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Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in normal human physiology and disease states
A Catania1, L Airaghi, G Colombo
1Third Division of Internal Medicine, Padiglione Granelli, Ospedale Maggiore di Milano IRCCS, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. anna.catania@unimi.it
Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism: TEM
|September 21, 2000
Abstract:
Over the past two decades, research in animal models has indicated that alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) has potent anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, recent data show that the peptide has antimicrobial effects and probably contributes to innate immunity. alpha-MSH, which is produced by many extrapituitary human cells, should no longer be considered solely a pituitary hormone; rather, it should be viewed as a ubiquitous modulatory peptide.