title: Influence of indoles (melatonin, serotonin and tryptophan) on the porphyrin metabolism in vitro.
abstract: We examined the influence of melatonin, serotonin and tryptophan on the basal and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced porphyrin content in HaCaT, SKMel-23 and HepG2 cells. ALA-preincubated and ALA-free cells were fed with medium containing 1 mM melatonin, serotonin or tryptophan. After 24 h the porphyrin content in the cells and in the culture medium was measured. In the three cell lines the inbucation with 1 mM ALA over 24 h increased the porphyrin concentration in all cell lines in different degrees: HepG2 > SKMel-23 > HaCaT cells. In HepG2 cells, neither melatonin, serotonin nor tryptophan influenced ALA-induced porphyrin concentrations significantly, but all three indoles depressed the porphyrin levels in SKMel-23 and HaCaT cells. The indoles may decrease the ALA uptake in HaCat or SKMel-23 cells. Another mechanism could be the inhibition of enzymes converting ALA into porphyrins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bolsen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verwohlt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goerz
mesh_terms: D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011166:Porphyrins; D012701:Serotonin; D014364:Tryptophan; D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase; D008550:Melatonin