ACTH (1-13) is a peptide fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone , a peptide hormone found in the brain that is involved in the biological stress response.1 An acetylated form of ACTH (1-13), α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), is formed in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland by cleavage of ACTH (1-39), as well as in keratinocytes, astrocytes, monocytes, and gastrointestinal cells.1,2 ACTH (1-13) is an agonist of melanocortin receptor 3 (MC3R) and MC4R, inducing cAMP production in vitro with EC50 values of 0.18 and 19 nM, respectively, which is similar in potency to that of α-MSH.3 It induces differentiation of melanocytes when used at concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 1,000 nM.4 ACTH (1-13) (40 and 400 pmol, i.c.v.) decreases food intake in broiler chicks.5
References
1. Strand, F.L., Lee, S.J., Zuccarelli, L.A., et al. Non-corticotropic ACTH peptides modulate nerve development and regeneration. Rev. Neurosci. 4(4), 321-363 (1993).
2. Catania, A., Airaghi, L., Colombo, G., et al. α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in normal human physiology and disease states. Trends Endocrinol. Metab. 11(8), 304-308 (2000).
3. Miwa, H., Gantz, I., Konda, Y., et al. Structural determinants of the melanocortin peptides required for activation of melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 273(1), 367-372 (1995).
4. Hirobe, T., and Hiroyuki, A. ACTH4-12 is the minimal message sequence required to induce the differentiation of mouse epidermal melanocytes in serum-free primary culture. J. Exp. Zool. 286(6), 632-640 (2000).
5. Saneyasu, T., Honda, K., Kamisoyama, H., et al. Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone plays an important role in the regulation of food intake by the central melanocortin system in chicks. Peptides 32(5), 996-1000 (2011).