Background of the antigen
Mahogany (MG), originally identified as a protein involved in pigmentation, acts in conjunction with melanocortin receptors to suppress diet-induced obesity. Mahogany contains a single transmembrane domain, and it is expressed in a broad range of tissues, including the hypothalamus and pigment cells. Mutations within the mahogany gene were shown to rescue agouti-lethal-yellow mutant mice from obesity. The extracellular domain of mouse mahogany is the ortholog of the human protein attractin. Attractin (also designated DPPT-L) is a human serum glycoprotein and is a member of the CUB family of cell adhesion and guidance proteins. Attractin is expressed on activated T cells and is released from the cells 48 to 72 hours after activation.
