The short version of melanocortin receptor fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
This page was last updated on 2026-01-09 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the endogenous tridecapeptide that regulates pigment production. Two modifications distinguish it from the natural hormone: norleucine replaces methionine at the N-terminus, which limits oxidation, and a D-phenylalanine substitution raises receptor affinity. The ring is closed through an aspartate-lysine lactam bridge, giving the molecule a constrained conformation. The free base has a molecular mass near 1024 daltons, and commercial material is usually supplied as an acetate salt. It appears in the literature as a research peptide rather than an approved therapeutic agent.
Receptor studies place melanotan-2 among non-selective melanocortin agonists, binding MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R rather than a single subtype. Activation of MC1R on cutaneous melanocytes raises tyrosinase activity and shifts pigment synthesis toward eumelanin, which is darker and more photostable than pheomelanin. Central receptors, particularly MC4R, are associated with appetite suppression and with reported effects on sexual function. Because subtype selectivity is low, the same molecule engages pigment, metabolic and vascular pathways at once, and this breadth is a common explanation offered for the range of adverse events described in user reports.
Melanotan-2, also written Melanotan II, is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Its sequence is Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, and the lactam bridge between the aspartate and lysine side chains constrains the peptide into a ring. This structural change increases receptor affinity and metabolic stability relative to the native hormone. The compound was created in the 1980s as a research tool for studying pigmentation biology.
Melanocytes are the pigment-producing cells of the skin, and they carry melanocortin-1 receptors on their surface. When the receptor is activated, cyclic adenosine monophosphate rises inside the cell and raises the activity of enzymes such as tyrosinase, which increases melanin output. Melanotan-2 binds melanocortin-1 receptors in vitro and in animal models, and this binding is generally described as the basis for the tanning effect. Other receptors account for different effects: melanocortin-4 receptors contribute to appetite and erectile signalling, while melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-5 receptors contribute to energy balance and exocrine function.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 | Free base; salt forms add to total mass |
| Molecular mass | About 1024 daltons | Calculated for the free base |
| Structural class | Cyclic heptapeptide | Contains D-phenylalanine and norleucine |
| Parent hormone | Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone | Endogenous tridecapeptide of 13 residues |
| Receptor profile | Non-selective melanocortin agonist | Interacts with MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R |
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its sequence is conventionally written as Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, with a lactam bridge joining the aspartate side chain to the lysine side chain. The empirical formula is C50H69N15O9 and the monoisotopic mass lies near 1023.5 daltons. N-terminal acetylation and the D-configured phenylalanine both increase resistance to enzymatic breakdown compared with the parent hormone.
Pharmacologically, melanotan-2 behaves as a non-selective agonist across the melanocortin receptor family. Binding at MC1R on dermal melanocytes promotes eumelanin synthesis, which underlies the tanning response described in early human work. Activity at the centrally expressed MC4R receptor is associated with reported effects on appetite and erectile function. Because the peptide does not discriminate strongly among receptor subtypes, attributing any single observed effect to one receptor pathway is generally not possible without selective antagonists or receptor knockout models.
Melanotan II is a synthetic peptide analog modeled on alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring signaling peptide involved in pigmentation. Its structure is a cyclic heptapeptide containing two non-natural substitutions, norleucine at position four and D-phenylalanine at position seven. These modifications resist enzymatic breakdown and extend the molecule's activity relative to the native hormone. The compound binds melanocortin receptors and is studied mainly as a pharmacological tool rather than a therapeutic product. It has never received approval as a medicine in any major jurisdiction.
The compound was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s by academic researchers investigating photoprotection. The rationale held that stimulating melanin production might reduce ultraviolet damage to skin and lower skin cancer risk. Early work examined receptor binding, pigment response, and short-term tolerability in small studies. That program did not produce an approved drug, and formal development stalled after early-phase trials. Whether induced pigmentation confers meaningful photoprotection remains an open question.
=== Polymorphisms === Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genetic variations within OPRK1, have been associated with susceptibility to substance use disorders and stress-related behaviors. The G36T SNP (rs1051660) is more frequent in heroin-dependent individuals compared to healthy controls. Other study found an association of OPRK1 variants with cocaine dependence and relapse susceptibility.
== Structure–activity relationship == Even though μ-opioid receptor (MOR) targeting drugs have been used for a long time, not much is known about the structure-activity relationship and the ligand-receptor interactions on the basis of well-defined biological effects on receptor activation or inhibition. Also, the distinction in the receptor-ligand interaction patterns of agonists and antagonists is not known for sure. One theory states that the morphinans biological activity could be determined by the size of the N-substituents. For example, antagonists usually have larger substituents, such as allyl- or cyclopropyl methyl at the morphinan nitrogen, while agonists generally contain a methyl group. On the other hand, agonist activity is also shown in ligands with larger groups at the morphinan nitrogen, and therefore this hypothesis is challenged.
=== Comorbidities === The condition is strongly associated with or caused by type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome (defined as at least three of the five following medical conditions: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides, and low serum high-density lipoprotein). It is also associated with:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
7-Eleven first opened in Hong Kong in 1981, when it was a British colony. As of July 2019, it operates as a subsidiary of the DFI Retail Group (formerly Dairy Farm International). It is popularly called Tsat¹-zai² (七仔, meaning "little seven") or Tsat¹-sap⁶-jat¹ (七·十一, meaning "seven eleven"). As of 2012, 7-Eleven had 964 stores in Hong Kong, of which 563 were operated by franchisees. Hong Kong reportedly has the second-highest density of 7-Eleven stores, after Macao. All 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong accept the ubiquitous Octopus card as a method of payment. They also accept payments for utility bills and public housing rent. In November 1980, Southland Corporation and Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine Matheson signed a franchise agreement to bring 7-Eleven to the territory. The first 7-Eleven shop opened in Happy Valley on April 3, 1981. The chain expanded aggressively across Hong Kong throughout the 1980s. The 50th store opened in Kwai Chung on October 6, 1983, while the 200th was inaugurated by Simon Keswick at Tai Po Centre on May 7, 1987. The stores were sold to Dairy Farm, part of Jardine Matheson, in 1989. Octopus card readers were introduced in all 7-Eleven stores in July 1999, although at first these could only be used to add value to the card. In September 2004, the number of locations in Hong Kong was substantially boosted when Dairy Farm acquired Daily Stop, a rival convenience store chain, from SCMP Retailing (HK).
Transport was a vital component of the country's economy. The economic centralization of the late 1920s and 1930s led to the development of infrastructure on a massive scale, most notably the establishment of Aeroflot, an aviation enterprise. The country had a wide variety of modes of transport by land, water and air. However, due to inadequate maintenance, much of the road, water and Soviet civil aviation transport were outdated and technologically backward compared to the First World. Soviet rail transport was the largest and most intensively used in the world; it was also better developed than most of its Western counterparts. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, Soviet economists were calling for the construction of more roads to alleviate some of the burdens from the railways and to improve the Soviet government budget. The street network and automotive industry remained underdeveloped, and dirt roads were common outside major cities. Soviet maintenance projects proved unable to take care of even the few roads the country had. By the early-to-mid-1980s, the Soviet authorities tried to solve the road problem by ordering the construction of new ones. Meanwhile, the automobile industry was growing at a faster rate than road construction. The underdeveloped road network led to a growing demand for public transport. Despite improvements, several aspects of the transport sector were still riddled with problems due to outdated infrastructure, lack of investment, corruption and bad decision-making.
Two different Dromaius species were present in Australia at the time of European settlement, and one additional species is known from fossil remains. The insular dwarf emus, D. n. baudinianus and D. n. minor, originally present on Kangaroo Island and King Island respectively, both became extinct shortly after the arrival of Europeans. D. n. diemenensis, another insular dwarf emu from Tasmania, became extinct around 1865. The mainland subspecies, D. n. novaehollandiae, remains common. The population of these birds varies from decade to decade, largely being dependent on rainfall; in 2009, it was estimated that there were between 630,000 and 725,000 birds. Emus were introduced to Maria Island off Tasmania, and Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, during the 20th century. The Maria Island population died out in the mid-1990s. The Kangaroo Island birds have successfully established a breeding population. In 1912, the Australian ornithologist Gregory M. Mathews recognised three living subspecies of emu, D. n. novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790), D. n. woodwardi Mathews, 1912 and D. n. rothschildi Mathews, 1912. The Handbook of the Birds of the World, however, argues that the last two of these subspecies are invalid; natural variations in plumage colour and the nomadic nature of the species make it likely that there is a single race in mainland Australia. Examination of the DNA of the King Island emu shows this bird to be closely related to the mainland emu and hence best treated as a subspecies.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No regulatory agency has authorised melanotan-2 as a medicine for any indication. It circulates mainly as a research chemical or through unregulated channels. As a result, identity, purity and content are not independently guaranteed.
Melanotan-1, also called afamelanotide, is a linear analogue with greater selectivity for MC1R and has received approval in some jurisdictions for a specific photosensitivity disorder. Melanotan-2 is cyclic, less selective, and reaches central receptors more readily. The two are often confused in online discussion despite different pharmacology and regulatory status.
Alpha-MSH is an endogenous tridecapeptide derived from pro-opiomelanocortin. Melanotan-2 reproduces its core receptor-binding sequence inside a shortened, stabilised ring. The result is a molecule with a longer effective half-life and higher potency than the parent hormone.
No. It is a laboratory-made peptide, while the natural hormone is alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a longer peptide produced by the pituitary gland and by skin cells. Melanotan-2 mimics only a short active region of that hormone and contains non-natural residues such as D-phenylalanine.