Agouti Signalling Peptide (ASIP)

Agouti signalling peptide, also referred to as Agouti, is a peptide consisting of 131 amino acids. Its discovery was published in 1994 in the scientific journal Nature where its functional properties were described. It acts as an inverse agonist at melanocortin receptors, specifically, MC1. It is produced by the Agouti gene ASIP.

In mice, the agouti gene encodes a paracrine signaling molecule that causes hair follicle melanocytes to synthesize pheomelanin, a yellow pigment, instead of the black or brown pigment, eumelanin. Pleiotropic effects of constitutive expression of the mouse gene include adult-onset obesity, increased tumor susceptibility, and premature infertility. Expressed in adipose tissue, testis, ovary and heart and at lower levels in liver, kidney and foreskin.