title: Effects of a melanotropic peptide on melanoma cell growth, metastasis, and invasion.
abstract: Melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH, alpha-melanotropin),Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Ly-Pro-Va l-NH2, regulates melanogenesis within epidermal melanocytes of many animals. An MSH analogue ([Nle4,D-Phe7]alpha-MSH) that exhibits superpotency and prolonged biological activity has been synthesized, biologically characterized, and is presently in clinical trials to determine its possible clinical use in tanning of the skin. It also has potential for the diagnosis, localization, and chemotherapy of melanoma. The effects of this analogue on the growth, metastatic behavior, and invasive potential of a melanotic variant of Cloudman S-91 murine melanoma are reported here. In an intracutaneous murine model of melanoma cell tumor growth, the analogue did not increase primary tumor growth (size) after the period of administration of the peptide hormone analogue and did not affect spontaneous lung metastases. Survival times for the control and melanotropin-treated groups were similar, suggesting that overall tumor burden was not affected by treatment with the hormone analogue. Last, melanoma cell invasion through a human amniotic basement membrane in vitro was not enhanced compared to untreated cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Gehlsen
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hendrix
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000521:alpha-MSH; C027756:MSH, 4-Nle-7-Phe-alpha-; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones