CDB15:0001239 POMC — MC1R

ABSTRACT: The cloning and characterization of the human melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) and the demonstration that normal human melanocytes respond to the melanocortins, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), with increased proliferation and eumelanogenesis had put an end to a long-standing controversy about the role of melanocortins in regulating human cutaneous pigmentation. We have shown that alpha-MSH and ACTH bind the human MC1R with equal affinity, and are equipotent in their mitogenic and melanogenic effects on human melanocytes. We also showed that the activation of the MC1R is important for the melanogenic response of human melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The MC1R is also the principal mediator of the inhibitory effects of agouti signaling protein (ASP) on melanogenesis. Expression of the MC1R is subject to regulation by its own ligands alpha-MSH and ACTH, as well as by UVR and endothelin-1. Recent studies that we conducted on the expression of MC1R variants by human melanocytes and the implications of these variants on the function of the MC1R revealed the following. Human melanocytes homozygous for Arg160Trp mutation in the MC1R demonstrated a significantly reduced response to alpha-MSH. Also, this culture responded poorly to ASP and exhibited an exaggerated cytotoxic response to UVR. Another culture, which was homozygous for Val92Met mutation in the MC1R, demonstrated a normal response to alpha-MSH. Heterozygous mutations that are frequently expressed in various melanocyte cultures did not disrupt MC1R function. These results begin to elucidate the significance of MC1R variants in the function of the receptor. Our data emphasize the significance of a normally functioning MC1R in the response of melanocytes to melanocortins, ASP, and UVR.

ABSTRACT: Melanocytes and melanoma cells are known to possess receptors for melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH). A cDNA clone, designated 11D, has been isolated from human melanoma cells and encodes a MSH receptor. The cloned cDNA encodes a 317 amino acid protein with transmembrane topography characteristics of a G-protein-coupled receptor, but it does not show striking similarity to already published sequences of other G-protein-coupled receptors. When 11D cDNA is expressed in COS-7 cells, it binds an 125I-labelled MSH analogue (NDP-MSH) in a specific manner. The bound ligand could be displaced by melanotropic peptides, alpha-MSH, beta-MSH, gamma-MSH and ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), but not by the non-melanotropic peptide, beta-endorphin. This is the first report of the cloning of the receptor gene of the melanotropin receptor family.

ABSTRACT: The DNAs encoding three melanocortin receptor subtypes (melanocortin MC1 receptor, melanocortin MC3 receptor and melanocortin MC5 receptor) were expressed individually in COS (CV-1 Origin, SV40) cells to characterise their ligand binding properties. The results indicated that [125I][Nle4, D-Phe7]alpha-MSH (melanocyte stimulating hormone) bound to a single saturable site with Kd values of 85.1 +/- 8.0 pmol/l (mean +/- S.E.M), 396 +/- 65 pmol/l and 5.05 +/- 1.00 nmol/l for melanocortin MC1 receptor, melanocortin MC3 receptor and melanocortin MC3 receptor, respectively. The melanocortin MC1 receptor and the melanocortin MC5 receptor showed a similar potency order to the melanocortic peptides examined which was markedly different from the potency order of the melanocortin MC3 receptor. The melanocortin MC1 receptor and melanocortin MC5 receptor had a relatively higher affinity for alpha-MSH than gamma-MSH and beta-MSH, whereas the melanocortin MC3 receptor had higher affinity for desacetyl-alpha-MSH, gamma-MSH and beta-MSH compared to alpha-MSH. The inclusion of the endopeptidase inhibitor phosphoramidon to prevent the breakdown of ACTH-(1-39) (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) to alpha-MSH, decreased ACTH-(1-39) binding affinity showing that ACTH-(1-39) had a much lower affinity for melanocortin MC1 receptor than reported earlier.