Harnessing the melanocortin system in the control of food intake and glucose homeostasis
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Swan, Patrick
Johnson, Brett
le Roux, Carel W
Miras, Alexander D
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The central and peripheral melanocortin system, comprising of five receptors and their endogenous ligands, is responsible for a wide array of physiological functions such as skin pigmentation, sexual function and development, and inflammation. A growing body of both clinical and pre-clinical research is demonstrating the relevance of this system in metabolic health. Disruption of hypothalamic melanocortin signalling is the most common cause of monogenic obesity in humans. Setmelanotide, an FDA-approved analogue of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) that functions by restoring central melanocortin signalling, has proven to be a potent pharmacological tool in the treatment of syndromic obesity. As the first effective therapy targeting the melanocortin system to treat metabolic disorders, its approval has sparked research to further harness the links between these melanocortin receptors and metabolic processes. Here, we outline the structure of the central and peripheral melanocortin system, discuss its critical role in the regulation of food intake, and review promising targets that may hold potential to treat metabolic disorders in humans.
Date Issued
2024-09
Date Acceptance
2024-05-28
Citation
Peptides, 2024, 179
ISSN
0196-9781
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Peptides
Volume
179
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38834138
Subjects
appetite
diabetes
glucose homeostasis
Melanocortin system
obesity
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Article Number
171255
Date Publish Online
2024-06-02