Open AccessAn endogenous melanocyte‐inhibiting tripeptide pyroGlu‐Phe‐GlyNH 2 delays in vivo growth of monoclonal experimental melanoma
Author(s) -
Gembitsky D. S.,
Angelis P. M.,
Reichelt K. L.,
Elgjo K.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2184.2000.00166.x
Subject(s) - in vivo , melanocyte , transplantation , melanoma , in vitro , clone (java method) , cell growth , cell culture , biology , pharmacology , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , medicine , biochemistry , dna , genetics
The melanocyte‐inhibiting tripeptide (MTP) pyroGlu‐Phe‐GlyNH 2 is present in tissue cultures of non‐transformed melanocytes and melanoma cells and influences melanocyte growth in vitro . The objective of the present study was to investigate a possible effect of MTP on the in vivo growth of B16A2, a monoclonal experimental melanoma. The B16A2 clone was established by the limited dilution technique. It has a reduced DNA content and displays slower growth both in vivo and in vitro compared to the parent cell line (B16). B16A2 cells were injected subcutaneously into hairless mice at four sites (300 000 cells in 0.25 ml buffer/site). MTP was given by i.p. injection 3 times a week at two concentrations (1 pmol and 1 nmol/animal). The control animals received the equal volume of solvent. The animals were sacrificed 1 and 2 weeks after tumour transplantation, and all tumours were weighed. One week after transplantation, the animals who received 1 pmol MTP had fewer tumours and a reduced tumour load. Two weeks after the transplantation, the differences between control and treated animals were no longer observed. The results indicate that MTP temporarily delays in vivo tumour growth.