title: Melanocortin MC(4) receptor-mediated feeding and grooming in rodents.
abstract: Decades ago it was recognized that the pharmacological profile of melanocortin ligands that stimulated grooming behavior in rats was strikingly similar to that of Xenopus laevis melanophore pigment dispersion. After cloning of the melanocortin MC1 receptor, expressed in melanocytes, and the melanocortin MC4 receptor, expressed mainly in brain, the pharmacological profiles of these receptors appeared to be very similar and it was demonstrated that these receptors mediate melanocortin-induced pigmentation and grooming respectively. Grooming is a low priority behavior that is concerned with care of body surface. Activation of central melanocortin MC4 receptors is also associated with meal termination, and continued postprandial stimulation of melanocortin MC4 receptors may stimulate natural postprandial grooming behavior as part of the behavioral satiety sequence. Indeed, melanocortins fail to suppress food intake or induce grooming behavior in melanocortin MC4 receptor-deficient rats. This review will focus on how melanocortins affect grooming behavior through the melanocortin MC4 receptor, and how melanocortin MC4 receptors mediate feeding behavior. This review also illustrates how melanocortins were the most likely candidates to mediate grooming and feeding based on the natural behaviors they induced.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Diseases Institute, University of Cincinnati, 2170 East Galbraith Road, 45237 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Electronic address: JoramDMul@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joram D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mul
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Beta Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Berry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Spruijt
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Brakkee
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roger A H
authors.initials: RAH
authors.lastname: Adan
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006120:Grooming; D053486:Melanocortins / Q000378:metabolism; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D053486:Melanocortins; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4
keywords: ACTH; Body weight; Food intake; Grooming; MC4R; MSH; Melanocortin MC(4) receptor