Vitamin A metabolism and mRNA expression of retinoid-binding protein and receptor genes in human epidermal melanocytes and melanoma cells.

Abstract

Retinoids inhibit proliferation of melanocytes and melanoma cells and affect disorders of hypo- and hyperpigmentation. Such effects might involve retinoid-binding proteins, retinoid metabolites and nuclear retinoid receptors for transcriptional activation. We detected messenger RNA transcripts for the cellular retinol- and retinoic acid-binding proteins (CRBP, CRABP I and II) in cultured epidermal melanocytes. In the melanoma cell lines the major transcript was CRABP II. Nuclear retinoic acid (RA) receptor transcripts and the 9-cis-retinoic acid receptor transcript were detected in all cells. The endogenous concentrations of retinol (ROH) and its metabolite 3,4-didehydroretinol (ddROH) in melanocytes were five times those in melanoma cells. When cells were incubated with [3H]ROH the main metabolites in the melanocytes were [3H]ddROH (4%) and [3H]RA (0.4%). Formation of [3H]RA was only detected in one melanoma cell line. Both melanocytes and melanoma cells produced an unidentified metabolite when incubated with [3H]ROH and [3H]RA. Dissimilarities in the metabolism and endogenous concentration of retinoids between benign and malignant melanocytes might play a key role in differentiation and growth regulation.

• Authors: I Rosdahl, E Andersson, B Kågedal, H Törmä
• Journal: Melanoma research (Melanoma Res) Vol. 7 Issue 4 Pg. 267-74 (Aug 1997) ISSN: 0960-8931 [Print] England
• PMID: 9293476 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• RNA, Messenger
• Receptors, Cell Surface
• Retinol-Binding Proteins
• Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular
• retinol binding protein receptor
• Tritium
• Vitamin A
• Tretinoin

Topics

• Cells, Cultured
• Child
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Melanocytes (metabolism)
• Melanoma (metabolism)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Receptors, Cell Surface (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Retinol-Binding Proteins (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular
• Skin (cytology, metabolism)
• Tretinoin (metabolism)
• Tritium
• Tumor Cells, Cultured
• Vitamin A (metabolism)