Effect of pituitary and ovarian hormones on human melanocytes in vitro.
Normal human melanocytes in culture became enlarged and dendritic after a 2-day incubation with either the pituitary (beta-MSH, a potent analog of alpha-MSH, ACTH, FSH and LH) or the ovarian (estradiol, estriol and progesterone) hormones. Under the same experimental conditions, pituitary hormones also increased both the tyrosinase activity and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) while ovarian hormones increased TRP-1 but not tyrosinase activity. The results suggest that pituitary and ovarian hormones possibly induce hyperpigmentation of the skin by stimulating the melanogenesis in epidermal melanocytes, and that estradiol and progesterone may be involved in the pathogenesis of melasma (chloasma) usually developing between early adulthood and menopause in which a high concentration of serum ovarian hormones was maintained.
Maeda
K
K
Shiseido Research Center, Yokohama, Japan.
Naganuma
M
M
Fukuda
M
M
Matsunaga
J
J
Tomita
Y
Y
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004964:Estriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D011506:Proteins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C489799:TYRP1 protein, human; C064056:tyrosinase-related protein-1; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D004964:Estriol