title: Proopiomelanocortin and energy balance: insights from human and murine genetics.
abstract: Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) undergoes extensive and tissue-specific posttranslational processing to yield a range of biologically active peptides. Historically, the most clearly defined roles of these peptides are in the control of adrenal steroidogenesis by corticotroph-derived ACTH and skin pigmentation by alphaMSH. However, a rapidly expanding body of work has established that POMC-derived peptides synthesized in neurons of the hypothalamus play a central role in the control of energy homeostasis. We review how inherited abnormalities in POMC synthesis and processing and defects in the action of POMC-derived peptides in both humans and mice have helped shape our current understanding of the importance of the melanocortin system in human energy balance.
authors.affiliation: University Departments of Medicine and Clinical Biochemistry,Cambridge Institute of Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB2 2QQ.
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: I Sadaf
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Farooqi
authors.forename: Benjamin G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Challis
authors.forename: Giles S H
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Rahilly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin