Agouti-related peptide

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) is a neuropeptide created in the arcuate nucleus of the brain that increases appetite and decreases metabolism. It is one of the most potent and long-lasting of appetite stimulators. Understanding the role AgRP plays in weight gain may assist in developing pharmaceutical models for treating obesity. It was first identified by Ollmann et. al.

AGRP has been demonstrated to be an inverse agonist of melanocortin receptors, specifically, MC3-R and MC4-R. This inverse agonism not only antagonizes the action of melanocortin agonists, such as alpha-MSH but also further decreases the cAMP produced by the affected cells. AgRP levels have been found to be elevated in obese males (Katsuki et al, 2001).

[edit] References

Ollmann, M. M.; Wilson, B. D.; Yang, Y.-K.; Kerns, J. A.; Chen, Y.; Gantz, I.; Barsh, G. S. : Antagonism of central melanocortin receptors in vitro and in vivo by agouti-related protein. Science 278: 135-138, 1997. Entrez PubMed 9311920
Katsuki, A.; Sumida, Y.; Gabazza, E. C.; Murashima, S.; Tanaka, T.; Furuta, M.; Araki-Sasaki, R.; Hori, Y.; Nakatani, K.; Yano, Y.; Adachi, Y. : Plasma levels of agouti-related protein are increased in obese men. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 86: 1921-1924, 2001. Entrez PubMed 11344185