The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Joan Vaughn

Jean E Rivier

Wylie W Vale, Jr

Wolfgang H Fischer

Jean-Louis M Nahon

Francoise G Presse

Mammalian melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is isolated from rat tissue, purified and characterized. These MCH peptides are useful for treating skin disorders, for suppressing the proliferation of skin tumor cells, such as melanomas in mammals, and for modulating the secretion of ACTH. Generally, peptides are provided which have the following formula: ##STR1## or which are naturally occurring homologs of the peptide with said formula. The peptides which are the naturally occurring MCH homologs of mammalian species other than rat can also be obtained using the materials disclosed, as demonstrated specifically with human MCH, which is found to have the same structure as rat MCH. Also disclosed are the amino acid sequences of, and the nucleotide sequences of the cDNAs which encode, the putative precursors of rat MCH and human MCH. These precursors may also include one or more biologically active peptides N-terminally of the mature MCH's. Among these peptides, which are thought to be formed from the MCH precursors, are the peptide with the sequence H-Glu-Ile-Gly-Asp-Glu-Glu-Asn-Ser-Ala-Lys-Phe-Pro-Ile-NH.sub.2, which is cross-reactive with antibodies against alpha-MSH and CRF, and the peptide with the sequence H-Gly-X.sub.NGE -Phe-Pro-Ala-Glu-Asn-Gly-Val-Gln-Asn-Thr-Glu-Ser-Thr-Gln-Glu-OH, wherein X.sub.NGE is Pro-Ala-Val or Ser-Val-Ala, which is cross-reactive with antibodies against GRF.

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Joan Vaughn