Agutiju srodni peptid (Agutiju srodni protein, AgRP) je neuropeptid koji proizvode AgRP/NPY neuroni u mozgu. Njega jedino sintetišu ćelije koje sadrže NPY, koje su locirane u ventromedijalnom delu arkuatnog nukleusa u hipotalamusu.[1] AgRP se koizražava sa neuropeptidom Y i doprinosi povećanju apetita i umanjenju metabolizma i utroška energije. On je jedan od najpotentnijih i najdugotrajnijih stimulatora apetita. Kod ljudi, agutiju srodni peptid je kodiran AGRPgenom.[2][3]
AgRP je parakrini signalni molekul koji se sastoji od 132 aminokiseline. Njega su nezavisno identifikovala dva tima 1997. na osnovu sličnosti njegove sekvence sa aguti signalnim peptidom (ASIP), proteinom koji se sintetiše u koži i kontroliše boju dlake.[4][5] AgRP je aproksimativno 25% identičan sa ASIP. Mišji homolog AgRP peptida se sastoji od 131 aminokiseline i ima 81% identičnih aminokiselina sa humanim proteinom. Biohemijske studije indiciraju da je AgRP veoma stabilan u pogledu termalne denaturacije i kiselinske degradacije. Njegova sekundarna struktura sadrži uglavnom randomne zavoje i β-ravni.[6] AgRP je nalazi na humanom hromozomu 16q22, i mišjem hromozomu 8D1-D2.
↑Bäckberg M, Madjid N, Ogren SO, Meister B (June 2004). „Down-regulated expression of agouti-related protein (AGRP) mRNA in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of hyperphagic and obese tub/tub mice”. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res.125 (1-2): 129–39. DOI:10.1016/j.molbrainres.2004.03.012. PMID15193430.
↑Shutter JR, Graham M, Kinsey AC, Scully S, Lüthy R, Stark KL (March 1997). „Hypothalamic expression of ART, a novel gene related to agouti, is up-regulated in obese and diabetic mutant mice”. Genes Dev.11 (5): 593–602. DOI:10.1101/gad.11.5.593. PMID9119224.
↑Ollmann MM, Wilson BD, Yang YK, Kerns JA, Chen Y, Gantz I, Barsh GS (October 1997). „Antagonism of central melanocortin receptors in vitro and in vivo by agouti-related protein”. Science278 (5335): 135–8. DOI:10.1126/science.278.5335.135. PMID9311920.
↑Shutter JR, Graham M, Kinsey AC, Scully S, Lüthy R, Stark KL (March 1997). „Hypothalamic expression of ART, a novel gene related to agouti, is up-regulated in obese and diabetic mutant mice”. Genes & Development11 (5): 593–602. DOI:10.1101/gad.11.5.593. PMID9119224.
↑Ollmann MM, Wilson BD, Yang YK, Kerns JA, Chen Y, Gantz I, Barsh GS (October 1997). „Antagonism of central melanocortin receptors in vitro and in vivo by agouti-related protein”. Science278 (5335): 135–8. DOI:10.1126/science.278.5335.135. PMID9311920.
↑Rosenfeld RD, Zeni L, Welcher AA, Narhi LO, Hale C, Marasco J, Delaney J, Gleason T, Philo JS, Katta V, Hui J, Baumgartner J, Graham M, Stark KL, Karbon W (November 1998). „Biochemical, biophysical, and pharmacological characterization of bacterially expressed human agouti-related protein”. Biochemistry37 (46): 16041–52. DOI:10.1021/bi981027m. PMID9819197.
Creemers JW, Pritchard LE, Gyte A, Le Rouzic P, Meulemans S, Wardlaw SL, Zhu X, Steiner DF, Davies N, Armstrong D, Lawrence CB, Luckman SM, Schmitz CA, Davies RA, Brennand JC, White A (April 2006). „Agouti-related protein is posttranslationally cleaved by proprotein convertase 1 to generate agouti-related protein (AGRP)83-132: interaction between AGRP83-132 and melanocortin receptors cannot be influenced by syndecan-3”. Endocrinology147 (4): 1621–31. DOI:10.1210/en.2005-1373. PMID16384863.
Katsuki A, Sumida Y, Gabazza EC, Murashima S, Tanaka T, Furuta M, Araki-Sasaki R, Hori Y, Nakatani K, Yano Y, Adachi Y (May 2001). „Plasma levels of agouti-related protein are increased in obese men”. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.86 (5): 1921–4. DOI:10.1210/jc.86.5.1921. PMID11344185.
Kas MJ, Bruijnzeel AW, Haanstra JR, Wiegant VM, Adan RA (August 2005). „Differential regulation of agouti-related protein and neuropeptide Y in hypothalamic neurons following a stressful event”. J. Mol. Endocrinol.35 (1): 159–64. DOI:10.1677/jme.1.01819. PMID16087729.
Jackson PJ, Yu B, Hunrichs B, Thompson DA, Chai B, Gantz I, Millhauser GL (October 2005). „Chimeras of the agouti-related protein: insights into agonist and antagonist selectivity of melanocortin receptors”. Peptides26 (10): 1978–87. DOI:10.1016/j.peptides.2004.12.036. PMID16009463.
Bäckberg M, Madjid N, Ogren SO, Meister B (June 2004). „Down-regulated expression of agouti-related protein (AGRP) mRNA in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of hyperphagic and obese tub/tub mice”. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res.125 (1-2): 129–39. DOI:10.1016/j.molbrainres.2004.03.012. PMID15193430.