Benign form of monogenic obesity conferred by the melanocortin 4 receptor

Anke Hinney; Triinu Peters; Luisa Sophie Rajcsanyi

doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2025.12.006

Benign form of monogenic obesity conferred by the melanocortin 4 receptor

Cell Metab. 2026 Jan 6;38(1):12-13. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.12.006.

Authors

Anke Hinney¹, Triinu Peters², Luisa Sophie Rajcsanyi²

Affiliations

¹ Section of Molecular Genetics in Mental Disorders, LVR-University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Institute of Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Center for Translational and Behavioural Neuroscience, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. Electronic address: anke.hinney@uni-due.de.
² Section of Molecular Genetics in Mental Disorders, LVR-University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Institute of Sex- and Gender-Sensitive Medicine, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Center for Translational and Behavioural Neuroscience, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.

PMID: 41500196
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.12.006

Abstract

Mutations that impair the function of the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) cause severe obesity in both heterozygous and homozygous carriers. However, recent findings indicate that individuals with this form of monogenic obesity may be unexpectedly protected against dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.

MeSH terms

Animals
Humans
Mutation
Obesity* / genetics
Obesity* / metabolism
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4* / genetics
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4* / metabolism

Substances

MC4R protein, human
Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4