What is Melanotan 2?
Melanotan II (MT-2) is a synthetic analog of the naturally occurring alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It acts as a non-selective agonist of melanocortin receptors (MC1R–MC5R), producing effects related to pigmentation, appetite suppression, and other melanocortin-mediated pathways in laboratory research models.
Melanotan 2 Structure
| Peptide Name | Melanotan II |
| Synonyms | MT-2, MT-II, Melanotan-II |
| Sequence | Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2 |
| Molecular Formula | C₅₀H₆₉N₁₅O₉ |
| Molecular Weight | 1,024.18 g/mol |
Melanotan 2 Research
1. Melanotan 2 and Skin Pigmentation
MT-2 binds MC1R on melanocytes, stimulating melanin production and melanogenesis. It has been used in research models investigating UV-independent pigmentation pathways.
2. Melanotan 2 and Appetite Regulation
Via MC4R agonism in the hypothalamus, MT-2 has been shown to reduce food intake and body weight in animal feeding models, making it relevant to obesity research.
3. Melanotan 2 and Melanocortin Receptor Pharmacology
As a non-selective melanocortin agonist, MT-2 is widely used as a research tool for characterising MC receptor subtype functions across various tissue systems.
Future Melanotan 2 Research
Research continues in areas of pigmentation disorders, melanoma models, energy homeostasis, and the role of central melanocortin signalling in metabolic regulation.
Melanotan 2 Resources
- Hadley ME, Dorr RT. – Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization. Peptides, 2006.
- Cone RD. – Anatomy and regulation of the central melanocortin system. Nature Neuroscience, 2005.


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