CDB15:0001235 PMCH — MCHR2

ABSTRACT: Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a 19-aa cyclic neuropeptide originally isolated from chum salmon pituitaries. Besides its effects on the aggregation of melanophores in fish several lines of evidence suggest that in mammals MCH functions as a regulator of energy homeostasis. Recently, several groups reported the identification of an orphan G protein-coupled receptor as a receptor for MCH (MCH-1R). We hereby report the identification of a second human MCH receptor termed MCH-2R, which shares about 38% amino acid identity with MCH-1R. MCH-2R displayed high-affinity MCH binding, resulting in inositol phosphate turnover and release of intracellular calcium in mammalian cells. In contrast to MCH-1R, MCH-2R signaling is not sensitive to pertussis toxin and MCH-2R cannot reduce forskolin-stimulated cAMP production, suggesting an exclusive G(alpha)q coupling of the MCH-2R in cell-based systems. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analysis of human and monkey tissue shows that expression of MCH-2R mRNA is restricted to several regions of the brain, including the arcuate nucleus and the ventral medial hypothalamus, areas implicated in regulation of body weight. In addition, the human MCH-2R gene was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 6 at band 6q16.2-16.3, a region reported to be associated with cytogenetic abnormalities of obese patients. The characterization of a second mammalian G protein-coupled receptor for MCH potentially indicates that the control of energy homeostasis in mammals by the MCH neuropeptide system may be more complex than initially anticipated.

ABSTRACT: Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), a neuropeptide expressed in central and peripheral nervous systems, plays an important role in the control of feeding behaviors and energy metabolism. An orphan G protein-coupled receptor (SLC-1/GPR24) has recently been identified as a receptor for MCH (MCHR1). We report here the identification and characterization of a G protein-coupled receptor as the MCH receptor subtype 2 (MCHR2). MCHR2 has higher protein sequence homology to MCHR1 than any other G protein-coupled receptor. The expression of MCHR2 has been detected in many regions of the brain. In contrast to MCHR1, which is intronless in the coding region and is located at the chromosomal locus 22q13.3, the MCHR2 gene has multiple exons and is mapped to locus 6q21. MCHR2 is specifically activated by nanomolar concentrations of MCH, binds to MCH with high affinity, and signals through Gq protein. This discovery is important for a full understanding of MCH biology and the development of potential therapeutics for diseases involving MCH, including obesity.

ABSTRACT: Human melanin-concentrating hormone (hMCH) is a potent but nonselective agonist at human melanin-concentrating hormone receptors 1 and 2 (hMCH-1R and hMCH-2R, respectively). To determine the structural features of this neuropeptide which are necessary for efficient binding to and activation of the receptors, Ala-substituted, open-chain, and truncated analogues were synthesized and tested in the binding assays in CHO cells expressing hMCH-1R and hMCH-2R, and in functional assays measuring the level of intracellular calcium mobilization in human HEK-293 cells expressing these receptors. A compound consisting merely of the cyclic core of hMCH with the Arg attached to the N-terminus of the disulfide ring was found to activate both hMCH-1R and hMCH-2R about as effectively as full-length hMCH. Thus, the sequence Arg-cyclo(S-S)(Cys-Met-Leu-Gly-Arg-Val-Tyr-Arg-Pro-Cys) appears to constitute the "active core" that is necessary for agonist potency at hMCH-1R and hMCH-2R. A potent and approximately 4-fold more selective agonist at hMCH-1R than at hMCH-2R is also reported.

ABSTRACT: Human melanin-concentrating hormone (hMCH) is a nonselective natural ligand for the human melanin-concentrating hormone receptors: hMCH-1R and hMCH-2R. Similarly, the smaller peptide encompassing the disulfide ring and Arg(6) of hMCH, Ac-Arg(6)-cyclo(S-S)(Cys(7)-Met(8)-Leu(9)-Gly(10)-Arg(11)-Val(12)-Tyr(13)-Arg(14)-Pro(15)-Cys(16))-NH(2), Ac-hMCH(6-16)-NH(2), binds to and activates equally well both human MCH receptors present in the brain. To separate the physiological functions of hMCH-1R from those of hMCH-2R, new potent and hMCH-1R selective agonists are necessary. In the present study, analogs of Ac-hMCH(6-16)-NH(2) were prepared and tested in binding and functional assays on cells expressing the MCH receptors. In these peptides, Arg in position 6 was replaced with various d-amino acids and/or Gly in position 10 was substituted with various L-amino acids. Several of the new compounds turned out to be potent agonists at hMCH-1R with improved selectivity over hMCH-2R. For example, peptide 26 with d-Arg in place of L-Arg in position 6 and Asn in place of Gly in position 10, Ac-dArg(6)-cyclo(S-S)(Cys(7)-Met(8)-Leu(9)-Asn(10)-Arg(11)-Val(12)-Tyr(13)-Arg(14)-Pro(15)-Cys(16))-NH(2), was a potent hMCH-1R agonist (IC(50) = 0.5 nm, EC(50) = 47 nm) with more than 200-fold selectivity with respect to hMCH-2R. Apparently, these structural changes in positions 6 and 10 results in peptide conformations that allow for efficient interactions with hMCH-1R but are unfavorable for molecular recognition at hMCH-2R.