Melanocortins

Peptides derived from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) which can stimulate MELANOCYTES or CORTICOTROPHS. Melanocortins include ACTH; ALPHA-MSH; and other peptides such as BETA-MSH and GAMMA-MSH, derived from other fragments of POMC. These peptides act through a variety of MELANOCORTIN RECEPTORS to control different functions including steroidogenesis, energy homeostasis, feeding, and skin pigmentation.

Networked: 122 relevant articles (6 outcomes, 11 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Bio-Agent Context: Research Results

Experts

1.	Guarini, Salvatore: 23 articles (12/2015 - 01/2002)
2.	Giuliani, Daniela: 21 articles (12/2015 - 08/2002)
3.	Ottani, Alessandra: 16 articles (12/2015 - 09/2007)
4.	Squadrito, Francesco: 13 articles (03/2014 - 11/2005)
5.	Zaffe, Davide: 12 articles (07/2015 - 11/2005)
6.	Galantucci, Maria: 12 articles (03/2014 - 05/2006)
7.	Bitto, Alessandra: 12 articles (03/2014 - 11/2005)
8.	Altavilla, Domenica: 12 articles (03/2014 - 11/2005)
9.	Minutoli, Letteria: 11 articles (04/2012 - 11/2005)
10.	Bertolini, Alfio: 9 articles (12/2015 - 01/2002)

Related Diseases

1.	Inflammation 03/01/2012 - "These results combine with others on CNS inflammation to suggest that the melanocortins could be safe and effective therapeutic candidates to treat SAH-related complications." 03/01/2003 - "In particular, recent pharmacological and genetic studies have affirmed the role of melanocortins in pigmentation, inflammation, energy homeostasis, and sexual function. " 03/15/2012 - "Both humoral and nervous brain responses to inflammation are under the regulatory control of melanocortins, which have moreover a direct anti-inflammatory effect on inflammatory cells. " 01/01/2011 - "Melanocortins and their receptors regulate inflammation by inhibiting leukocyte recruitment to and interaction with inflamed tissue. " 01/01/2010 - "The degree of the modulatory effect exerted by melanocortins should be sufficient to reduce severity of systemic inflammation without impairing the host defense mechanisms."
2.	Shock 01/01/2005 - "Further clinical studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of the melanocortins in the treatment of haemorrhagic shock in humans." 02/01/2011 - "Melanocortins reverse circulatory shock and improve survival by counteracting the systemic inflammatory response, and through the activation of the vagus nerve-mediated cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. " 03/01/2007 - "In circulatory shock, melanocortins have life-saving effects likely to be mediated by MC4 receptors. " 01/01/2005 - "In the present paper, we review recent data concerning the role of the melanocortins in cardiovascular regulation in haemorrhagic shock. " 01/01/2002 - "Moreover, melanocortins have an anti-shock effect. "
3.	Myocardial Ischemia (Ischemic Heart Diseases) 12/15/2015 - "These results indicate that melanocortins inhibit heart and liver damage triggered by prolonged myocardial ischemia/reperfusion likely, as main mechanism, via the vagus nerve-mediated modulation of the JAK/STAT/ERK signaling pathways. " 06/01/2013 - "These results indicate that melanocortins inhibit local and systemic inflammatory and apoptotic cascades triggered by prolonged myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, with consequent reduction in myocardium infarct size, seemingly via activation of the JAK/STAT signaling and with modulation of an ERK (STAT unrelated) signaling pathway." 06/01/2013 - "Here we aimed to investigate the influence of melanocortins on the JAK/ERK/STAT signaling in cardiac and systemic responses to prolonged myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. " 06/01/2013 - "We previously gave evidence that melanocortins afford cardioprotection in conditions of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. " 07/10/2010 - "These results indicate that melanocortins modulate the inflammatory and apoptotic cascades triggered by prolonged myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, and reduce infarct size, seemingly by activation of the vagus nerve-mediated cholinergic protective pathway."
4.	Stroke (Strokes) 03/01/2009 - "Vagus nerve mediates the protective effects of melanocortins against cerebral and systemic damage after ischemic stroke." 03/01/2012 - "Melanocortins have established neuroprotective effects against experimental ischemic stroke. " 10/01/2011 - "Here we investigated whether the long-lasting beneficial effect of melanocortins in stroke conditions is associated with a stimulation of neurogenesis. " 10/01/2011 - "Melanocortins produce neuroprotection against ischemic stroke with subsequent long-lasting functional recovery, through melanocortin MC(4) receptor activation. " 08/01/2009 - "Our data indicate that MC(4) receptor-mediated actions of melanocortins could trigger repair mechanisms able to improve neuronal functionality and synaptic plasticity, and to promote long-lasting functional recovery from ischemic stroke with Zif268 gene involvement."
5.	Ischemia 02/01/2013 - "On the other hand, concurrent animal and human data show that melanocortin peptides with agonist activity at melanocortin MC3/MC4 receptors are highly effective in different shock conditions as well as in conditions of ischemia/ischemia-reperfusion of individual organs (heart, brain, intestine, kidney, etc.), and accumulating evidence indicates that such effects of melanocortins are mostly due to quite peculiar antiinflammatory mechanisms. " 12/01/2015 - "Our aim was (i) to critically reconsider the established extrahormonal effects of melanocortins (on sexual activity, feeding, inflammation, tissue hypoperfusion, and traumatic damage of central and peripheral nervous system) at the light of recent findings, (ii) to review the most recent advancements, particularly on the effects of melanocortins in models of neurodegenerative diseases, (iii) to discuss the reasons that support the introduction into clinical practice of melanocortins as life-saving agents in shock conditions and that suggest to verify in clinical setting the impressive results steadily obtained with melanocortins in different animal models of tissue ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion, and finally, (iv) to mention the advisable developments, particularly in terms of selectivity of action and of effects. " 12/01/2015 - "Moreover, a large body of animal data, some of which were also confirmed in humans, unequivocally show that melanocortins also have impressive therapeutic effects in several pathological conditions that are the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide (hemorrhagic, or anyway hypovolemic, shock; septic shock; respiratory arrest; cardiac arrest; ischemia- and ischemia/reperfusion-induced damage of the brain, heart, intestine, and other organs; traumatic injury of brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves; neuropathic pain; toxic neuropathies; gouty arthritis; etc.). " 01/01/2009 - "The discovery of melanocortin receptors, and the ensuing synthesis of selective ligands with agonist or antagonist activity, is generating completely innovative drugs for the treatment of a potentially very long list of important and widespread pathological conditions: sexual impotence, frigidity, overweight/obesity, anorexia, cachexia, haemorrhagic shock, other forms of shock, myocardial infarction, ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain damage, neuropathic pain, rheumathoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, nerve injury, toxic neuropathies, diabetic neuropathy, etc. This review recalls the history of these researches and outlines the pharmacology of the extra-hormonal effects of melanocortins which are produced by an action at the brain level (or mainly at the brain level). "

Related Drugs and Biologics

1.	Peptides
2.	Melanocortin Receptors (Melanocortin Receptor)
3.	Pro-Opiomelanocortin (Proopiomelanocortin)
4.	Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones (MSH)
5.	Hormones
6.	Nerve Growth Factors (Neurotrophins)
7.	Formaldehyde (Formol)
8.	Dopamine (Intropin)
9.	alpha-MSH
10.	Leptin

Related Therapies and Procedures

1.	Ligation
2.	Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
3.	Homologous Transplantation (Allograft)