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Melanocortin receptors in leptin effects

Nature volume 390, page 349 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Leptin acts on the central nervous system to cause a reduction in food intake and body weight1,2. The melanocortin system in the brain is also implicated in energy homeostasis, with agonists of the melanocortin-4 (MC4) receptor reducing food intake3 and targeted mutation of the MC4 receptor causing obesity4. We now show that MC4 receptor signalling is an important mediator of leptin's effects on food intake and body weight, demonstrating a link between the two systems.

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Figure 1: Effect of treatment with a melanocortin receptor antagonist on feeding and the leptin response (means±s.e.m.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, 45267-0559, Ohio, USA

    Randy J. Seeley

  2. Department of Metabolic Diseases, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, 07110, New Jersey, USA

    Keith A. Yagaloff, Stewart L. Fisher & Paul Burn

  3. Departments of Psychology, Medicine and Biological Structure, and Puget Sound VA Health Care System, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, Washington, USA

    Todd E. Thiele, Gertjan van Dijk, Denis G. Baskin & Michael W. Schwartz

Authors
  1. Randy J. Seeley
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  2. Keith A. Yagaloff
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  3. Stewart L. Fisher
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  4. Paul Burn
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  5. Todd E. Thiele
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  6. Gertjan van Dijk
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  7. Denis G. Baskin
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  8. Michael W. Schwartz
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Seeley, R., Yagaloff, K., Fisher, S. et al. Melanocortin receptors in leptin effects. Nature 390, 349 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/37016

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