Adult mice of both sexes selectively lacking Prdm12 from POMC neurons, showed a considerable reduction in Pomc mRNA levels that led to an amplified food intake, adiposity and bodyweight gain, as well as early-onset obesity that recapitulated symptoms of human POMC deficiency (Figure 4B) [22,71]. The gene discussed is POMC; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.