title: Attractin' more attention - new pieces in the obesity puzzle?
abstract: Genetic, biochemical and pharmacological studies in humans and rodents have established that signalling through the G-protein-coupled melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) by pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived ligands plays a critical role in the central suppression of appetite. As a consequence, malfunction of this signalling system leads to the development of obesity. It has been shown previously that melanocortin signalling can be modulated by the type 1 transmembrane protein attractin, apparently acting as a co-receptor for the inhibitory ligand agouti. Work reported in this issue of Biochemical Journal (Haqq et al.) demonstrates that the cytosolic tail of an attractin-like protein (ALP) binds directly and specifically to the C-terminal region of MC4R, raising the possibility that proteins of the attractin family influence melanocortin receptor function through multiple mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: Giles S H
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Siddle
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C492192:ATRN protein, human; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C117928:Atrn protein, mouse; C480020:Atrnl1 protein, mouse; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones