Peptide ligands for the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor 1

The melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCH-1R) has been recognized as a receptor which mediates effects of the endogenous melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) on appetite and body weight gain in rodents. In the last several years, a number of hMCH analogs have been designed which were potent and selective ligands for hMCH-1R. These peptidic agonists and antagonists have served as research tools in animal studies that showed a key role of the MCH-1R in the development of obesity and proved that MCH-1R antagonism can produce anti-obesity effects in rodents.