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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · mouse · 2014

10 results

Pharmacological activation of the melanocortin system limits plaque inflammation and ameliorates vascular dysfunction in atherosclerotic mice.

Rinne P, Silvola JM, Hellberg S, Ståhle M, Liljenbäck H, Salomäki H, Koskinen E, Nuutinen S, Saukko P, Knuuti J, Saraste A, Roivainen A, Savontaus E

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology1 May 2014Cited by 23 (Europe PMC)

PMID24790139 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1161/atvbaha.113.302963 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-24790139
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study10

10 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II had no effect on body weight.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II did not change body weight.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeBody weight
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MT-II had no effect on body weight
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II had no effect on body composition.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II did not change body composition.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeBody composition
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MT-II had no effect on body weight or composition, or plasma cholesterol levels in atherosclerotic mice.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II had no effect on plasma cholesterol levels.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II did not change blood cholesterol.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changePlasma cholesterol
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Lipids · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MT-II had no effect on body weight or composition, or plasma cholesterol levels in atherosclerotic mice.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II reduced fluorine-18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in atherosclerotic plaques, a surrogate of plaque inflammation.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II reduced a scan marker of inflammation in artery plaques.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreasePlaque 18F-FDG uptake
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Without attenuating atherosclerotic lesion size or lesional macrophage accumulation, MT-II treatment reduced fluorine-18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the atherosclerotic plaques.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We determined plaque uptake of fluorine-18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose as a surrogate marker for atherosclerotic plaque inflammation and vascular function of the aorta by ex vivo analyses.
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  5. 05AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II treatment did not attenuate atherosclerotic lesion size.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II did not shrink artery plaques.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeAtherosclerotic lesion size
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Without attenuating atherosclerotic lesion size
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  6. 06AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II treatment did not attenuate lesional macrophage accumulation.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II did not reduce immune-cell buildup in artery plaques.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeLesional macrophage accumulation
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Without attenuating atherosclerotic lesion size or lesional macrophage accumulation
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  7. 07AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In atherosclerotic mice, resident lesion macrophages in MT-II-treated mice were polarized toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II shifted plaque immune cells toward an anti-inflammatory type.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseMacrophage polarization in lesions
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Resident macrophages in the lesions of MT-II-treated mice were polarized toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  8. 08AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II decreased plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II lowered blood levels of inflammatory signals.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreasePlasma proinflammatory cytokines
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Systemic inflammation was also attenuated by MT-II intervention as evidenced by decreased plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  9. 09AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II-treated mice showed enhanced endothelium-dependent relaxations of the aorta.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II improved how well the aorta relaxed.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseEndothelium-dependent relaxation of the aorta
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Vascular function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In terms of aortic vasoreactivity, MT-II-treated mice showed enhanced endothelium-dependent relaxations
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).
  10. 10AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In atherosclerotic mice, MT-II promoted vascular sensitivity to nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation.

    In plain wordsIn atherosclerotic mice, melanotan II made blood vessels respond better to a natural relaxing signal (nitric oxide).

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseVascular sensitivity to nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Vehicle
    Outcome group
    Vascular function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.3 mg/kg per day · 4 weeksAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    promotion of vascular sensitivity to nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice expressing only apolipoprotein B100 were fed a high-fat diet for 8 or 16 weeks and treated with either vehicle or a stable melanocortin analog, melanotan II (MT-II, 0.3 mg/kg per day, 4 weeks).

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    10 Oct 2026, 09:43 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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