POMC and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: For example, it has been found in animals that maternal obesity and maternal consumption of HFD in lactation increases hypothalamic expression (mRNA and protein) of NPY and AgRP, whereas reduces POMC expression (Chen et al., 2009; Stofkova et al., 2009; Desai et al., 2016) and decreases sensitivity to leptin (Patterson et al., 2008).