| First Author | Ollmann MM | Year | 1997 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 278 |
| Issue | 5335 | Pages | 135-8 |
| PubMed ID | 9311920 | Mgi Jnum | J:43300 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1097480 | Doi | 10.1126/science.278.5335.135 |
| Citation | Ollmann MM, et al. (1997) Antagonism of central melanocortin receptors in vitro and in vivo by agouti-related protein. Science 278(5335):135-8 |
| abstractText | Expression of Agouti protein is normally limited to the skin where it affects pigmentation, but ubiquitous expression causes obesity. An expressed sequence tag was identified that encodes Agouti-related protein, whose RNA is normally expressed in the hypothalamus and whose levels were increased eightfold in ob/ob mice. Recombinant Agouti-related protein was a potent, selective antagonist of Mc3r and Mc4r, melanocortin receptor subtypes implicated in weight regulation. Ubiquitous expression of human AGRP complementary DNA in transgenic mice caused obesity without altering pigmentation. Thus, Agouti-related protein is a neuropeptide implicated in the normal control of body weight downstream of leptin signaling. |
