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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jul 30.
Published in final edited form as: Science. 2020 Apr 24;368(6489):369–370. doi: 10.1126/science.abb4393

Figure. Calcium binding influences hunger signaling.

Figure

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is expressed primarily in the hypothalamus and brainstem. It binds to two different neuropeptides, α-melanocyte–stimulating hormone [α-MSH, from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons] and agouti-related protein (AgRP), which exert opposing effects on downstream responses. A crystal structure of MC4R in complex with the cyclic peptide antagonist, SHU9119, revealed a Ca2+-binding site that influences downstream signaling.