黑素皮质素受体对动物采食量和能量稳态的调控

黑素皮质素受体是G-蛋白耦联受体超家族成员。5个黑素皮质素受体基因已经被克隆和鉴定,并有不同的组织分布和生物学功能。本文综述了黑素皮质素受体3和受体4基因调控采食量和能量稳态的研究进展。 Abstract:The melanocortin receptors are members of the super-family of G-protein coupled receptors.To date,five melanocortin receptor genes (MC1R-MC5R) have been cloned and characterized.These receptorsdiffer in their tissue distributions and physiological roles.This review focuses on the roles of MC3R and MC4R in regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis.     

敲减FST基因对猪成纤维细胞中相关基因表达的影响

旨在获得敲减FST基因的猪胎儿成纤维细胞,并探讨对相关基因表达的影响。将构建成功并鉴定准确的发夹RNA真核表达载体FR1-shRNA利用脂质体转染至猪胎儿成纤维细胞中,并进行G418筛选,获得稳定转染细胞株,并利用Real-time检测了相关基因表达的变化。结果表明,在稳定转染的细胞株中,FST基因的表达受到显著抑制,结果导致了ActivinRⅡA、Myostatin和Bmp4基因的表达出现下调趋势,并且极显著地降低MyoD基因的表达。     

黑素皮质素受体-4的研究进展

黑素皮质素受体 4 (MC4R)是人类中枢神经系统中参与调节肥胖症发生的重要因素 ,可调节动物的体重和采食量。自MC4R基因克隆以来 ,学者们对MC4R的结构 ,生理功能 ,调控 ,作用机制及其基因突变与体重的关系等方面进行了大量的研究。     

黑素皮质素受体-2基因表达调控相关因子研究进展

黑素皮质素受体-2（melanoeortin2-receptor,MC2R）属于A类七个跨膜α螺旋G蛋白受体,具有通过CA／cAMP／PKA信号转导途径调节类固醇激素分泌的昼夜节律和应激引起变化的功能。MC2R基因表达障碍可导致一种常染色体隐性遗传疾病,即家族性糖皮质激素缺陷（FGD）。黑素皮质素受体-2（melanocortin2-receptor,MC2R）基因在特定组织中是否表达,表达丰度的高低是由多种调控因子相互作用决定的。本文就参与其表达调控的类固醇转录因子-1（steroidogenic factor-1,SF-1）、过氧化物增值物激活受体γ（PPARγ）、视黄酸X受体α（RXRα）、活化激活蛋白1（activatorproteinl,AP-1）DAX-1（dosage-sensitive sexreversal adrenal hypoplasia gene on the X chromosome,gene-1）和E-盒结合蛋白等因子做一综述。     

MC1R是控制鸡黑色素形成的候选主效基因

黑素皮质素受体1 (melanocortin 1-receptor, MC1R)基因是控制动物黑色素合成的重要基因.采用多聚酶链反应-单链构象多态性分析(PCR-SSCP)以及DNA测序的方法,在由丝羽乌骨鸡与明星肉鸡为亲本建立的中国农业大学资源家系群体鸡MC1R基因的编码区检测到3个单核苷酸多态位点,并对该单核苷酸多态性进行了分析.结果显示,鸡MC1R基因编码区引物3扩增片段多态性是由G→A（867位）点突变引起的,引物5扩增片段的多态性是由C→T（1 292位）与C→G（1 377位）两个点突变引起的,最后对单核苷酸多态性与肤色、肉色、胫色与内脏膜色等黑色素性状进行了卡方独立性分析,结果显示,MC1R基因编码区867处突变与鸡的肤色性状显著相关（P＜0.05）,1 292处突变与鸡的活体胫色性状显著相关（P＜0.05）,1 377处突变与鸡的肉色性状显著相关（P＜0.05）.研究表明,MC1R基因可能是鸡黑色素性状的主效基因或者与鸡控制黑色素性状的主效基因连锁.     

犬MC1R基因的分子进化分析

黑素皮质素1型受体 (melanocortin 1 receptor, MC1R)基因具有调节哺乳动物细胞黑色素形成的作用, 因此被认为是影响犬毛色的重要候选基因。基于NCBI数据库上发表的犬等10个动物种MC1R的氨基酸序列和cDNA序列, 利用生物学软件和网络信息资源, 对犬等10种脊椎动物进行了分子进化分析。结果表明: (1) 基于MC1R氨基酸序列的聚类分析显示, 10个物种明显归为2类, 7个哺乳动物种为一紧密类群, 鸡与斑马鱼和河豚为一松散类群, 该聚类结果与公认的动物分类及进化关系密切吻合; (2) PAML的Branch模型预测显示, 犬、猪、猫在与牛的分化过程中MC1R受到正向选择作用(w =90.8177); Site模型预测显示, 犬MC1R的2V、25E、184N、197V、314L为正选择氨基酸位点; (3) 染色体连锁群比较分析显示, “ZFP276-MC1R-GAS8”基因连锁关系在人、黑猩猩、鸡和犬中保持一致。     

鸡MC4R基因的SNPs及其与屠体性状的相关研究

黑素皮质素受体(MC4R, melanocortin-4 receptor)基因的突变与猪、鼠和人等的食欲、肥胖、生长等性状有关, 而鸡MC4R基因的功能却知之甚少. 利用PCR-SSCP(single strand conformation polymorphism)和DNA测序的方法, 对资源家系F₂代鸡群MC4R基因多态性进行了分析, 发现存在4个单核苷酸多态(SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms)位点. 其中, 在MC4R基因5′调控区-524 nt发生了碱基的转换突变(C→T), 导致突变型基因比野生型基因多了一个NF-E2和一个cap转录因子结合位点; 在MC4R编码区(61 nt)发生了碱基的错义突变(G→A), 导致此处蛋白质的氨基酸由甘氨酸变为精氨酸; 在MC4R编码区315和336 nt发生了碱基的颠换突变(G→T)和转换突变(C→T), 这两个突变为同义突变. 通过最小二乘分析SNPs与屠体性状的关系, 结果是突变的BB, DD和FF等基因型与鸡的体重、全净膛重(或半净膛重)、腿肉重等存在显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)的关系, 但与腹脂重不显著. 结果表明, MC4R基因可以作为影响和控制鸡体重、生长等屠体性状的主要候选基因.     

黑素皮质素受体-2与Ⅰ型家族性糖皮质激素缺乏症

 黑素皮质素受体-2（MC2R）具有7个跨膜区（Ⅰ～Ⅶ）、3个胞外环和3个胞内环,人MC2R基因定位于18p11.2;编码区长894 bp,无内含子,在种间和种内具有较高保守性;人MC2R有297个氨基酸残基,推测分子量为33 kD.MC2R主要分布于肾上腺皮质区网状带和束状带,在功能上与腺苷酸环化酶偶联,通过激活依赖环腺苷酸的信号途径来催化类固醇合成;MC2R合成受到各种因子调节,包括其自身配体ACTH、顺式作用元件和反式作用因子等.MC2R基因突变可导致Ⅰ型家族性糖皮质激素缺乏症;迄今为止,在FGD患者中共发现37个MC2R基因编码区突变,突变单独或复合存在降低MC2R活性     

参考家系鸡黑素皮质素受体3基因多态性与体重关系研究

鼠遗传学研究显示黑素皮质素受体3（melanocortin-3 receptor,MC3R）和MC4R在能量平衡控制中具有互补作用。敲除MC3R基因鼠表现为独有的代谢综合征和增加脂肪重量。以8周龄高体重或低体重独立选择的高体重系（high weight,HW）和低体重系（low weight,LW）白洛克鸡3代参考家系群体作为实验材料,发现了5个新的MC3R基因单核苷酸多态性（single nucleotide polymorphisms,SNPs）;建立了基于限制性内切酶Dde I的MC3R基因型的PCR-RFLP分子检测方法。方差分析结果显示MC3R基因型显著影响公鸡和母鸡的体重,以及公鸡腹脂含量。该结果建议MC3R基因可以作为侯选基因解释杂交鸡体重显著差异的原因。     

牛c-myc基因的克隆及其在皮肤成纤维细胞中的表达

为了构建包含牛c-myc基因编码序列的重组载体,以胎牛原始生殖嵴为材料,用RT-PCR方法克隆出牛c-myc 基因的编码序列,将其亚克隆至pMD19-T载体,再从酶切鉴定和测序正确的质粒上切下目的片段,定向克隆到pIRES2-AcGFP1-Nuc表达载体上,挑选序列正确的重组真核表达质粒转染牛皮肤成纤维细胞,用RT-PCR和Western blotting分别检测c-myc mRNA和蛋白的表达。结果表明,从胎牛原始生殖嵴中正确克隆了c-myc基因的全长编码序列,所构建的重组质粒能够在皮肤成纤维细胞中有效     

Functional characterization of mutations in melanocortin-4 receptor associated with human obesity

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a G protein-coupled receptor implicated in the regulation of body weight. Genetic studies in humans have identified two frameshift mutations of MC4R associated with a dominantly inherited form of obesity. We have generated and expressed the corresponding MC4R mutants in 293T cells and found that cells transfected with the truncation mutants failed to exhibit agonist binding or responsiveness despite retention of structural motifs potentially sufficient for binding and signaling. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the mutant proteins were expressed and localized in the intracellular compartment but absent from the plasma membrane, suggesting that these mutations disrupted the proper cellular transport of MC4R. Further studies identified a sequence in the cytoplasmic tail of MC4R necessary for the cell surface targeting. We further investigated a possible dominant-negative activity of the mutants on wild-type receptor function. Co-transfection studies showed that the mutants affected neither signaling nor cell surface expression of wild-type MC4R. We also characterized three human sequence variants of MC4R, but these exhibited identical affinities for peptide ligands and identical agonist responsiveness. Thus, unlike the obesity-associated MC4R truncation mutants, the polymorphisms of MC4R are unlikely to be contributors to human obesity.     

Inhibiting neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor modulates melanocortin receptor- and NF-κB-mediated feeding behavior in phenylpropanolamine-treated rats

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) are involved in regulating anorexia elicited by phenylpropanolamine (PPA), a sympathomimetic drug. This study explored whether NPY Y1 receptor (Y1R) is involved in this process, and a potential role for the proopiomelanocortin system was identified. Rats were given PPA once a day for 4 days. Changes in the hypothalamic expression of the NPY, Y1R, NF-κB, and melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) levels were assessed and compared. The results indicated that food intake and NPY expression decreased, with the largest reductions observed on Day 2 (approximately 50% and 45%, respectively), whereas NF-κB, MC4R, and Y1R increased, achieving maximums on Day 2 (160%, 200%, and 280%, respectively). To determine the role of Y1R, rats were pretreated with Y1R antisense or a Y1R antagonist via intracerebroventricular injection 1 h before the daily PPA dose. Y1R knockdown and inhibition reduced PPA anorexia and partially restored the normal expression of NPY, MC4R, and NF-κB. The data suggest that hypothalamic Y1R participates in the appetite-suppression from PPA by regulating MC4R and NF-κB. The results of this study increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms in PPA-induced anorexia.     

Constitutive cholesterol-dependent endocytosis of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is essential to maintain receptor responsiveness to α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a G-protein-coupled receptor expressed in the hypothalamus where it controls feeding behavior. MC4R cycles constitutively and is internalized at the same rate in the presence or absence of stimulation by the agonist, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). This is different from other G-protein-coupled receptors, such as β(2)-adrenergic receptor (β(2)AR), which internalizes more rapidly in response to agonist stimulation. Here, it is found that in immortalized neuronal Neuro2A cells expressing exogenous receptors, constitutive endocytosis of MC4R and agonist-dependent internalization of β(2)AR were equally sensitive to clathrin depletion. Inhibition of MC4R endocytosis by clathrin depletion decreased the number of receptors at the cell surface that were responsive to the agonist, α-MSH, by 75%. Mild membrane cholesterol depletion also inhibited constitutive endocytosis of MC4R by ～5-fold, while not affecting recycling of MC4R or agonist-dependent internalization of β(2)AR. Reduced cholesterol did not change the MC4R dose-response curve to α-MSH, but it decreased the amount of cAMP generated per receptor number indicating that a population of MC4R at the cell surface becomes nonfunctional. The loss of MC4R function increased over time (25-50%) and was partially reversed by mutations at putative phosphorylation sites (T312A and S329A). This was reproduced in hypothalamic GT1-7 cells expressing endogenous MC4R. The data indicate that constitutive endocytosis of MC4R is clathrin- and cholesterol-dependent. MC4R endocytosis is required to maintain MC4R responsiveness to α-MSH by constantly eliminating from the plasma membrane a pool of receptors modified at Thr-312 and Ser-329 that have to be cycled to the endosomal compartment to regain function.     

A Small Molecule Agonist THIQ as a Novel Pharmacoperone for Intracellularly Retained Melanocortin-4 Receptor Mutants

Although mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene cause severe early-onset obesity, we still do not have effective approaches to correct the defects of these mutations. Several antagonists have been identified as pharmacoperones of the MC4R whereas no agonist of the MC4R has been reported. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a small molecule agonist of the MC4R, THIQ, on the cell surface expression and signaling of ten intracellularly retained MC4R mutants using different cell lines. We showed that THIQ increased the cell surface expression of three mutants (N62S, C84R, and C271Y) and two of them (N62S and C84R) had increased signaling in HEK293 cells. Interestingly, THIQ increased the signaling of two other mutants (P78L and P260Q) without increasing their cell surface expression in HEK293 cells. In neuronal cells, THIQ exhibited a more potent effect, correcting the cell surface expression and signaling of seven mutants (N62S, I69R, P78L, C84R, W174C, P260Q, and C271Y). Other mutants were not rescued by THIQ. We also showed that THIQ did not rescue MC4R mutants defective in ligand binding or signaling or one intracellularly retained mutant of the melanocortin-3 receptor. In summary, we demonstrated that a small molecule agonist acted as a pharmacoperone of the MC4R rescuing the cell surface expression and signaling of some intracellularly retained MC4R mutants.     

Bovine melanocortin receptor 4: cDNA sequence, polymorphisms and mapping

A cDNA encoding the bovine melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) was cloned and sequenced. Comparing human, pig and rat homologues showed a 87, 85 and 89% identity on the DNA level, respectively, and over 90% on the protein level. The bovine MC4R gene was mapped to BTU 24 by radiation hybrid mapping. Two nucleotide changes were identified by single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequencing. The substitutions proved to be a T to C and G (allele B) to A (allele A) resulting, respectively, in a conservative valine to alanine substitution (Val 145 Ala) and an alanine to threonine (Ala 172 Thr). Using PCR-RFLP, 13 different cattle breeds were screened for the presence of the Ala 172 Thr substitution. With the exception of one Red Pied animal, allele A could only be detected in Red Holstein animals.