Investigation of the corticotropin-releasing hormone-proopiomelanocortin axis in various skin tumours.
BACKGROUND
Various types of external stress cause the skin and central neuroendocrine system to express corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-proopiomelanocortin (POMC) axis-related hormones. However, the precise role of the CRH-POMC axis-related hormones in various skin tumours is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined expression patterns of the CRH-POMC axis-related hormones in skin tumours.


METHODS
The production of CRH, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in various tumour cell lines including HaCaT and primary keratinocytes was examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical analysis of the skin tumours was also performed.


RESULTS
CRH, ACTH and alpha-MSH were strongly expressed in malignant skin tumour cell lines such as G-361 and DX-3 (both malignant melanoma, MM). However, normal and haematological malignancy cell lines did not express the CRH-POMC axis-related hormones. Immunohistochemical analysis of the skin tumours showed that MM (80%), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 70%) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC, 10%) had strong immunoreactivity (++/+++) for CRH. Strong ACTH and alpha-MSH expression was observed in MM (70% and 50%, respectively), SCC (80% and 60%, respectively) and BCC (70% and 50%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
We report that an increase in the level of the CRH-POMC axis-related hormones is associated with malignant skin tumours such as MM. These results highlight the importance of the CRH-POMC axis-related hormones in the malignant tendency of skin tumours.
Kim
M H
MH
Department of Dermatology, St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 62 Youido-dong, Youngdeunpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Korea.
Cho
D
D
Kim
H J
HJ
Chong
S J
SJ
Lee
K H
KH
Yu
D S
DS
Park
C J
CJ
Lee
J Y
JY
Cho
B K
BK
Park
H J
HJ
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000378:metabolism
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000521:alpha-MSH; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone