title: Autocrine catecholamine biosynthesis and the beta-adrenoceptor signal promote pigmentation in human epidermal melanocytes.
abstract: Earlier it has been shown that human proliferating/undifferentiated basal keratinocytes hold the full capacity for autocrine catecholamine synthesis/degradation and express beta2-adrenoceptors (beta2-AR). In this report, we show that human melanocytes also express all of the mRNA and enzymes for autocrine synthesis of norepinephrine but fail to produce epinephrine. So far, it was established that human melanocytes express alpha1-AR which are induced by norepinephrine yielding the inosine triphosphate diacylglycerol signal. The presence of catecholamine synthesis and the beta2-AR signal escaped definition at that time. Using RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and radioligand binding with the beta2-AR antagonist (-)-[3H]CGP 12177, we show here that human melanocytes express functional beta2-AR (4230 receptors per cell) with a Bmax at 129.3 and a KD of 3.19 nM but lack beta1-AR expression. beta2-AR stimulation with epinephrine 10(-6) M and salbutamol 10(-6)-10(-5) M yielded a strong cyclic adenosine monophospate (cAMP) response in association with upregulated melanin production. Taken together these results indicate that the biosynthesis and release of epinephrine (10(-6) M) by surrounding keratinocytes can provide the cAMP response leading to melanogenesis in melanocytes via the beta2-AR signal. Moreover, the discovery of this catecholaminergic cAMP response in melanocytes adds a new source for this important second messenger in melanogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gillbro
authors.forename: Lee K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Marles
authors.forename: Nigel A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hibberts
authors.forename: Karin U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Schallreuter
mesh_terms: D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase