Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
 69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The B16/C3 murine melanoma is a pigmented tumor that is rich in the copper-containing enzyme, tyrosinase. This enzyme, which converts tyrosine to melanin precursors, is largely associated with membrane fractions of cells and exists in a number of discrete isozymic forms ranging in molecular mass from 58,000 to 150,000 daltons and pI from 3.4 to 5.2. One of these isozymes (Mr = 58,000, pI 3.4) has been purified to homogeneity. The purified enzyme catalyzes the hydroxylation of L-tyrosine to L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and the conversion of L-DOPA to dopaquinone. Ascorbic acid, tetrahydrofolate, and dopamine can serve as cofactors in the hydroxylase reaction. The Michaelis constants for the purified enzyme were 7 X 10(-4) M for L-tyrosine and 6 X 10(-4) M for L-DOPA. The Vmax for L-DOPA was much greater than the Vmax for L-tyrosine indicating that tyrosine hydroxylation is rate-limiting in melanin precursor biosynthesis. Two putative copper chelators, phenylthiourea and diethyldithiocarbamide inhibited both the tyrosine hydroxylase and L-DOPA oxidase activities of the enzyme. Phenylthiourea was a noncompetitive inhibitor while diethyldithiocarbamide was a competitive inhibitor indicating that these agents act by different mechanisms. When digested with proteases and glycosidases, higher molecular weight forms of tyrosinase co-migrated with the purified enzyme in isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggesting that the isozyme was derived from larger precursors. Thus, post-translational processing of tyrosinase may underlie isozyme diversity and this may be important in the control of melanogenesis in this tumor model.
 ...
PMID:Tyrosinase isozyme heterogeneity in differentiating B16/C3 melanoma. 309 4

Murine melanoma melanosomal tyrosinase, solubilised at pH 6.8 and 1% Igepal, exhibits a lag in cresolase activity which increases with increasing concentration of tyrosine. The enzyme, solubilised at pH 5.0 and assayed at pH 5.0, does not exhibit lag even at inhibitory concentrations of tyrosine while the same enzyme when assayed at pH 6.8 exhibits characteristic lag. When the enzyme was solubilised from a melanosomal fraction with detergent/water without any buffer, significant linear activity for 2 h was seen at an inhibitory concentration of tyrosine, indicating for the first time the presence of a form of tyrosinase without lag and inhibition by excess tyrosine. Exposure of the enzyme solubilised in buffer/detergent at pH 6.8 to rapid decrease in pH to 5.0 or 4.7 makes the enzyme remain irreversibly in the form without characteristic lag, even at an inhibitory concentration of tyrosine and at pH 6.8. These results may be interpreted as follows. The enzyme at pH 6.8 exists in the E form with an allosteric site for tyrosine. Decrease of the pH of the enzyme solution from 6.8 to 5.0 or 4.7 by dialysis results in the reversible protonation of the enzyme, which no longer binds tyrosine at its allosteric site and consequently inhibition by excess tyrosine and lag were not observed at acidic pH. However, if the enzyme was rapidly brought to pH 5.0 from 6.8 it remains irreversibly in the protonated form even at pH 6.8. Ascorbic acid acts as an effective reductant for the hydroxylation of tyrosine by tyrosinase, while 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine is both an effective reductant and counteracts the inhibition by tyrosine at pH 6.8.
 ...
PMID:pH-dependent interconvertible allosteric forms of murine melanoma tyrosinase. Physiological implications. 311 52

Decarboxylation of an unnatural analogue of DOPA by brain aromatic amino acid decarboxylase was measured by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Incubation of striatal slices with DL-2,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (2,4-DOPA) resulted in biosynthesis and accumulation of 2,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine, which was completely blocked by carbidopa. 2,4-DOPA induced a significant decrease in endogenous dopamine, but the loss was not prevented by carbidopa. Since 2,4-DOPA is a potential pro-drug for melanoma chemotherapy, further evaluation of its neurobiologic properties is needed.
 ...
PMID:Decarboxylation of DL-2,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (2,4-DOPA) to 2,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine in mouse striatal slices. 311 67

A spontaneous, hypomelanotic variant (MI) of the highly melanotic transplantable hamster melanoma of Bomirski (Ma) is the subject of this report. Tyrosinase activity is 2-3 times higher, but melanin content significantly lower than in the parental Ma melanotic melanoma. Acid phosphatase activity is similar in both, but beta-glucuronidase and aryl-sulfatase A are 2-3 times higher in the hypomelanotic variant. Transplanted MI melanomas grow more slowly than the parental tumor, but metastasize with similar incidence and localization. Hypomelanotic variant melanoma cells, even those in grossly nonnecrotic parts of the transplants, show signs of low viability like swelling of the cytoplasm or cellular condensation, and disintegration. Autophagic vacuoles are numerous. They appear to be formed by enclosure of a portion of cytoplasm by cisternae of smooth endoplasmic reticulum or trans-Golgi network. These limiting cisternae contain tyrosinase as evidenced by deposition of electron dense reaction product on incubation with tyrosine or DOPA. Other sites of ultrastructural tyrosinase reaction are melanosomes and the smooth-surfaced cisternae and vesicles of the trans-Golgi network. We postulate the low cell viability, associated with autophagosome formation, is the cause for the growth retardation of the MI variant, and that the lower melanin content of these tyrosinase-rich cells is due to sequestration of a substantial portion of newly synthesized enzyme into autophagic vacuoles before it has the chance of being incorporated into melanosomes.
 ...
PMID:Pathology and ultrastructural characteristics of a hypomelanotic variant of transplantable hamster melanoma with elevated tyrosinase activity. 311 4

We have examined the rate of synthesis and degradation of tyrosinase (monophenol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1), the critical enzyme involved in mammalian pigmentation, using pulse-chase metabolic labeling of murine melanoma cells and immunoprecipitation of protein extracts with antibodies directed specifically against the enzyme. We have found that tyrosinase is synthesized and glycosylated within melanocytes rapidly, since significant quantities of pulse-labeled enzyme could be detected within 30 min. The maximum amount of enzyme was processed within 4 hr, and the t1/2 of tyrosinase in vivo was 10 hr (compared to 120 hr with purified enzyme), suggesting that tyrosinase activity in melanocytes is at least in part regulated by rapid synthesis and active degradation. We also have examined the melanogenic stimulation caused by melanocyte-stimulating hormone, using metabolic labeling, radiometric assays, and immunofluorescence techniques; responding cells increased their melanogenic potential more than 7-fold within 4 days without increasing their levels of tyrosinase synthesis. The results demonstrate that a pool of inactive tyrosinase exists in melanocytes and that rapid increases in enzyme activity elicited by melanocyte-stimulating hormone reflect an alteration in the activity of a preexisting pool of intracellular tyrosinase.
 ...
PMID:Mammalian tyrosinase: biosynthesis, processing, and modulation by melanocyte-stimulating hormone. 313 64

N-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) was found to be accumulated in human melanoma cell lines, HMV-I and -II, which originate from human melanoma and differentiate into subclones, HMV-I and -II. HMV-II cells can produce a large amount of melanin, while the other cells produce less. After 3 day culture of these cells in the presence of 1-100 microM MPP+, MPP+ was accumulated in both types of cells and a much larger amount of MPP+ was accumulated in melanin-rich HMV-II cells than in HMV-I cells, even though the uptake velocity of MPP+ into both types of cells was almost the same. In addition, both types of cells could survive, even with MPP+ accumulation. Protein amounts, a non-specific enzyme, beta-galactosidase activity, and intracellular DOPA concentrations in both types of cells, were not affected by the presence of MPP+. These results suggest that MPP+ is accumulated in non-dopaminergic cells and the accumulation is enhanced by the presence of melanin.
 ...
PMID:Accumulation of N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) in human melanoma cell line, HMV-I and -II. 313 52

Melanin formation from 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) was studied in the presence of estradiol and 2-hydroxyestradiol by use of a tyrosinase isolated from B16-F10 melanoma cells grown in C57 black female mice. Both steroids were found incorporated into melanin, but the 2-hydroxy compound was incorporated to a higher extent. The melanin was also able to bind substantial amounts of the two steroids, and the more highly oxidized compound showed higher binding. Melanin isolated from incubates of dopa with mushroom tyrosinase has the ability to bind the steroids and to incorporate small amounts into its structure. It is suggested that melanin in mammalian tissues may function as a depository for estrogens, particularly for those which are more highly oxidized.
 ...
PMID:Role of estradiol and 2-hydroxyestradiol in melanin formation in vitro. 313 36

The cytotoxic activities of three new synthetic catechol analogues, beta-[(p-hydroxyphenyl)amino]alanine (Compound 1), N delta-(p-hydroxyphenyl)ornithine (Compound 2), and N delta-(m-hydroxyphenyl)ornithine (Compound 3), were determined against 10 human melanoma and 5 nonmelanoma cell lines. Activities of L-DOPA and 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine were also measured. Dose-response curves were obtained and concentrations in micrograms/ml required to give 90% inhibition of colony formation (IC90) were calculated. Using a cutoff IC90 of less than 2.5 as a definition of activity. Compound 2 was active in 6 of 10 melanoma and 0 of 5 nonmelanoma cell lines while both Compound 1 and L-DOPA methyl ester were active in 1 of 10 melanomas and 0 of 5 nonmelanomas. Compound 3 was inactive in all cell lines and all IC90 values exceeded 100. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzylamine was active in 3 of 8 melanomas and 1 of 5 nonmelanomas. Regression analysis of IC90 values for Compound 2 and tyrosinase levels in the 15 cell lines yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.93 (P less than 0.001). By contrast, a similar analysis for 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine gave a correlation coefficient of 0.17 (P greater than 0.05). Spectrophotometric data indicated that Compounds 1 and 2 were oxidized by tyrosinase to quinones. Cytotoxic activity was blocked by the tyrosinase inhibitor phenylthiocarbamide. Since the rates of activation of Compounds 1 and 2 were identical, the higher activity of Compound 2 was probably due to its higher lipophilicity and greater intracellular accumulation. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited greater potency and selectivity against malignant melanoma than did the natural product L-DOPA methyl ester.
 ...
PMID:Structure-activity relationships defining the cytotoxicity of catechol analogues against human malignant melanoma. 313 17

In order to investigate the possibility of using [1-11C] labelled 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and tyrosine as radiopharmaceuticals for the detection of eye melanoma, the biodistributions of the same 1- and 3-14C-labelled compounds were investigated in Syrian golden hamsters with Greene melanoma. The results of these investigations were compared with positron emission tomography (PET) images of 11C labelled DOPA and tyrosine. The synthesis of these 11C labelled compounds procures of DL mixture, from which D and L forms can be separated. One h after intravenous injection, both 14C labelled DL-, L- and D-DOPA showed a high uptake in tumour tissue, that of DL- and D-DOPA being the highest. These high uptakes, together with relatively low uptake in bone, skin and eye resulted in high tumour/non tumour ratio (for DL-DOPA 5.9, 4.5 and 6.6 respectively). Extraction of the tumour tissue with trichloroacetic acid showed that L-DOPA was mainly incorporated into melanin, whereas D-DOPA was not. Also, the uptake 1 h after intravenous injection of 1-14C-L- and DL-tyrosine into the tumour were high, but L- and DL- were less different; tumour/non tumour ratios were favorable. PET images of the tumour obtained 40-80 min after injection of the [1-11C] labelled DOPA and tyrosine confirmed that melanoma detection was promising and that D-DOPA produced a better melanoma image than L-DOPA.
 ...
PMID:Potential radiopharmaceuticals for the detection of ocular melanoma. Part III. A study with 14C and 11C labelled tyrosine and dihydroxyphenylalanine. 314 Nov 89

Identification of growth factors for normal human melanocytes has been significantly aided by the recent development of in vitro culture systems for this cell. Utilizing such a system, we studied the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on both melanocyte growth and melanization by incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (3H-DOPA), respectively. 3H-thymidine incorporation was found to be significantly stimulated during the first 24 h following a single irradiation. 3H-DOPA incorporation was stimulated after a delay of 2 days postirradiation. Whereas UVR has long been known to induce melanocyte proliferation in vivo, these studies show that UVR can act as a mitogenic stimulus for this cell independent of the cutaneous environment. UVR can thus be added to a growing list of growth factors for epidermal pigment cells and is the only physical agent conclusively shown to act as a mitogen. Included in this list are substances that act via stimulation of the CAMP-kinase or protein kinase systems such as cholera toxin and phorbol esters. UVR is postulated to induce melanocyte proliferation by modulation of these second messenger pathways. With recent evidence linking growth factors, oncogenes and malignant transformation, this study supports the association between UVR exposure and the development of malignant melanoma, and suggests mechanisms whereby UVR may contribute to malignant transformation of this cell.
 ...
PMID:Ultraviolet radiation acts as an independent mitogen for normal human melanocytes in culture. 323 7


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>