Natural populations of beach mice exhibit a characteristic color pattern, relative to their mainland conspecifics, driven by natural selection for crypsis. We identified a derived, charge-changing amino acid mutation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) in beach mice, which decreases receptor function. In genetic crosses, allelic variation at Mc1r explains 9.8% to 36.4% of the variation in sev...

melanocortin-1 (mc1) receptor is an attractive melanoma-specific target for the development of α-msh peptide based imaging and therapeutic agents. in this work a new lactam bridge α-msh analogue was synthesized and radiolabeled with 99mtc via hynic chelator and tricine as co-ligand. also, stability in human serum, receptor bound internalization and tissue biodistribution in tumor bearing nude m...

black forest horses are typically chestnut colored with flaxen mane and tail. however, as their coat color can get very dark, they are sometimes also indicated as silver, a color depending on a black base color. to analyse if the silver allele is present in the black forest horse population, we genotyped 250 horses of this breed for formerly reported coat color mutations within mc1r and silv. a...

The switch between black and yellow pigment is mediated by the interaction between Melanocortin receptor 1 (Mc1r) and its antagonist Agouti, but the genetic and developmental mechanisms that modify this interaction to obtain different coat color in distinct environments are poorly understood. Here, the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the regulation of pigment-type switching was studied. Loss...

Hair pigmentation is controlled by tightly coordinated programs of melanin synthesis and involves signaling through the melanocortin type 1 receptor (MC-1R) that regulates the switch between pheomelanogenesis and eumelanogenesis. However, the involvement of other signaling systems, including the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway, in the control of hair pigmentation remains to be elucidat...

Agouti-related protein (AGRP) is an endogenous antagonist of melanocortin action that functions in the hypothalamic control of feeding behavior. Although previous studies have shown that AGRP binds three of the five known subtypes of melanocortin receptor, the receptor domains participating in binding and the molecular interactions involved are presently unknown. The present studies were design...

BACKGROUND The neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone is well known as a mediator of skin pigmentation. More recently, it has been shown that alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone also plays pivotal roles in energy homeostasis, sexual function, and inflammation or immunomodulation. Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone exerts its antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory effects by binding...

Black Forest horses are typically chestnut colored with flaxen mane and tail. However, as their coat color can get very dark, they are sometimes also indicated as silver, a color depending on a black base color. To analyse if the silver allele is present in the Black Forest horse population, we genotyped 250 horses of this breed for formerly reported coat color mutations within MC1R and SILV. A...

1 receptor (MC1R) gene variants are associated with an increased risk for cutaneous melanoma which is largely independent of skin type and hair color. Melanocortin-1 receptor polymorphisms and risk of melanoma: is the association explained solely by pigmentation phenotype? Am genotype modifies risk of melanoma in families segregating CDKN2A mutations. Debniak B, et al. CDKN2A common variants an...