alpha-MSH and [125I]NEI as radioligands and bioassays were performed with MCI-R-positive and MC1-R-negative mouse B16 melanoma cells and with COS cells expressing the different MC receptors. The IC50s of alpha-MSH and NEI or NGE for [125I]MCH displacement from mouse MCH-Rpc were 80-fold and, respectively, >300-fold higher than that of MCH, and the IC50s for MCH and NEI or NGE for [125I]alpha-MSH displacement from mouse MC1-R were 50,000-fold and >200,000-fold higher than that of alpha-MSH. No high-affinity binding sites for NEI were detected on B16 melanoma cells and there was no significant displacement of [1251]alpha-MSH by MCH, NEI or NGE with MC3-R, MC4-R and MC5-R expressed in COS cells. At concentrations of 100 nM to 10 microM, however, MCH, NEI and NGE induced cAMP formation and melanin synthesis which could be blocked by agouti protein or inhibitors of adenylate cyclase or protein kinase A. This shows that mammalian MCH-precursor-derived peptides may mimic MSH signalling via MC1-R activation at relatively high, but physiologically still relevant concentrations, as e.g. found in autocrine/paracrine signalling mechanisms.
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PMID:Interaction of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), neuropeptide E-I (NEI), neuropeptide G-E (NGE), and alpha-MSH with melanocortin and MCH receptors on mouse B16 melanoma cells. 1169 76

Differentiation of the physiological role of the melanocortin receptor 5 MC5R from that of other melanocortin receptors will require development of high affinity and selective antagonists. To date, a few synthetic antagonist ligands active at hMC5 receptor are available, but most do not have appreciable selectivity. With the aim to gain more potent and selective antagonists for the MC5R ligands, we have designed, synthesized, and pharmacologically characterized a series of alkylthioaryl-bridged macrocyclic peptide analogues derived from MT-II and SHU9119. These 20-membered macrocycles were synthesized by a tandem combination using solid phase peptide synthesis and microwave-assisted reactions. Biological assays for binding affinities and adenylate cyclase activities for the hMC1R, hMC3R, hMC4R, and hMC5R showed that three analogues, compounds, 9, 4, and 7, are selective antagonists at the hMC5 receptor. In particular, compound 9(PG-20N) is a selective and competitive hMC5R antagonist, with IC 50 of 130 +/- 11 nM, and a pA 2 value of 8.3, and represents an important tool for further biological investigations of the hMC5R. Compounds 4 and 7 (PG14N, PG17N) show potent and selective allosteric inhibition at hMC5R with IC 50 values of 38 +/- 3 nM and 58 +/- 6 nM, respectively. Compound 9 will be used to further investigate and more clearly understand the physiological roles played by the MC5 receptor in humans and other animals.
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PMID:Design and microwave-assisted synthesis of novel macrocyclic peptides active at melanocortin receptors: discovery of potent and selective hMC5R receptor antagonists. 1841 16