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Activation of melanogenesis by vacuolar type H + ‐ATPase inhibitors in amelanotic, tyrosinase positive human and mouse melanoma cells
Author(s) -
Ancans Janis,
Thody Anthony J
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01795-6
Subject(s) - bafilomycin , tyrosinase , cycloheximide , amelanotic melanoma , melanin , chemistry , melanoma , v atpase , microbiology and biotechnology , atpase , biochemistry , enzyme , biology , cancer research , protein biosynthesis , apoptosis , autophagy
In this study, we describe the activation of melanogenesis by selective vacuolar type H + ‐ATPase inhibitors (bafilomycin A1 and concanamycin A) in amelanotic human and mouse melanoma cells which express tyrosinase but show no melanogenesis. Addition of the inhibitors activated tyrosinase within 4 h, and by 24 h the cells contained measurable amounts of melanin. These effects were not inhibited by cycloheximide (2 μg/ml) which is consistent with a post‐translational mechanism of activation. Our findings suggest that melanosomal pH could be an important and dynamic factor in the control of melanogenesis in mammalian cells.