Abstract
We evaluated the role of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC-4R) in the control of metabolic rate and food intake in mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the non-selective MC-R agonist melanotan II (MT-II; a cyclic heptapeptide) increases metabolic rate in wildtype mice, while MC-4R knockout mice are insensitive to the effects of MT-II on metabolic rate. MC-4R knockout mice are also insensitive to the effects of MT-II on reducing food intake. We conclude that MC-4R can mediate control of both metabolic rate and food intake in mice. We infer that a role for MC-3R in mediating the acute effects of MT-II on basal metabolic rate and food intake in wildtype mice seems limited.
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Chen, A.S., Metzger, J.M., Trumbauer, M.E. et al. Role of the melanocortin-4 receptor in metabolic rate and food intake in mice. Transgenic Res 9, 145–154 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008983615045
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008983615045