Melanocyte-stimulating hormone
| Proopiomelanocortin derivatives | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POMC | |||||||||
| γ-MSH | ACTH | β-lipotropin | |||||||
| α-MSH | CLIP | γ-lipotropin | β-endorphin | ||||||
| β-MSH | |||||||||
Melanocyte-stimulating hormones ( MSH ), also known as melanotropins , are a group of peptide hormones that are made in the hypothalamus and the lobes of the pituitary and activate the same group of melanocortin receptors ( MC1R , MC2R , MC3R , MC4R, and MC5R ). They regulate melanin synthesis as well as melanocyte expansion and pigment dispersion in the pigment-forming melanocytes . They limit the fever reaction . They are also involved in the regulation of hunger and sexual arousal.
Chemical structure
The group of melanotropins (MSH) consists of α-MSH , β-MSH and γ-MSH , while adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) also belongs to the group of melanocortins . These peptides are from the proprotein pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) processed .
The human melanotropins have the following primary structure :
- α-MSH : Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val-NH 2
- β-MSH : Asp-Glu-Gly-Pro-Tyr-Arg-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Ser-Pro-Pro-Lys-Asp
- γ-MSH : Tyr-Val-Met-Gly-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Asp-Arg-Phe-NH 2
Synthetic variants
A synthetic MSH analog, bremelanotide , is a drug belonging to the group of melanocortin receptor agonists. It was approved in the United States in June 2019 under the trade name Vyleesi (marketing authorization holder: AMAG Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of so-called hypoactive sexual regulation disorder in women before menopause. Another MSH analog, Melanotan for skin tanning and weight loss, is still in clinical development.
Individual evidence
- ↑ UniProt P01189
- ↑ Celine Müller: FDA approves bremelanotide for sexual aversion. In: Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung. June 27, 2019, accessed May 10, 2020 .