MCHR1 is a G protein-coupled receptor that mediates melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) signaling through dual pathways: inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and activation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis 1. The receptor localizes to primary cilia and plasma membranes, where MCH binding triggers Akt phosphorylation and downstream effects on cilia length and cellular calcium mobilization 12. MCHR1 plays central roles in energy homeostasis and feeding behavior regulation 3. Beyond its neuronal functions, MCHR1 is expressed in immune cells where it exerts immunomodulatory effects, decreasing CD3-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and modulating cAMP synthesis 2. Clinical significance centers on metabolic and neuropsychiatric disease. MCHR1 emerged as a druggable target robustly linked to bipolar disorder through expression quantitative trait locus analyses in a 41,917-case genome-wide association study 4. MCHR1 antagonists have been explored as anti-obesity therapeutics, though clinical validation remains incomplete 5. DNA methylation of MCHR1 shows allele-specific, age-dependent, and BMI-associated patterns that affect transcription, potentially explaining variable genetic associations across populations 6. Additionally, elevated serum anti-MCHR1 antibodies appear enriched in vitiligo patients (16.55% vs controls), suggesting possible autoimmune involvement 7.