POMC and Parkinson disease: Mc1r mutant mice showed a compromised dopaminergic system with greater susceptibility to PD-associated mitochondrial toxin MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) and αSyn overexpression, whereas locally administered MCR agonist NDP-MSH ([Nle4, DPhe7]-α-MSH) attenuated αSyn toxicity in brain of naïve mice (Cai et al. 2018, 2022; Chen et al. 2017a).