title: Isolation and characterization of antagonist and agonist peptides to the human melanocortin 1 receptor.
abstract: We identified a large number of peptide mimotopes of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) to analyze better the structure-function relationships of these hormones with the human MC1 receptor (hMC1R). We have investigated the use of phage-display technology to isolate specific peptides of this receptor by using three monoclonal anti-ACTH antibodies (mAbs). A library of 10(8) phage-peptides displaying randomized decapeptides was constructed and used to select phage-peptides that bind to mAbs. Forty-five phage-peptides have been isolated and from their amino acid sequences, we have identified two consensus sequences, EXFRWGKPA and WGXPVGKP, corresponding to the regions 5-13 and 9-16 of ACTH, respectively. A biological assay on cells expressing the hMC1-R was developed to determine the capacity of phage-peptides to stimulate the receptor. Only two phage-peptides showed detectable activity. Thirty-one peptides were synthesized to analyze their biological effect. We identified two weak agonists, EC50=16 and 11 microM, two strong agonists, EC50=25 and 14 nM and a partial antagonist, IC50=36 microM. This work confirmed the modulator agonist role of the regions 11-12 of alpha-MSH and ACTH, and the importance of the methionine residue at position 4 for the stimulation of the hMC1-R. We also identified analogues of the regions 8-17 of ACTH that exhibited a weak activator effect, and of one analogue of the N-terminal regions 1-9 of ACTH and alpha-MSH having a partial antagonist effect. These results may be useful in the development of potential agonists or antagonists of the hMC1R.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires, UPR9027, CNRS, 31 chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonetto
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Carlavan
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baty
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019151:Peptide Library; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / Q000819:agonists* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D019151:Peptide Library; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1; D000521:alpha-MSH