Fig. 4: MC4R inverse agonism improves feeding behaviors and muscle mass during pancreatic cancer cachexia.

a Experimental design and protocol of cannulation, tumor implantation, and ICV treatment. Cumulative food intake after tumor implantation b before and c after initiation of daily ICV AgRP (1 nmol) or vehicle treatments. In b, the Tumor–AgRP group is masked immediately behind the Tumor–Vehicle group. d Total food intake as a percentage of sham control for entire study. f Terminal gastrocnemius and e cardiac tissue mass normalized to baseline mass. n = 6 per group. All data expressed as mean ± SEM. Cumulative food intake data were analyzed by a repeated-measures Two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test. All other data were analyzed by ordinary One-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, and ****p ≤ 0.0001. Black/gray = sham operation control, red = KPC-engrafted, ICV vehicle treated mice, blue = KPC-engrafted, ICV AgRP-treated mice.