Inverse agonist activity of agouti and agouti-related protein

Peptides. 2003 Apr;24(4):603-9. doi: 10.1016/s0196-9781(03)00104-9.

Abstract

Agouti and agouti-related protein (AgRP) are endogenous antagonists of the melanocortin receptors (MCxR). Previous data showed that recombinant full-length agouti and a synthetic fragment of AgRP, AgRP (83-132), are inverse agonists at the MC1R and MC4R, respectively. This study demonstrates the smaller analogs AgRP (87-120) and ASIP [90-132 (L89Y)], and short peptides Yc[CRFFNAFC]Y and Qc[CRFFRSAC]S are also MC4R inverse agonists. Furthermore, the relative affinity of the series of MC4R ligands for displacement of radiolabeled antagonist 125I-AgRP (86-132) versus radiolabeled agonist 125I-NDP-MSH did not correlate with ligand efficacy, which is more consistent with an induced-fit model than a simple two-state model of MC4R activation. These data shed new light on the determinants and mechanism of inverse agonism at the MC4R.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Agouti Signaling Protein
  • Agouti-Related Protein
  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / pathology
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / physiology*
  • Kinetics
  • Ligands
  • Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / pharmacology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Obesity
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology
  • Pigmentation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Proteins / physiology*
  • Receptors, Melanocortin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Melanocortin / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • alpha-MSH / metabolism
  • beta-MSH / analogs & derivatives*
  • beta-MSH / pharmacology

Substances

  • 11-Mrp-14-Nal-18-Cys-22-Asp-beta-MSH(11-22)NH2
  • AGRP protein, human
  • Agouti Signaling Protein
  • Agouti-Related Protein
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Peptides
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Proteins
  • Receptors, Melanocortin
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • beta-MSH
  • SHU 9119
  • alpha-MSH
  • Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones
  • Cyclic AMP