Pharmacological analyses of two naturally occurring porcine melanocortin-4 receptor mutations in domestic pigs

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is critical in regulating mammalian food intake and energy expenditure. Numerous mutations in the MC4R gene have been identified from obese humans. So far two naturally occurring porcine MC4R (pMC4R) mutations, D298N and R236H, have been identified from various strains of pigs and D298N is being utilized as a genetic marker to screen performance traits of pigs. In this study, we performed functional analyses of pMC4R D298N and R236H, including their ligand binding and signaling properties in transiently transfected HEK293T cells. Ligand binding assays showed that both D298N and R236H pMC4Rs had similar binding capacities and affinities for the natural agonist α-MSH and the natural antagonist Agouti-related protein as wild-type pMC4R. In signaling assays, both mutants had normal EC50 and maximal signaling to α-MSH. In summary, pMC4R mutants D298N and R236H do not have any overt functional defects; therefore we suggest caution using these mutations as selection markers in breeding programs.