title: Role of the brain melanocortins in blood pressure regulation.
abstract: Melanocortins play an important role in regulating blood pressure (BP) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity as well as energy balance, glucose and other metabolic functions in humans and experimental animals. In experimental models of hypertension with high SNS activity, blockade of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) reduces BP despite causing marked hyperphagia and obesity. Activation of the central nervous system (CNS) pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-MC4R pathway appears to be an important link between obesity, SNS activation and hypertension. Despite having severe obesity, subjects with MC4R deficiency exhibit reductions in BP, heart rate, and urinary catecholamine excretion, as well as attenuated SNS responses to cold stimuli compared to obese subjects with normal MC4R function. In this review we discuss the importance of the brain POMC-MC4R system in regulating SNS activity and BP in obesity and other forms of hypertension. We also highlight potential mechanisms and brain circuitry by which the melanocortin system regulates cardiovascular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA. Electronic address: jdocarmo@umc.edu.
authors.forename: Jussara M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: do Carmo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA; Barão de Mauá University Center, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Estadual de Minas Gerais, Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Taolin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aberdein
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Cecilia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Perez de Lara
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mississippi Center for Obesity Research, Cardiovascular-Renal Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D053486:Melanocortins / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism*; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D053486:Melanocortins; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin
keywords: Hypertension; Melanocortin-4 receptor; Obesity; Pro-opiomelanocortin; Sympathetic activity