Original Article

Journal of Investigative Dermatology (1987) 89, 269–273; doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12471337

Stimulation of Follicular Melanogenesis in the Mouse by Topical and Injected Melanotropins

Norman Levine1, Athena Lemus-Wilson2, Sterling H Wood2, Zalfa A Abdel Malek2, Fahad Al-Obeidi3, Victor J Hruby3 and Mac E Hadley2

  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine (Dermatology), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.
  2. 2Department of Anatomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.
  3. 3Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.

Received 12 May 1986; Accepted 26 January 1987.

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Abstract

The effects of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and related analogs on follicular melanogenesis in the mouse (C57BL/6JAgamma) were studied. (Nle4, D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH and the related fragment analogues Ac-[Nle4, D-Phe7]-alpha- MSH4–11-NH2 and Ac-[Nle4, D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH4–10-NH2, stimulated the conversion of pheomelanogenesis to eumelanogenesis when subcutaneously injected at concentrations 100-fold lower than tile native hormone, alpha-MSH. In addition, the melanotropin analogs stimulated follicular eumelanogenesis when applied topically to the skin of mice. The melanotropins were transdermally delivered to the systernic circulation as evidenced by the fact that cumelano- genesis was stimulated in flair follicles in areas distant from the site of topical application. These results demonstrate that peptide hormone analogs can be transported across the skin. The unique actions of the melanotropin analogs may relate to the fact that these peptides are nonbiodegradable and thus exert prolonged actions on melanocytes. These compounds may prove important for studies on normal integumental melanogenesis and for the treatment of hy- popigmentary disorders in humans.

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