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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · mouse · 2021

2 results

The Mesencephalic Trigeminal Nucleus Controls Food Intake and Body Weight via Hindbrain POMC Projections.

Fortin SM, Chen J, Grill HJ, Hayes MR

Nutrients13 May 2021Cited by 12 (Europe PMC)

PMID34068091 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8152732 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3390/nu13051642 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34068091
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Summary

The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Mes5) processes oral sensory-motor information, but its role in the control of energy balance remains unexplored. Here, using fluorescent in situ hybridization, we show that the Mes5 expresses the melanocortin-4 receptor. Consistent with MC4R activation in other areas of the brain, we found that Mes5 microinjection of the MC4R agonist melanotan-II (MTII) suppresses food intake and body weight in the mouse. Furthermore, NTS POMC-projecting neurons to the Mes5 can be chemogenetically activated to drive a suppression in food intake. Taken together, these findings highlight the Mes5 as a novel target of melanocortinergic control of food intake and body weight regulation, although elucidating the endogenous role of this circuit requires future study. While we observed the sufficiency of Mes5 MC4Rs for food intake and body weight suppression, these receptors do not appear to be necessary for food intake or body weight control. Collectively, the data presented here support the functional relevance of the NTS POMC to Mes5 projection pathway as a novel circuit that can be targeted to modulate food intake and body weight.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

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

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In mice, microinjection of melanotan II into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus suppressed food intake.

    In plain wordsIn mice, melanotan II injected into a small brain area lowered food intake.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreaseFood intake after Mes5 microinjection
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Microinjection into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Mes5)
    Outcome group
    Appetite and food intake · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · microinjection into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleusAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Consistent with MC4R activation in other areas of the brain, we found that Mes5 microinjection of the MC4R agonist melanotan-II (MTII) suppresses food intake and body weight in the mouse.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In mice, microinjection of melanotan II into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus suppressed body weight.

    In plain wordsIn mice, melanotan II injected into a small brain area lowered body weight.

    Peptide
    Melanotan II
    Outcome
    DecreaseBody weight after Mes5 microinjection
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    Microinjection into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Mes5)
    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · microinjection into the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleusAs given in this study (mouse).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Consistent with MC4R activation in other areas of the brain, we found that Mes5 microinjection of the MC4R agonist melanotan-II (MTII) suppresses food intake and body weight in the mouse.

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

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