MT-1

MT-1 (Melanotan I), also referred to as afamelanotide, is a synthetic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) that acts as a full agonist at melanocortin receptors, particularly the MC1 receptor found on melanocytes in the skin. Research into MT-1 has primarily focused on its ability to stimulate the production of melanin – the pigment responsible for skin, hair, and eye colouration through activation of the melanogenesis pathway. Studies have investigated its potential to increase eumelanin synthesis, the darker, UV-protective form of melanin, which has led to considerable research interest in the context of photoprotection. Researchers have examined MT-1’s potential applications in conditions characterised by abnormal photosensitivity, including erythropoietic protoporphyria, where the compound’s ability to increase skin pigmentation may help reduce phototoxic reactions. Unlike MT-2, research suggests MT-1 has a more selective receptor binding profile with less off-target activity at other melanocortin receptor subtypes, making it a useful tool for studying receptor-specific melanocortin biology. Its photoprotective and pigmentation-modulating properties continue to make it a subject of active investigation in dermatological and photobiology research. mt-1 peptide