Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In this study, we have demonstrated the presence of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and melanin-concentrating hormone receptor (MCHR1) transcripts in human skin. Sequence analysis confirmed that the transcripts of both genes were identical to those previously found in human brain. In culture, endothelial cells showed pro-MCH expression whereas no signal was found in keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts. MCHR1 expression was restricted to melanocytes and melanoma cells. Stimulation of cultured human melanocytes with MCH reduced the alpha-MSH-induced increase in cAMP production. Furthermore, the melanogenic actions of alpha-MSH were inhibited by MCH. We propose that the MCH/MCHR1 signalling system is present in human skin and may have a role with the melanocortins in regulating the melanocyte.
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PMID:Melanin-concentrating hormone and its receptor are expressed and functional in human skin. 1217 38

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a potent orexigenic neuropeptide and a physiological antagonist of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in the brain as well as at peripheral sites, including the pigmentary systems of specific vertebrates. Two receptor subtypes for MCH, MCH-R1 and MCH-R2, have been cloned, but other receptor subtypes are likely to exist. Based on our own data and the current literature, we have compared the expression of different receptors for MCH in various mammalian cell lines and tissues. Summarizing all data currently available, we conclude that the two cloned MCH receptors, MCH-R1 and MCH-R2, exhibit differences in their expression pattern, although MCH-R1 is generally colocalized in all tissues where MCH-R2 expression is found. It appears that MCH-R1 is more abundant and has a wider distribution pattern than MCH-R2. Other hypothetical MCH-R subtypes may be expressed in specific tissues, e.g., in the pigment cell system.
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PMID:Expression of receptors for melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) in different tissues and cell lines. 1250 38

Zebrafish are an excellent genetic model system for studying developmental and physiological processes. Pigment patterns in zebrafish are affected by mutations in three types of chromatophores. The behavior of these cells is influenced by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alphaMSH) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). Mammals have five alphaMSH receptors (melanocortin receptors) and one or two MCH receptors. We have identified the full complement of melanocortin and MCH receptors in both zebrafish and the pufferfish, Fugu. Zebrafish have six melanocortin receptors, including two MC5R orthologues, while Fugu, lacking MC3R, has only four. We also demonstrate that Fugu and zebrafish have two and three MCHR genes, respectively. MC2R and MC5R are physically linked in all species examined. Unlike other species, we find the Fugu genes contain introns, one of which is in a conserved location and is probably ancestral. We also detail the differential expression of the zebrafish genes throughout development.
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PMID:The structure and evolution of the melanocortin and MCH receptors in fish and mammals. 1262 Mar 96

The hypothalamic neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) increases feeding when injected intracerebroventricularly in rats. To identify the hypothalamic nuclei responsible for the orexigenic effect, we injected the peptide into discrete hypothalamic nuclei known to express the MCH receptor, MCH1R. MCH (0.6 nmol) elicited a rapid and significant increase in feeding in satiated rats following injection into the arcuate nucleus (0-1 h: 421 +/- 60%; P < 0.01). An elevation in feeding was also observed following injection into the paraventricular nucleus, which was sustained up to 4 h post injection (0-4 h: 218 +/- 29%; P < 0.01). A significant increase in feeding during this time period was also observed following injection into the dorsomedial nucleus (0-4 h: 155 +/- 12%; P < 0.05). No significant alteration in feeding was observed following injection into the supraoptic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, medial preoptic area, anterior hypothalamic area, or ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. To identify the neurotransmitters that may be potentially involved in this effect, we examined their release from hypothalamic explants in vitro following exogenous MCH administration. MCH (1 micro M) increased the release of the orexigenic neurotransmitters neuropeptide Y (37.8 +/- 6.0 fmol/explant vs. basal 30.2 +/- 4.3 fmol/explant; P < 0.05) and agouti-related peptide (4.1 +/- 0.6 fmol/explant vs. basal 2.4 +/- 0.2 fmol/explant; P < 0.05) and decreased the release of the anorectic neurotransmitters alpha-MSH (41.7 +/- 6.8 fmol/explant vs. basal 65.9 +/- 11.0 fmol/explant; P < 0.01) and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (112.3 +/- 12.4 fmol/explant vs. basal 167.4 +/- 13.0 fmol/explant; P < 0.001). These studies suggest that the orexigenic effect of MCH may be mediated via activation or inhibition of these feeding circuits within the arcuate nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.
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PMID:Identification of hypothalamic nuclei involved in the orexigenic effect of melanin-concentrating hormone. 1293 68