title: Increase of pro-opiomelanocortin mRNA prior to tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1, dopachrome tautomerase, Pmel-17/gp100, and P-protein mRNA in human skin after ultraviolet B irradiation.
abstract: In ultraviolet-induced tanning, the protein levels of various gene products critical for pigmentation (including tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1) are increased in response to ultraviolet B irradiation, but changes in mRNA levels of these factors have not been investigated in vivo. We have established an in situ hybridization technique to investigate mRNA levels of pro-opiomelanocortin, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, dopachrome tautomerase, P-protein, Pmel-17/gp100, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, and have analyzed the changes in mRNA levels in the ultraviolet B-exposed skin in vivo. The right or left forearm of each volunteer was irradiated with ultraviolet B, and skin biopsies were obtained at 2 and 5 d postirradiation. mRNA level of pro- opiomelanocortin was increased 2 d after ultraviolet B irradiation, and returned to a near-basal level after 5 d, whereas the mRNA levels of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, dopachrome tautomerase, P-protein, and Pmel-17/gp100 showed some or no increase at 2 d, but were significantly increased 5 d after ultraviolet B irradiation. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor mRNA was slightly increased on days 2 and 5 after ultraviolet B irradiation. Our results suggest that the mechanism of the tanning response of human skin may involve the transcriptional regulation of certain pigmentary genes, and that pro-opiomelanocortin-derived melanocortins such as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone may play a part in regulating these genes in vivo.
authors.affiliation: R&D Department of Dermatological Sciences, POLA Chemical Industries, Inc., Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Japan. itaru@pola.co.jp
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motokawa
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katagiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497234:MITF protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C548637:PMEL protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C489799:TYRP1 protein, human; C064056:tyrosinase-related protein-1; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C042501:dopachrome isomerase