Hypothalamic and hindbrain melanocortin receptors contribute to the feeding, thermogenic, and cardiovascular action of melanocortins.

ABSTRACT: Forebrain ventricular delivery of melanocortin receptor (MC3/4R) agonist increases energy expenditure and decreases food intake (FI). Because forebrain ventricular delivery provides ligand to various anatomically distributed MC3/4R-bearing nuclei, it is unclear which of the receptor subpopulations contributes to the feeding suppression and the sympathetic-thermogenic effects observed. The literature indicates that reexpression of MC4R in the paraventricular nucleus (PVH) affects the feeding but not the energetic phenotype of the MC4R knockout, suggesting that divergent MC4R populations mediate energy expenditure (hindbrain) and FI (hypothalamus) effects of stimulation. Not consistent with this view are data indicating that PVH sympathetic projection neurons express MC4Rs and that feeding e

SUBMITTER: Skibicka KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2795709 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature