Identification of melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) as the natural ligand for the orphan somatostatin-like receptor 1 (SLC-1)

To identify possible ligands of the orphan somatostatin-like receptor 1 (SL C-1), rat brain extracts mere analyzed by using the functional expression s ystem of Xenopus oocytes injected with cRNAs encoding SLC-1 and G protein-g ated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK), A strong inward current was observed with crude rat brain extracts which upon further purification by cation exchange chromatography and high performance liquid chromatograp hy (HPLC) yielded two peptides with a high agonist activity. Mass spectrome try and partial peptide sequencing revealed that one peptide is identical,v ith the neuropeptide melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), the other represe nts a truncated version of MCH lacking the three S-terminal amino acid resi dues. Xenopus oocytes expressing the MCH receptor responded to nM concentra tions of synthetic MCH not only by the activation of GIRK-mediated currents but also by the induction of Ca2+ dependent chloride currents mediated by phospholipase C. This indicates that the MCH receptor can couple either to the G(i)- or G(q)-mediated signal transduction pathway, suggesting that MCH may serve for a number of distinct brain functions including food uptake b ehavior. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.