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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · mouse · 2019

5 results

Melanotan-II reverses autistic features in a maternal immune activation mouse model of autism.

Minakova E, Lang J, Medel-Matus JS, Gould GG, Reynolds A, Shin D, Mazarati A, Sankar R

PloS one10 Jan 2019Cited by 18 (Europe PMC)

PMID30629642 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC6328175 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0210389 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-30629642
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Summary

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interactions, difficulty with communication, and repetitive behavior patterns. In humans affected by ASD, there is a male pre-disposition towards the condition with a male to female ratio of 4:1. In part due to the complex etiology of ASD including genetic and environmental interplay, there are currently no available medical therapies to improve the social deficits of ASD. Studies in rodent models and humans have shown promising therapeutic effects of oxytocin in modulating social adaptation. One pharmacological approach to stimulating oxytocinergic activity is the melanocortin receptor 4 agonist Melanotan-II (MT-II). Notably the effects of oxytocin on environmental rodent autism models has not been investigated to date. We used a maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model of autism to assess the therapeutic potential of MT-II on autism-like features in adult male mice. The male MIA mice exhibited autism-like features including impaired social behavioral metrics, diminished vocal communication, and increased repetitive behaviors. Continuous administration of MT-II to male MIA mice over a seven-day course resulted in rescue of social behavioral metrics. Normal background C57 male mice treated with MT-II showed no significant alteration in social behavioral metrics. Additionally, there was no change in anxiety-like or repetitive behaviors following MT-II treatment of normal C57 mice, though there was significant weight loss following subacute treatment. These data demonstrate MT-II as an effective agent for improving autism-like behavioral deficits in the adult male MIA mouse model of autism.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

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

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In male maternal immune activation mice, continuous MT-II administration over a seven-day course rescued the impaired social behavioral metrics.

    In plain wordsIn male mice with autism-like features, seven days of MT-II rescued their social behavior.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    IncreaseSocial behavioral metrics
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model of autism, adult male
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · seven daysAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Continuous administration of MT-II to male MIA mice over a seven-day course resulted in rescue of social behavioral metrics.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    We used a maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model of autism to assess the therapeutic potential of MT-II on autism-like features in adult male mice.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In normal background C57 male mice, MT-II did not significantly alter social behavioral metrics.

    In plain wordsIn normal mice, MT-II did not change social behavior in a significant way.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeSocial behavioral metrics in normal mice
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    normal C57 male mice
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Nervous system and cognition
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Normal background C57 male mice treated with MT-II showed no significant alteration in social behavioral metrics.
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In normal C57 mice, MT-II treatment caused no change in anxiety-like behaviors.

    In plain wordsIn normal mice, MT-II did not change anxiety-like behavior.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeAnxiety-like behaviors in normal mice
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    normal C57 male mice
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    there was no change in anxiety-like or repetitive behaviors following MT-II treatment of normal C57 mice
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In normal C57 mice, MT-II treatment caused no change in repetitive behaviors.

    In plain wordsIn normal mice, MT-II did not change repetitive behavior.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    No significant changeRepetitive behaviors in normal mice
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    normal C57 male mice
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    there was no change in anxiety-like or repetitive behaviors following MT-II treatment of normal C57 mice
  5. 05AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Safety outcome

    In normal C57 mice, subacute MT-II treatment led to significant weight loss.

    In plain wordsIn normal mice, subacute MT-II treatment led to significant weight loss.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreaseBody weight after subacute treatment
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    normal C57 male mice
    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    though there was significant weight loss following subacute treatment

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. Versions 3 to 38Current

    28 Oct 2026, 02:04 UTC

    The same notice was added 36 times, first on 9 Oct 2026, 18:17 UTC. The status did not change between them.

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

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