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Serotoninergic and melatoninergic systems are fully expressed in human skin
Author(s) -
Slominski Andrzej,
Pisarchik Alexander,
Semak Igor,
Sweatman Trevor,
Wortsman Jacobo,
Szczesniewski Andre,
Slugocki George,
McNulty John,
Kauser Söbia,
Tobin Desmond J.,
Jing Chen,
Johansson Olle
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.01-0952fje
Subject(s) - human skin , melatonin , dermal papillae , serotonin , tryptophan hydroxylase , epidermis (zoology) , dermis , keratinocyte , biology , skin cancer , melanocyte , cell culture , melanoma , cell , follicular phase , medicine , endocrinology , cancer research , hair follicle , serotonergic , cancer , biochemistry , anatomy , genetics , receptor
We investigated the cutaneous expression of genes and enzymes responsible for the multistep conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and further to melatonin. Samples tested were human skin, normal and pathologic (basal cell carcinoma and melanoma), cultured normal epidermal and follicular melanocytes, melanoma cell lines, normal neonatal and adult epidermal and follicular keratinocytes, squamous cell carcinoma cells, and fibroblasts from dermis and follicular papilla. The majority of the samples showed simultaneous expression of the genes for tryptophan hydroxylase, arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase (AANAT), and hydroxyindole‐Omethyltransferase (HIOMT). The products of AANAT activity were identified by RP‐HPLC with fluorimetric detection in human skin and in cultured normal and malignant melanocytes and immortalized keratinocytes; HIOMT activity was detected in human skin, keratinocytes, and melanoma cells. N‐acetylserotonin (NAS) was detected by RP‐HPLC in human skin extracts. NAS identity was confirmed further by LC/MS in keratinocytes. In conclusion, we provide evidence that the human skin expresses intrinsic serotonin and melatonin biosynthetic pathways.