Activation of central melanocortin receptors (MCR) inhibits fever, but the identity of the MCR subtype(s) mediating this antipyretic effect is unknown. To determine whether selective central melanocortin receptor-4 (MC4R) activation produces antipyretic effects, the MC4R selective agonist MRLOB-0001 (CO-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Dab-NH(2)) was administered intracerebroventricularly to rats treated with...

Agouti Signaling Protein (ASIP) controls the localized expression of red and black pigment in the domestic dog through interaction with other genes, such as Melanocortin 1 Receptor and Beta-Defensin 103. Specific ASIP alleles are necessary for many of the coat color patterns, such as black-and-tan and saddle tan. Mutations in 2 ASIP alleles, a(y) and a, have previously been identified. Here, we...

The melanocortin receptor, MC1R, is a key regulator of pigmentation in mammals, and is necessary for production of dark eumelanin pigment. Human MC1R variants with reduced or absent function are associated with red hair; mouse mutants result in yellow fur. Previous reports indicate differences between mouse and human receptors in their sensitivity to, and requirement for, alphaMSH agonist. We h...

BACKGROUND: Molecular genetics suggest that hair pigmentation is related to the melanocortin-1 receptor gene. It a G protein-coupled receptor, which activated by number of peptides stimulate melanogenesis. Melanocortin-1 gene mutation tends produce functional variability in premature graying (PHG) or canities. AIM: Therefore, objective this study was determine expression and asses serum melanin...

The Melanocortin-4 Receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor that has been physiologically linked to participate in the regulation of energy homeostasis. The Melanocortin-4 Receptor is stimulated by endogenous melanocortin agonists derived from the pro-opiomelanocortin gene transcript and antagonized by the endogenous antagonist agouti-related protein. Central administration of melanocortin agon...

Eumelanin (brown/black melanin) and pheomelanin (red/yellow melanin) in human hair can be quantified using chemical methods or approximated using spectrophotometric methods. Chemical methods consume greater resources, making them less attractive for epidemiological studies. This investigation sought to identify the spectrophotometric measures that best explain the light-dark continuum of hair c...

Tremendous progress has been made in identifying genes involved in pigmentation in dogs in the past few years. Comparative genomics has both aided and benefited from these findings. Seven genes that cause specific coat colours and/or patterns in dogs have been identified: melanocortin 1 receptor, tyrosinase related protein 1, agouti signal peptide, melanophilin, SILV (formerly PMEL17), micropht...