title: Effect of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone on tyrosinase activity in hair follicular and epidermal melanocytes of the mouse.
abstract: In this study, the effect of alpha-MSH on tyrosinase activity was compared in epidermal and hair follicular melanocytes of mice. It had no effect on epidermal tyrosinase activity in dorsal skin from neonatal non-agouti black mice (C57BL/6J) in both in-vivo and in-vitro experiments. Theophylline and 8-bromocyclic (c)AMP were similarly without effect in in-vitro experiments. In-vivo administration of alpha-MSH and theophylline for 7 days was also without effect on epidermal tyrosinase activity in ear skin of adult non-agouti mice, and the same was true for alpha-MSH in wild-type agouti mice. Activation of the epidermal melanocytes in the non-agouti and wild-type agouti mice with ultraviolet radiation also failed to bring about a response to alpha-MSH and to theophylline in the case of the former. No tyrosinase activity was detected in the epidermis of viable yellow mice (C3H-HeAvy), but, as shown previously, tyrosinase activity was present in the hair follicle when the hair was actively growing and was increased in those mice given either alpha-MSH or theophylline. alpha-MSH and theophylline had no such effects on hair follicular tyrosinase activity in the non-agouti mice. The present results suggest that alpha-MSH- and cAMP-dependent mechanisms have little or no importance in the regulation of tyrosinase expression in mouse epidermal melanocytes. alpha-MSH may, however, regulate tyrosinase expression in hair follicular melanocytes, but even in these melanocytes its action may be restricted to mice that express the agouti gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seechurn
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Burchill
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thody
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D000521:alpha-MSH; D013806:Theophylline; D004156:Catechol Oxidase; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase