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Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (
beta-endorphin
)
21,003
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
The voluntary suppression of food intake that accompanies involuntary overfeeding is an effective regulatory response to positive energy balance. Because the
pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)
-derived melanocortin system in the hypothalamus promotes anorexia and weight loss and is an important mediator of energy regulation, we hypothesized that it may contribute to the hypophagic response to overfeeding. Two groups of rats were overfed to 105 and 116% of control body weight via a gastric catheter. In the first group, in situ hybridization was used to measure POMC gene expression in the rostral arcuate (ARC). Overfeeding increased POMC mRNA in the ARC by 180% relative to levels in control rats. For rats in the second group, the overfeeding was stopped, and they were infused intracerebroventricularly with SHU9119 (SHU), a melanocortin (MC) antagonist at the
MC3
and MC4 receptor, or vehicle. Although SHU (0.1 nmol) had no effect on food intake of control rats, intake of overfed rats increased by 265% relative to CSF-treated controls. This complete reversal of regulatory hypophagia not only maintained but actually increased the already elevated weight of overfed rats, whereas CSF-treated overfed rats lost weight. These results indicate that CNS MCs mediate hypophagic signaling in response to involuntary overfeeding and support the hypothesis that MCs are important in the central control of energy homeostasis.
...
PMID:Role of the CNS melanocortin system in the response to overfeeding. 1006 86
Desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
is more abundant than
alpha-MSH
in the brain, the fetus, human blood, and amniotic fluid, but there is little information on its ability to interact with melanocortin receptors. The aim of this study is to compare and contrast the ability of desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
and
alpha-MSH
to couple melanocortin receptors stably expressed in HEK293 cells, to the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. Desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
activated mouse MC1,
MC3
, MC4 and MC5 receptors with EC50s = 0.13, 0.96, 0.53, and 0.84 nM, and
alpha-MSH
activated these receptors with EC50s = 0.17, 0.88, 1.05, and 1.34 nM, respectively. Mouse agouti protein competitively antagonized
alpha-MSH
and desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
coupling to the MC1-R similarly. In contrast, mouse agouti protein antagonized desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
much more effectively and potently than
alpha-MSH
coupling the MC4-R to the PKA signaling pathway. Furthermore, mouse agouti protein (10 nM) significantly reduced (1.4-fold) the maximum response of mMC4-R to desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
and 100 nM mouse agouti significantly increased (4.8-fold) the EC50. Minimal antagonism of
alpha-MSH
coupling mMC4-R to the PKA signaling pathway was observed with 10 nM mouse agouti, whereas both 50 and 100 nM mouse agouti appeared to reduce the maximum reponse (1.1- and 1.3-fold, respectively) and increase the EC50 (2.5- and 3.4-fold respectively). Mouse agouti protein did not significantly antagonize either
alpha-MSH
or desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
coupling mouse
MC3
and MC5 receptors. Understanding the similarities and differences in activation of melanocortin receptors by desacetyl-
alpha-MSH
and
alpha-MSH
will contribute to delineating the functional roles for these endogenous melanocortin peptides.
...
PMID:Agouti antagonism of melanocortin-4 receptor: greater effect with desacetyl-alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) than with alpha-MSH. 1021 68
We have examined the effects of underfeeding and obesity on the density of hypothalamic melanocortin
MC3
and MC4 receptors (
MC3-R
and MC4-R, respectively), which may mediate the hypophagic effects of
alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone
(MSH) in the rat.
MC3-R
and MC4-R were measured by quantitative autoradiography in brain sections using 125I-labeled Nle4-D-Phe7-
alpha-MSH
(125I-NDP-MSH) and discriminated by masking
MC3-R
with excess unlabelled gamma2-MSH. High densities of MC4-R occurred in the ventromedial (VMH) and arcuate (ARC) nuclei, median eminence (ME), and medial habenular nucleus (MHb), with lower densities in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and forebrain regions.
MC3-R
were confined to the VMH, ARC, and MHb. After 10-days of food restriction (14% weight loss), density of MC4-R was significantly increased by 20-65% in the VMH, ARC, ME, and DMH, with no changes elsewhere. Similarly, obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats showed 43-98% increases in MC4-R in the same regions. By contrast, rats with diet-induced obesity (18% heavier than controls) showed significantly decreased binding to MC4-R, especially in the VMH, ARC, and ME.
MC3-R
showed no significant alterations in any model. We suggest that increased density of MC4-R with food restriction and in obese Zucker rats reflects receptor upregulation secondary to decreased release of
alpha-MSH
, consistent with increased hunger in these models. Conversely, downregulation of MC4-R in diet-induced obesity may indicate increased
alpha-MSH
secretion in an attempt to limit overeating. This
alpha-MSH
/MC4-R system may be inhibited by leptin and/or insulin.
MC3-R
are not apparently involved in regulating feeding.
...
PMID:Altered energy balance causes selective changes in melanocortin-4(MC4-R), but not melanocortin-3 (MC3-R), receptors in specific hypothalamic regions: further evidence that activation of MC4-R is a physiological inhibitor of feeding. 1033
Melanocortin peptides regulate a variety of physiological processes. Five melanocortin receptors (MC-R) have been cloned and the
MC3R
and MC4R are the main brain MC receptors. The aim of this study was to identify structural requirements in both ligand and receptor that determine gamma-
melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)
selectivity for the
MC3R
versus the MC4R. Substitution of Asp10 in [Nle4]Lys-gamma2-MSH for Gly10 from [Nle4]
alpha-MSH
, increased both activity and affinity for the MC4R while the
MC3R
remained unaffected. Analysis of chimeric
MC3R
/MC4Rs and mutant MC4Rs showed that Tyr268 of the MC4R mainly determined the low affinity for [Nle4]Lys-gamma2-MSH. The data demonstrate that Asp10 determines selectivity for the
MC3R
, however, not through direct side chain interactions, but probably by influencing how the melanocortin core sequence is presented to the receptor-binding pocket. This is supported by mutagenesis of Tyr268 to Ile in the MC4R which increased affinity and activity for [Nle4]Lys-gamma2-MSH, but decreased affinity for two peptides with constrained cyclic structure of the melanocortin core sequence, MT-II and [D-Tyr4]MT-II, that also displayed lower affinity for the
MC3R
. This study provides a general concept for peptide receptor selectivity, in which the major determinant for a selective receptor interaction is the conformational presentation of the core sequence in related peptides to the receptor-binding pocket.
...
PMID:Conformation of the core sequence in melanocortin peptides directs selectivity for the melanocortin MC3 and MC4 receptors. 1035 30
We tested the endogenous tripeptide TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone) ability to bind to MC (melanocortin) receptor subtypes. We discovered that TRH binds to the human MCI receptor expressed in COS cells and to murine B16 melanoma cells with 5790+/-1010 nM and 6370+/-1260 nM Ki's, respectively. TRH did not bind to the human
MC3
, MC4 or MC5 receptor subtypes. Moreover, TRH also stimulated cAMP production in murine B16 melanoma cells reaching the same maximum level of cAMP as found for
alpha-MSH
. However, several analogues of TRH, including TRH-OH, TRH-Gly-NH2 and other analogues, where each of the three amino acid residues in TRH had been exchanged by a related residue, did not bind to any of the MC receptors tested in this study. C(alpha) atoms of molecular models of TRH and the core of a MSH peptide were aligned with r.m.s. of 0.01 A. Moreover, TRH could be docked into a binding pocket of a molecular model of the MC1 receptor at only a little higher energy than a short cyclic MSH peptide. The data indicate a similarity in the mode of TRH and MSH activation of the MCI receptor.
...
PMID:Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) selectively binds and activates the melanocortin 1 receptor. 1044
Agouti-related protein (AGRP) is a recently discovered orexigenic neuropeptide that inhibits the binding and action of
alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone
derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) at the
melanocortin 3 receptor
(
MC3R
) and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and has been proposed to function primarily as an endogenous melanocortin antagonist. To better understand the interplay between the AGRP and melanocortin signaling systems, we compared their nerve fiber distributions with each other by immunohistochemistry and their perikarya distribution with
MC3R
and MC4R by double in situ hybridization. Although deriving from distinct cell groups, AGRP and melanocortin terminals project to identical brain areas. Both AGRP and melanocortin neurons selectively express the
MC3R
, which provides a neuroanatomical basis for a dual-input circuit with biological amplification and feedback inhibition. These studies highlight a broader complexity in POMC-mediated behavior in the brain.
...
PMID:Anatomy of an endogenous antagonist: relationship between Agouti-related protein and proopiomelanocortin in brain. 1047 19
In order to define which structure of
alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone
(MSH) analogues plays a critical role for ligand-receptor interaction and selectivity, we analysed receptor-binding and cAMP-generating activity in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines stably transfected with rMC3R and hMC4R, as well as the NMR structures of chemically synthesized
alpha-MSH
analogues. Compared with [Ahx4]
alpha-MSH
, the linear MTII designated as
alpha-MSH
-ND revealed a preference for the MC4R, whereas its IC50 and EC50 values were comparable to those of MTII reported previously. Truncation of Ahx4 and Asp5 of
alpha-MSH
-ND remarkably decreased the receptor-binding and cAMP-generating activity. Meanwhile, maximum cAMP-generating activity was observed at a higher concentration (10(-5) M) of
alpha-MSH
-ND(6-10), and MC4R preference was changed into
MC3R
preference. In contrast, [Gln6]
alpha-MSH
-ND(6-10) lost its cAMP-generating activity almost completely, even though it bound to both receptors. Whereas the solution conformation of
alpha-MSH
-ND revealed a stable type I beta-turn structure, [Gln6]
alpha-MSH
-ND(6-10) revealed a tight gamma-turn composed of Gln6-D-Phe7-Arg8. Replacement of the His6 residue of
alpha-MSH
-ND by Gln, Asn, Arg or Lys decreased not only the receptor binding, but also the cAMP-generating activity in both the
MC3R
and the MC4R. The structure of [Gln6]
alpha-MSH
-ND exhibited a stable type I' beta-turn comprising Asp5, Gln6, D-Phe7 and Arg8. [Lys6]
alpha-MSH
-ND showed a greatly reduced binding affinity and cAMP-generating activity with the loss of MC4R selectivity. In NMR studies, [Lys6]
alpha-MSH
-ND also demonstrated a gamma-turn conformation around Lys6-DPhe7-Arg8. From the above results, we conclude that a type I beta-turn conformation comprising the residues Asp5-His6-(D-Phe7)-Arg8 was important for receptor binding and activation, as well as the selectivity of MSH analogues.
...
PMID:Type I beta-turn conformation is important for biological activity of the melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues. 1049 Dec 1
Since the melanocortin
MC3
and melanocortin MC4 receptors are the main melanocortin receptor subtypes expressed in rat brain, we characterized the activity and affinity of nine melanocortin receptor ligands using these receptors in vitro, as well as their activity in a well-defined melanocortin-induced behavior in the rat: grooming behavior. We report here that [D-Tyr4]melanotan-II and RMI-2001 (Ac-cyclo-[Cys4, Gly5, D-Phe7, Cys10]
alpha-MSH
-NH2) have significantly higher affinity and potency on the rat melanocortin MC4 receptor as compared to the rat melanocortin
MC3
receptor. Nle-
gamma-MSH
(melanocyte-stimulating hormone) was the only ligand with higher affinity and potency on the rat melanocortin
MC3
receptor. The potency order of melanocortin MC4 receptor agonists, but not that of melanocortin
MC3
receptor agonists, fitted with the potency of these ligands to stimulate grooming behavior, when administered intracerebroventricularly. SHU9119 (Ac-cyclo-[Nle4, Asp5, D-Nal(2)7, Lys10]
alpha-MSH
-(4-10)-NH2) and RMI-2005 (Ac-cyclo-[Cys4, Gly5, D-Na](2)7, Nal(2)9, Cys10]
alpha-MSH
-(4-10)-NH2) were able to inhibit
alpha-MSH
-induced melanocortin receptor activity in vitro, as well as
alpha-MSH
-induced grooming behavior. Melanotan-II, [Nle4-D-Phe7]
alpha-MSH
and RMI-2001 were also effective in inducing grooming behavior when administered intravenously. In the absence of purely selective melanocortin MC(3/4) receptor ligands, we demonstrated that careful comparison of ligand potencies in vitro with ligand potencies in vivo, could identify which melanocortin receptor subtype mediated
alpha-MSH
-induced grooming behavior. Furthermore, blockade of novelty-induced grooming behavior by SHU9119 demonstrated that this physiological stress response is mediated via activation of the melanocortin system.
...
PMID:Characterization of melanocortin receptor ligands on cloned brain melanocortin receptors and on grooming behavior in the rat. 1049
The melanocortins alpha- and gamma-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (alpha- and
gamma-MSH
) derive from the
pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)
precursor. Melanocortins exert a wide range of biological activities in the brain through activation of at least three distinct melanocortin receptor (MC-R) subtypes. In order to determine whether POMC neurones can modulate their own activity, we looked for the possible expression of the
MC3-R
gene in POMC-positive cell bodies in the rat hypothalamus. In situ hybridization experiments revealed that the density of
MC3-R
mRNA is particularly high in the arcuate nucleus which contains the main population of POMC neurones in the brain. The occurrence of
MC3-R
mRNA in POMC-positive cell bodies was demonstrated using a double-labelling in situ hybridization technique. The proportion of POMC neurones expressing
MC3-R
mRNA was significantly higher in the most rostral (43.5%) than in the most posterior part of the arcuate nucleus (8.2%). These results indicate that melanocortins likely exert a direct regulatory feedback on POMC neurones through activation of
MC3-R
receptors. Our data also suggest that
MC3-R
may be involved in the neuroendocrine responses induced by centrally administered melanocortins.
...
PMID:Melanocortin-3 receptor mRNA expression in pro-opiomelanocortin neurones of the rat arcuate nucleus. 1084 78
The melanocortin receptors, melanocortin-3-receptor (MC3-R) and melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4-R), are expressed in many discrete medial hypothalamic nuclei implicated in feeding regulation. The pro-
opiomelanocortin
product alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), an
MC3
/4-R agonist, decreases food intake following intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection in rats. MC4-R's involvement in feeding has been established although a function for the MC3-R is unclear. We investigated endogenous melanocortin ligand binding and activation at the MC3-R and MC4-R and their effects on feeding. We have shown that alpha-MSH, desacetyl-alpha-MSH and
beta-MSH
bound to the MC3-R and MC4-R with similar affinity and stimulated cAMP with similar potency in HEK 293 cells transfected with MC3-R and MC4-R. In contrast gamma(2)-MSH showed selectivity for the MC3-R over the MC4-R both in binding affinity and cAMP stimulation. alpha-MSH and
beta-MSH
injected ICV into fasted rats at doses of 1, 3 and 6 nmol resulted in a decrease in food intake, (2 h food intake: alpha-MSH 6 nmol, 1.7+/-0.3 g;
beta-MSH
6 nmol, 1.5+/-0.3 g vs. saline 6.0+/-0.5 g, P<0.001). Desacetyl alpha-MSH did not reduce food intake at low doses but was significant at 25 nmol (2 h food intake: desacetyl-alpha-MSH 6.1+/-1.0 g vs. saline 9.5+/-1.4 g, P<0.05). In contrast, gamma(2)-MSH had no effect on food intake when administered ICV to fasted rats. We were unable to establish a role for the MC3-R in feeding regulation. Our evidence, however, strengthens the hypothesis that the melanocortin's effects on food intake are mediated via the MC4-R.
...
PMID:Investigation of the melanocyte stimulating hormones on food intake. Lack Of evidence to support a role for the melanocortin-3-receptor. 1086 75
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