title: Melanogenesis as a targeting strategy against metastatic melanoma: a reassessment.
abstract: Following the early study of Hochstein and Cohen in 1963 suggesting the potential toxicity of quinonoid melanin precursors, considerable interest has been focused on the possibility of exploiting the pigment-producing pathway as a targeting strategy against metastatic melanoma. Several melanocytotoxic phenolic pro-drugs have been developed, and some of them have reached the preclinical stage. Here we review the progress made so far and supply some insight into the chemical and biochemical mechanisms underlying the melanocytotoxic response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic and Biological Chemistry, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prota
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: d'Ischia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mascagna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008543:Melanins