Melanocortin Receptor

The melanocortin (MC) receptors represent a subfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) where the different subtypes are involved in a wide range of physiological functions such as pigmentation, steroid secretion, energy homeostasis, and food intake. The melanocortin receptor (MCR) family consists of five G-protein-coupled receptors (MC1R-MC5R). MC1R controls pigmentation, MC2R is a critical component of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, MC3R and MC4R have a vital role in energy homeostasis and MC5R is involved in exocrine function.

MCRs are activated by a variety of neuropeptides, termed melanocortins, that include the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) andα, β and γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs). Melanocortins derive from post-translational processing of the common polypeptide precursor pro-opiomelanocortin, expressed mainly in the hypothalamus and pituitary.