title: Amyloids, melanins and oxidative stress in melanomagenesis.
abstract: Melanoma has traditionally been viewed as an ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced malignancy. While UV is a common inducing factor, other endogenous stresses such as metal ion accumulation or the melanin pigment itself may provide alternative pathways to melanoma progression. Eumelanosomes within melanoma often exhibit disrupted membranes and fragmented pigment which may be due to alterations in their amyloid-based striated matrix. The melanosomal amyloid can itself be toxic, especially in combination with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) generated by endogenous NADPH oxidase (NOX) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes, a toxic mix that may initiate melanomagenesis. Further understanding of the loss of the melanosomal organization, the behaviour of the exposed melanin and the induction of ROS/RNS in melanomas may provide critical insights into this deadly disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu-Smith
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poe
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: Frank L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Meyskens
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020460:Melanosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D008543:Melanins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: NADPH oxidase; amyloids; melanoma; melanosome; reactive oxygen species melanin