α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a 13-amino acid peptide hormone produced by post-translational processing of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary gland, as well as in keratinocytes, astrocytes, monocytes, and gastrointestinal cells.1It is an agonist of melanocortin receptor 3 (MC3R) and MC4R that induces cAMP production in Hepa cells expressing the human receptors (EC50s = 0.16 and 56 nM, respectively).2α-MSH (100 pM) reducesS. aureuscolony formation andC. albicansgerm tube formationin vitro.3It inhibits endotoxin-, ceramide-, TNF-α-, or okadaic acid-induced activation of NF-κB in U937 cells.1α-MSH reduces IL-6- or TNF-α-induced ear edema in mice.4It also prevents the development of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats and increases survival in a mouse model of septic shock. Increased plasma levels of α-MSH are positively correlated with delayed disease progression and reduced death in patients with HIV.1 1.Catania, A., Airaghi, L., Colombo, G., et al.α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in normal human physiology and disease statesTrends Endocrinol. Metab.11(8)304-308(2000) 2.Miwa, H., Gantz, I., Konda, Y., et al.Structural determinants of the melanocortin peptides required for activation of melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptorsJ. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.273(1)367-372(1995) 3.Cutuli, M., Cristiani, S., Lipton, J.M., et al.Antimicrobial effects of a-MSH peptidesJ. Leukoc. Biol.67(2)233-239(2000) 4.Lipton, J.M., Ceriani, G., Macaluso, A., et al.Antiiinflammatory effect of the neuropeptide a-MSH in acute, chronic, and systemic inflammationAnn. N.Y. Acad. Sci.25(741)137-148(1994)
Protein conjugates in tissue regeneration 3 (PCTR3) is a specialized pro-resolving mediator (SPM) synthesized from docosahexaenoic acid . DHA is oxidized to 16S,17S-epoxy-protectin, which is converted to PCTR1 by glutathione S-transferase and to PCTR2 and PCTR3 via peptidases. PCTR3 is found in infected mouse spleens and resolving exudate as well as isolated human spleen and septic plasma. It is also found in both M1 and M2 macrophages differentiated from isolated human monocytes.
Neuromedin U (NMU) is a neuropeptide first demonstrated to drive smooth muscle contraction.1Translated as a 174 amino acid propeptide, NMU is cleaved to different lengths in different animals. It has diverse receptor-mediated rolesin vivo, as it regulates feeding, vasoconstriction, nociception, and bone remodeling and contributes to obesity, cancer and septic shock.2,2NMU-25 is the active form of NMU in humans. It binds with high affinity to receptors on human left ventricle and coronary artery (KDs = 0.26 and 0.11 nM, respectively), eliciting endothelium-independent vasoconstriction.3NMU-25 also suppresses glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in human islets, and this effect is lost in NMU R165W mutants, resulting in early-onset obesity.4 1.Mitchell, J.D., Maguire, J.J., and Davenport, A.P.Emerging pharmacology and physiology of neuromedin U and the structurally related peptide neuromedin SBritish Journal of Pharmacology15887-103(2009) 2.Greenwood, H.C., Bloom, S.R., and Murphy, K.G.Peptides and their potential role in the treatment of diabetes and obesityRev.Diabet.Stud.8(3)355-368(2011) 3.Mitchell, J.D., Maguire, J.J., Kuc, R.E., et al.Expression and vasoconstrictor function of anorexigenic peptides neuromedin U-25 and S in the human cardiovascular systemCardiovascular Research81353-361(2009) 4.Alfa, R.W., Park, S., Skelly, K.R., et al.Suppression of insulin production and secretion by a decretin hormoneCell Metabolism21(2)323-333(2015)
FPL-65447 hydrochloride is a selective D1 receptor agonist that has potential for the acute treatment of renal and cardiac failure and of sepsis and septic shock.