title: Melanin content of cultured human melanocytes and UV-induced cytotoxicity.
abstract: Cultured melanocytes originating from persons with different skin phototypes were utilized for measurement of endonuclease sensitive sites induced by UVB and the determination of cell survival after UVA or UVB irradiation. During culture, the melanocytes largely maintained their phenotypic characteristics according to their original skin phototype. Total melanin concentrations were 4.9 times higher in the darker skin phototype (IV-VI) melanocytes when compared to the cells from lighter skin phototypes (I-III). Also phaeomelanin contents were higher (2.5 times) in the skin phototype (IV-VI) melanocytes which implies that the cells from light skin types contain less melanin, but a relatively high proportion of phaeomelanin. After UVB irradiation a stronger induction of endonuclease sensitive sites was found for melanocytes with a lower level of total melanin and a high content of pheomelanin. By measuring the clone forming ability in different melanocyte cultures after UVB irradiation, significant better survival was found in case of the cells with the higher melanin content. Despite the large variations in melanin content, no significant difference in survival after UVA irradiation could be demonstrated in this way. Our results suggest a protective effect of melanin for UVB and indicate the importance of the measurements of melanin content and composition when different parameters of UV-induced damage are studied in melanin producing cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: De Leeuw
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Veldhoven
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pennings
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavel
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Schothorst
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017484:Dermatitis, Phototoxic; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D010858:Pigmentation; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; C016042:phaeomelanin