Molecular control of melanogenesis in malignant melanoma: functional assessment of tyrosinase and lamp gene families by UV exposure and gene co-transfection, and cloning of a cDNA encoding calnexin, a possible melanogenesis "chaperone"

Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis of Different Skin Colors to Evaluate Genes Related to the Production of Pigment in Celestial Goldfish

Skin color is an important phenotypic feature of vertebrate fitness under natural conditions. Celestial goldfish, a common goldfish breed in China, mainly shows three kinds of skin colors including white, yellow and brown. However, the molecular genetic basis of this phenotype is still unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was carried out on the back skin tissues of celestial goldfish with different skin colors. About 58.46 Gb of original data were generated, filtered and blasted, and 74,297 mRNAs were obtained according to the reference transcriptome. A total of 4653 differentially expressed genes were screened out among the brown, yellow and white groups, and the expression of melanogenesis related genes in brown goldfish was significantly higher than the other two groups. There are 19 common differentially expressed genes among three groups, of which eight genes are related to pigment production, including tyrp1a, slc2a11b, mlana, gch2, loc113060382, loc113079820, loc113068772 and loc113059134. RT-qPCR verified that the expression patterns of randomly selected differentially expressed transcripts were highly consistent with those obtained by RNA sequencing. GO and KEGG annotation revealed that these differentially expressed genes were mostly enriched in pathways of the production of pigment, including melanogenesis, tyrosine metabolism, Wnt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway etc. These results indicated that the external characteristics of goldfish are consistent with the analysis results at transcriptome level. The results of this study will lay a foundation for further study on the expression characteristics and gene network analysis of pigment related genes.

Stimulation of melanin synthesis by UVB is mediated by NO/cGMP/PKG cascade targeting PAK4 in vitro

The coat color of mammals is primarily determined by the type, quantity, and distribution of melanin in the skin and hair. As an endogenous gas molecule, nitric oxide (NO) regulates tyrosinase production by modulating the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) pathway, which enhances melanin synthesis. However, some interrelationships have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, mouse melanocytes co-cultured with mouse keratinocytes in vitro, or as monocultures, were used as research models. The results indicated that ultraviolet B irradiation increased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and NO production, and increased PKG, p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) levels, as well as tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 and 2 expression, and melanin synthesis. During PKG inhibition, the expression of NO-regulated PAK4 and MITF was decreased. Pigment production was also affected, but remained higher than that in the control and NO inhibitor groups. These findings suggest that ultraviolet light regulates melanin production by activating the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway, which mediates the expression of PAK4, affecting melanin synthesis. On this basis, further elucidation of this regulatory network may improve our understanding of patterns of animal hair color formation.

A novel synthetic Piper amide derivative NED-180 inhibits hyperpigmentation by activating the PI3K and ERK pathways and by regulating Ca2+ influx via TRPM1 channels

Piper amides have a characteristic, unsaturated amide group and exhibit diverse biological activities, including proliferation and differentiation of melanocytes, although the molecular mechanisms underlying its antimelanogenesis effect remain unknown. We screened a selected chemical library of newly synthesized Piper amide derivatives and identified (E)-3-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-N-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)acrylamide (NED-180) as one of the most potent compounds in suppressing melanogenesis. In murine melan-a melanocytes, NED-180 downregulated the expression of melanogenic regulatory proteins including tyrosinase, Tyrp1, Dct, and MITF. PI3K/Akt-dependent phosphorylation of GSK3β by NED-180 decreases MITF phosphorylation and inhibits melanogenesis without any effects on cytotoxicity and proliferation. Furthermore, topical application of NED-180 significantly ameliorated UVB-induced skin hyperpigmentation in guinea pigs. Interestingly, data obtained using calcium imaging techniques suggested that NED-180 reduced the TPA-induced activation of TRPM1 (melastatin), which could explain the NED-180-induced inhibition of melanogenesis. All things taken together, NED-180 triggers activation of multiple pathways, such as PI3K and ERK, and inhibits TRPM1/TRPV1, leading to inhibition of melanogenesis.

“Subcellular Proteomics” of Neuromelanin Granules Isolated from the Human Brain

"Subcellular proteomics" is currently the most effective approach to characterize subcellular compartments. Based on the powerful combination of subcellular fractionation and protein identification by LC-MS/MS we were able for the first time to 1) isolate intact neuromelanin granules from the human brain and 2) establish the first protein profile of these granules. This compartment containing neuromelanin (NM) is primarily located in the primate's substantia nigra, one of the main brain regions that severely degenerates in Parkinson disease. We used mechanic tissue disaggregation, discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation, cell disruption, and organelle separation to isolate NM granules from human substantia nigra. Using transmission electron microscopy we demonstrated that the morphological characteristics of the isolated NM granules are similar to those described in human brain tissue. Fundamentally we found numerous proteins definitely demonstrating a close relationship of NM-containing granules with lysosomes or lysosome-related organelles originating from the endosome-lysosome lineage. Intriguingly we further revealed the presence of endoplasmic reticulum-derived chaperones, especially the transmembrane protein calnexin, which recently has been located in lysosome-related melanosomes and has been suggested to be a melanogenic chaperone.

Effect of thiohydroxyl compounds on tyrosinase: inactivation and reactivation study

An unusual thioether bridge (Cys-His) has been detected at the active site of mushroom tyrosinase, and the effects of thiohydroxyl compounds such as dithiothreitol (DTT) and beta-mercaptoethanol (beta-ME) on Cu2+ at the active site have been elucidated. Treatment with DTT and beta-ME on mushroom tyrosinase completely inactivated 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine oxidase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Sequential kinetic studies revealed that DTT and beta-ME caused different mixed-type inhibition mechanisms: the slope-parabolic competitive inhibition (Ki = 0.143 mM) by DTT and slope-hyperbolic noncompetitive inhibition (Ki = 0.0128 mM) by beta-ME, respectively. Kinetic Scatchard analysis consistently showed that mushroom tyrosinase had multiple binding sites for DTT and beta-ME with different affinities. Reactivation study of inactivated enzyme by addition of Cu2+ confirmed that DTT and beta-ME directly bound with Cu2+ at the active site. Our results may provide useful information regarding interactions of tyrosinase inhibitor for designing an effective whitening agent targeted to the tyrosinase active site.

A new continuous spectrophotometric assay method for DOPA oxidase activity of tyrosinase

Sensitive assay methods for tyrosinase are essential not only for the understanding the process of pigment production but also for the development of effective inhibitors of tyrosinase. To develop an efficient assay method, we applied thymol blue to reaction mixtures. The enzyme kinetic study revealed that DOPA oxidase activity of tyrosinase in thymol blue-applied reaction system was more sensitively measured, even under lower enzyme units compared with the previous report with significant enhancement of Vmax while affinity change on substrate was not observed. To test whether this method could be applicable to the inhibition and the inactivation kinetic study of tyrosinase, the effect of kojic acid, a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor, and sodium chloride respectively, have been studied. Conclusively, thymol blue method can assay tyrosinase activity with sensitivity and is applicable to the inhibition and the inactivation study of tyrosinase.

The biology of melanocytes

In veterinary medicine, our understanding of the biology and regulation of melanocytic function is mostly based on information realized from human and murine studies. Improved understanding of the biology of melanocytes is needed to develop more effective treatment regimens for malignant melanoma and other melanocytic disorders. In vertebrates, melanocytes are well known for their role in skin pigmentation, hair and feather coloration, and for their ability to produce and distribute melanin to surrounding keratinocytes. Enzymes involved in melanin synthesis are present exclusively in melanosomes. The type of melanin synthesized by melanocytes in mammals is regulated at a genetic, biochemical and environmental level. These regulatory factors affect not only the phenotypic appearance, but also the photoprotective properties of melanin. This review addresses the biology of melanocytes, melanin synthesis and the photoprotective properties of melanin.

Tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 require Rab7 for their intracellular transport

We have recently identified the association of Rab7 in melanosome biogenesis and proposed that Rab7 is involved in the transport of tyrosinase-related protein 1 from the trans-Golgi network to melanosomes, possibly passing through late-endosome-delineated compartments. In order to further investigate the requirement of Rab7-containing compartments for vesicular transport of tyrosinase family proteins, we expressed tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein by recombinant adenovirus and analyzed their localization in human amelanotic melanoma cells (SK-mel-24) in the presence or absence of a dominant-negative mutant of Rab7 (Rab7N125I). Co-infection of the recombinant adenoviruses carrying tyrosinase (Ad-HT) and TRP-1 (Ad-TRP-1) resulted in the enhancement of tyrosinase activity and melanin production compared to a single infection of Ad-HT. In the Ad-HT-infected SK-mel-24 cells many of the newly synthesized tyrosinase proteins were colocalized in lysosomal lgp85-positive granules of the entire cytoplasm, whereas in the presence of Rab7N125I the colocalization of tyrosinase and lgp85 proteins was decreased markedly in the distal area of the cytoplasm. In the Ad-TRP-1-infected SK-mel-24 cells, TRP-1, which is reported to be present exclusively in melanosomes, was detected throughout the cytoplasm, but not colocalized in prelysosomal (early endosomal) EEA-1 granules. In the presence of Rab7N125I, however, TRP-1 was retained in the EEA-1-positive granules. Our findings indicate that the dominant-negative mutant of Rab7 impairs vesicular transport of tyrosinase and TRP-1, suggesting that the transport of these melanogenic proteins from the trans-Golgi network to maturing melanosomes requires passage through endosome-delineated compartments.

Proper folding and endoplasmic reticulum to golgi transport of tyrosinase are induced by its substrates, DOPA and tyrosine

Tyrosinase is essential for pigmentation and is a source of tumor-derived antigenic peptides and cellular immune response. Wild type tyrosinase in melanoma cells and certain albino mutants in untransformed melanocytes are targeted to proteolytic degradation by the 26 S proteasome due to retention of the misfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum and its subsequent retranslocation to the cytosol. Here, we demonstrate that the substrates DOPA and tyrosine induced in melanoma cells a transition of misfolded wild type tyrosinase to the native form that is resistant to proteolysis, competent to exit the endoplasmic reticulum, and able to produce melanin. Because the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase is induced by DOPA, we propose that proper folding of the wild type protein, just like mutant forms, is tightly linked to its catalytic state. Loss of pigmentation, therefore, in tyrosinase-positive melanoma cells is a consequence of tumor-induced metabolic changes that suppress tyrosinase activity and DOPA production within these cells.

Polymerase chain reaction in the detection of circulating tumour cells in peripheral blood of melanoma patients

Conflicting results were obtained by various research groups using the tyrosinase reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detecting melanoma cells circulating in peripheral blood. Whereas 100% positivity was initially reported for stage IV patients, more recent investigations reported positive detection rates between 30% and 50% in patients with disseminated melanoma. While the high detection rate initially reported in metastatic melanoma may be explained by contamination problems, methodological differences in different steps of the technical procedure of RT-PCR may account for the differences reported in more recent examinations. Major differences may result from the kind of blood preparation, the RNA isolation method, the kind of RT enzyme used, and the gene targeted by PCR primers. In our experience, blood purification by a Ficoll gradient increased melanoma cell detection rates compared to RNA extraction from total blood or after erythrocyte lysis. Amplification of MelanA in addition to tyrosinase resulted in a 30% enhanced sensitivity of melanoma cell detection compared to amplification to tyrosinase alone, whereas gp100/pMel17 and MUC18 gene products were already detected in blood from nonmelanoma patients. These findings are in agreement with those of other groups. Currently, an increase in the sensitivity for detection of circulating tumour cells to more than 50% of patients with disseminated melanoma seems to be unlikely. It is interesting that between 15% and 30% positive results and sometimes more have already been obtained from patients with primary melanoma. So far, there is no data for judging the prognostic significance of the detection of circulating tumour cells in patients without clinically recognisable metastases. Our limited experience shows that staging examinations in these patients reveal no proof of macrometastasis. Therefore, it is presently unclear whether these positive findings are associated with long-term prognosis or if they merely reflect false positive findings in this highly sensitive RT-PCR technique.

Increased sensitivity of melanocytes to oxidative stress and abnormal expression of tyrosinase-related protein in vitiligo

BACKGROUND

Vitiligo is a depigmenting disease of the skin, which may derive from programmed melanocyte death or destruction due to inherent sensitivity to oxidative stress arising from either toxic intermediates of melanin, a melanocyte-specific protein, or other sources. Tyrosinase-related protein (TRP) -1 has been shown to be involved not only in melanin biosynthesis but also in the prevention of premature melanocyte death in animals.

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the biological role of human TRP-1 in melanocyte survival.

METHODS

Cultured melanocyte strains from an active advancing border of vitiligo were established and studied.

RESULTS

The established 'vitiligo melanocytes' showed large perikaryon and stubby dendrites. They showed early cell death when exposed to oxidative stress (ultraviolet B) and increased and abnormal immunostaining and immunoprecipitation by antibodies against human and mouse TRP-1, indicating an altered synthesis and processing of TRP-1. In pulse-chase and sequential immunoprecipitation experiments, vitiligo melanocytes revealed abnormal protein-protein interaction with calnexin, a melanogenesis-associated chaperone, suggesting altered folding and maturation of nascent TRP-1 polypeptides. Northern blot analysis indicated a decreased expression of TRP-1 mRNA, but heteroduplex analysis and verification of the mutation at the carboxy terminus of TRP-1 by restriction enzyme analysis did not show any abnormality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the early cell death of vitiligo melanocytes is related to their increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, which may arise from complex processes of abnormal synthesis and processing of TRP-1 and its interaction with calnexin.

Selective incorporation and specific cytocidal effect as the cellular basis for the antimelanoma action of sulphur containing tyrosine analogs

Tyrosine analogs are good candidates for developing melanoma chemotherapy because melanogenesis is inherently toxic and uniquely expressed in melanocytic cells. Sulphur containing substrate (tyrosine) analogs, N-acetyl-4-S-cysteaminylphenol (NAcCAP) and N-propionyl-4-S-cysteaminylphenol (NPrCAP), have been shown to have potent antimelanoma activity in mice bearing melanoma. Both NAcCAP and NPrCAP show selective cytotoxicity towards melanoma cell lines. But the mechanism leading to selectivity is not clear as these drugs are also toxic to other cell lines to a lesser extent. Here we show that these drugs have both cytostatic and cytocidal effects, which could account for this. Cytostatic effect is suggested by DNA flow cytometry. The drug causes cell cycle changes in four human cell lines (normal skin fibroblasts, HeLa cells, and melanoma cell lines, C32 and SK-MEL-23) in a dose-dependent manner blocking cells in S phase with concomitant decrease in the number of cells in G1 phase. There is also a gradual decrease in cells in G2 + M phases. The dose-concentration curves give IC50 values in the range of 50-400 microM and the melanotic melanoma cell line SK-MEL-23 has the lowest IC50 value consistent with our hypothesis that these drugs are selective towards melanoma cells. The concentration-dependent accumulation of cells in S phase suggest a cytostatic effect as a consequence of inhibition of DNA synthesis in agreement with [3H] thymidine incorporation assay. There is a highly specific uptake of [14C]NAcCAP and irreversible damage to DNA synthesis machinery in SK-MEL-23 cells, indicating a melanotic-specific cytocidal effect as well. Trypan blue exclusion study and competitive inhibition assay indicated that visible cytocidal effect occurs slowly and oxidative stress resulting from tyrosinase mediated oxidation of the drug appears to be the underlying mechanism. The primary antimelanoma effect of cysteaminylphenols derives from a selective cytostatic effect, but is followed by a specific cytocidal action rendering the drugs useful for targeted melanoma chemotherapy.

Increased sensitivity for the detection of malignant melanoma cells in peripheral blood using an improved protocol for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction

Conflicting results have been obtained by various research groups using tyrosinase reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detecting micrometastases in the blood of melanoma patients, with positive results ranging from 0 to 100% in disseminated melanoma. Methodological differences in the processing of blood samples may in part account for these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to standardize and optimize the experimental conditions for RT-PCR detection of melanoma cells in peripheral blood. We analysed the effect of different parameters of sample processing on the sensitivity of the tyrosinase RT-PCR using peripheral blood spiked with defined numbers of SKMEL28 melanoma cells. Purification of the mononuclear cell fraction using a Ficoll gradient with a density of 1.077 g/mL prior to RNA isolation gave the highest sensitivity, with the detection of two SKMEL28 cells in 5 mL of blood. In addition, the RNA isolation method and the kind of RT enzyme used had a significant impact on the sensitivity and reproducibility of tyrosinase detection, whereas variations in the PCR conditions had only a minor influence. Furthermore, we showed that amplification of MelanA in addition to tyrosinase resulted in an approximately 10% enhanced sensitivity of melanoma cell detection, whereas gp100/pMel17 and MUC18 gene products were also detected in blood from non-melanoma patients. MelanA could serve as a sensitive marker in addition to tyrosinase for detecting micrometastases.

Functional regulation of tyrosinase and LAMP gene family of melanogenesis and cell death in immortal murine melanocytes after repeated exposure to ultraviolet B

This study characterizes the induction of melanogenesis and the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP) and lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) gene families in the cultured melanocyte lines of non-agouti mice with four major genetic loci, i.e. melan-a2 (black, wild type), melan-b (brown, TRP-1 mutation), melan-s (black, piebaldism mutation) and melan-c (white, tyrosinase mutation) in response to repeated exposure to ultraviolet (UV) B (5 mJ/cm2, 7 consecutive days). Electron microscopy showed that new melanogenesis was induced in melan-a2, melan-s and melan-b melanocytes. Melan-a2, melan-s and melan-b showed an almost twofold increase in tyrosinase activity and gene expression with increased synthesis of melanosomes, although melan-b showed a minimum increase in tyrosinase activity. There was a twofold upregulation of LAMP-1 mRNA but no alteration in LAMP-2 and LAMP-3 mRNA expression in melan-a2, while there was no alteration in LAMP-1 mRNA expression but increased expression of LAMP-2 and LAMP-3 mRNA in melan-s, LAMP-3 showing a higher increase. Melan-b cells showed the same gene expression of LAMP-1, LAMP-2 and LAMP-3 as that of non-UV exposed cells. All three lines, however, exhibited simultaneously cell death, melan-b reaching the highest rate of cell death (96.5%). In contrast, melan-c, which did not have any tyrosinase activity with failure of melanogenesis induction, expressed all the mRNAs of the tyrosinase and LAMP gene families, but was not associated with any significant melanocyte death. Our study indicated: (i) that melanogenesis induction and melanocyte death are two photobiological processes occurring simultaneously after repeated UVB exposure, (ii) that in response to an upregulation of tyrosinase mRNA and enzymic activity, there was a co-ordinated upregulation of the LAMP-1 gene in wild type melan-a2, while no upregulation was found in melan-s and melan-b mutants, and (iii) that UV-induced melanocyte death is related to the upregulation of the tyrosinase gene, induction of new melanogenesis and mutation of the TRP-1 gene in immortal murine melanocytes.

What controls melanogenesis?

The pigments eumelanin and pheomelanin are the visually most striking products of specialized neural crest-derived cells (melanocytes), and provide color to both epidermis and hair shafts. While the intriguing and controversial biological functions of these multifaceted heteropolymers will be discussed in a later feature, here it is explored how their generation (melanogenesis) is controlled. For decades, this has been the object of much controversy, the salient features of which are delineated in the following contributions.

Biological role of tyrosinase related protein and its biosynthesis and transport from TGN to stage I melanosome, late endosome, through gene transfection study

Tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1 is one of the most abundant melanosomal glycoproteins involved in melanogenesis. This report summarizes our recent research efforts related to the biological role and biosynthesis of TRP-1 and its transport from TGN (trans-Golgi network) to the stage I melanosome. Our UV irradiation and tyrosinase and TRP-1 cDNA co-transfection studies indicated that human TRP-1 is involved in not only melanogenesis but also prevention of melanocyte death, which may occur during biosynthesis of melanin pigment in the presence of tyrosinase. Furthermore, a coordinated gene interaction was indicated between tyrosinase and TRP-1, resulting in upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of LAMP (lysosome-associated membrane protein)-1 that would directly prevent the tyrosinase-mediated programmed cell death of melanocytes. Similar to tyrosinase, however, TRP-1 appears to require a molecular chaperone, calnexin, which we have cloned recently. Our cDNA transfection study of tyrosinase with calnexin showed clearly the necessity of calnexin in order to have efficient, functional activity of melanosomal glycoprotein, especially tyrosinase. Once glycosylation is completed, TRP-1 will be transported from TGN to the stage I melanosome. At this stage, TRP-1 will have its own target signal, in particular, tyrosine-rich leucine residues in cytoplasmic tail. Our TRP-1 cDNA transfection and immunoelectron microscopy study shows that TRP-1 will be transported through small vesicles, probably non-clathrin-coated type, to large vacuoles, identical to the MPR (mannose-6-phosphate receptor)-positive, late endosomes. In this transport process a low molecular weight G-protein, rab-7, was isolated from the purified melanosomal protein on 2D-PAGE and identified by subsequent sequencing and PCR amplification. Confocal microscopy with double immunostaining and immunoelectron microscopy confirmed the co-localization of rab-7 and TRP-1 in the melanosomes with early stages of maturation (I-HI). Furthermore, this process will also be regulated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase).

Stress relief protein modulation by calnexin

Oxygen free radical (OFR)-mediated oxidative stress in myocardial cells following ischemia could damage unit membrane and macromolecules such as nucleic acids (DNA). It is being reported that under this condition these cells produce antioxidants and heat shock proteins (HSP 70). It is implied that this family of proteins could function as a "molecular chaperone" in the cell and hence has to be transported to various target sites. This process is comparable to the induction of oxygen free radicals in melanocytes and its response, melanin production following UV light exposure stress. Lamp-1, trp-1 and tyrosinase are melanosomal-associated stress relief proteins which are involved in the production of melanin in the subcellular organelle, melanosomes. UV exposure studies as well as gene transfection studies and antisense hybridization in human melanoma cells clearly indicated an increase and marked coordinated interaction of all these stress relief proteins in melanogenesis. These proteins are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and have to undergo posttranslation modification, sorting and posting to their respective target sites. We simultaneously identified and characterized an ER resident protein, calnexin. It became the potential candidate for "chaperoning" these proteins following translation. Based on the computer analysis of HSP 70 cDNA, we postulate that similar to stress response proteins in melanogenesis, stress relief proteins in myocardial cells may also be modulated by the same ER resident protein, calnexin.