Mutations in this gene have been associated with early onset obesity, adrenal insufficiency, and red hair pigmentation. A study concluded that a polymorphism was associated with higher fasting insulin levels in the obese patients only. These findings support the hypothesis that the melanocortin pathway may modulate glucose metabolism in obese subjects indicating a possible gene-environment interaction.<unk>  variant may be involved in the natural history of polygenic obesity, contributing to the link between type 2 diabetes and obesity. Septic patients have increased circulating plasma concentrations of<unk> . The clinical significance is currently under investigation. Further augmenting systemic glucocorticoid availability via infusion of hydrocortisone in septic mice resulted in a suppression of ACTH, an endproduct of<unk> , but not in a suppression of<unk> .
Proopiomelanocortin
Agouti-related peptide
Histrelin
Prolactin-releasing peptide
Growth hormone–releasing hormone
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
Ghrelin
Somatostatin