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alpha-Melanocyte stimulating hormone: production and degradation

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Abstract

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a polypeptide hormone precursor that is expressed in the brain and in peripheral tissues such as in the pituitary gland, immune system, and skin. In the brain, POMC is processed to form several peptides including alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). alpha-MSH is expressed in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and in the nucleus tractus solitarius of the brainstem where it has a crucial role in the regulation of metabolic functions. Specifically, α-MSH is an anorexigenic peptide. Its production and maturation processes have been shown to be regulated according to the metabolic condition of the organism. This review summarizes our current knowledge on α-MSH processing including its maturation and degradation processes and pharmacological aspects of its manipulation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by NIDDK/NIH (Grant no. R01 DK084065).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Integrative Cell Signaling and Neurobiology of Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Giuseppe D’Agostino & Sabrina Diano

  2. Department of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Giuseppe D’Agostino & Sabrina Diano

  3. Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Giuseppe D’Agostino

  4. Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Sabrina Diano

  5. Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street LSOG 204B, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    Sabrina Diano

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  1. Giuseppe D’Agostino
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Correspondence to Sabrina Diano.

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D’Agostino, G., Diano, S. alpha-Melanocyte stimulating hormone: production and degradation. J Mol Med 88, 1195–1201 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-010-0651-0

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