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This version published online on October 21, 2004
Endocrinology, doi:10.1210/en.2004-1145
A more recent version of this article appeared on February 1, 2005
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Submitted on August 27, 2004
Accepted on October 15, 2004

A FULLY-FUNCTIONAL POMC/MC-1R SYSTEM REGULATES THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN SCALP HAIR FOLLICLE MELANOCYTES

Söbia Kauser, Anthony J Thody, Karin U Schallreuter, Christopher L Gummer, and Desmond J Tobin*

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK; Procter and Gamble Ltd., Surrey, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: D.Tobin{at}bradford.ac.uk.

The pro-opiomelanocortin derived peptides adrenocorticotropic hormone and {alpha}-melanocyte stimulating hormone are the principle mediators of human skin pigmentation, via their action at the melanocortin-1 receptor. Recent data have demonstrated the existence of a functionally active {beta}-endorphin/µ-opiate receptor system in both epidermal and hair follicle melanocytes, whereby {beta}-endorphin can regulate melanogenesis, dendricity and proliferation in these cells. However, a role for adrenocorticotropic hormone and {alpha}-melanocyte hormone in the regulation of the human follicular pigmentary unit has not been determined.

This study was designed to examine the involvement of the adrenocorticotropic hormone and {alpha}-melanocyte stimulating hormone/melanocortin-1 receptor system in human follicular melanocyte biology. To address this question we employed RT-PCR, immunohisto/cytochemistry and a functional role for these POMC peptides was assessed in follicular melanocyte cultures.

Human scalp hair follicle melanocytes synthesized and processed pro-opiomelanocortin. Adrenocorticotropic hormone and {alpha}-melanocyte stimulating hormone, in association with their processing enzymes and the melanocortin-1 receptor, are expressed in human follicular melanocytes at the message level in vitro and at the protein levels both in situ and in vitro. The expression of the pro-opiomelanocortin/melanocortin-1 receptor system was confined only to sub-populations of poorly and moderately differentiated melanocytes. In addition, functional studies revealed that adrenocorticotropic hormone and {alpha}-melanocyte stimulating hormone are able to promote follicular melanocyte differentiation by up-regulating melanogenesis, dendricity and proliferation in less differentiated melanocyte sub-populations. Thus, these findings suggest a role for these POMC peptides in regulating human hair follicle melanocyte differentiation.
Key words: adrenocorticotropic hormone • alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone • dendricity • hair pigmentation • melanocortin-1 receptor




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