Virtual Issue on Melanin Chemistry
Most recent articles published on Melanin Chemistry [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007] [2006] [2005] [1993]
Preface by Shosuke Ito
Welcome to the virtual issue of Melanin Chemistry, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research (PCMR). This issue represents a collection of papers devoted to melanin chemistry and published in PCMR since 2005. You may be surprised to find nearly 50 papers, meaning almost two papers per issue. The number of papers will expand with time, and this virtual issue will become an increasingly handy entry to the fascinating world of Melanin Chemistry, from melanogenesis and melanin’s structure and properties to its functional significance.
In melanocytes, melanogenesis takes place on melanosomes through tyrosinase oxidation of tyrosine. The immediate product dopaquinone, a pivotal molecule in the control of melanogenesis, spontaneously gives rise to the brown to black eumelanin via 5,6-dihydroxyindoles, while intervention by cysteine leads to the production of the yellow to reddish brown pheomelanin via cysteinyldopas. To encompass the complex mechanisms of melanogenesis, this virtual issue covers a broad range of topics, from how tyrosinase is processed and degraded in the melanocyte and how melanin precursors are assembled to melanin polymers on the melanosome and eventually degraded, to how dopaquinone spontaneously regulates melanogenesis, to name just a few.
The relationship between melanin structure and its properties has also drawn much attention among pigment cell researchers. While the structure of eumelanin is still not well understood, its unique visible absorption giving a monotonic broad band spectrum is discussed in terms of the chemical disorder model. The redox exchange and cation exchange properties of eumelanin also rely on both the dihydroxyindole moiety in the structure of eumelanin and its oxidized indolequinone moiety with a contribution from the attached carboxyl group.
A major functional role of eumelanin is to protect melanocytes from harmful UV-induced DNA damage by virtue of absorption of UV light. On the other hand, pheomelanin may become a pro-oxidant upon UV exposure. In this regard, assaying eu- and pheo-melanin has become an indispensable tool in pigment cell biology. Some papers deal with the biological significance of the content of eu- and pheo-melanin in epidermal and uveal melanocytes both in vitro and in vivo.
Finally, pigment-producing cells are found not only in mammals but also in birds, fishes, amphibians, insects, and even in microorganisms. Some papers cover the functional significance of pigments and their biosynthesis in these species.
Recent Articles Published on Melanin Chemistry
2010
Gamma- and delta-tocotrienols inhibit skin melanin synthesis by suppressing constitutive and UV-induced tyrosinase activation
N Zaiden, WN Yap, CH Xu, Abelina Chen, S Ong, V Teo, YL Yap
Anti-melanoma efficacy of internal radionuclide therapy in relation to melanin target distribution
M. Bonnet, F. Mishellany, J. Papon, A. Cayre, F. Penault-Llorca, J. C. Madelmont, E. Miot-Noirault, J. M. Chezal, N. Moins
2009
H19 RNA downregulation stimulated melanogenesis in melasma
Nan-Hyung Kim, Chang-Hoon Lee, Ai-Young Lee
15-year quest in search for MITF target genes
Yann Cheli, Mickael Ohanna, Robert Ballotti, Corine Bertolotto
Melanin precursors prevent premature age-related and noise-induced hearing loss in albino mice
Silvia Murillo-Cuesta, Julio Contreras, Esther Zurita, Rafael Cediel, Marta Cantero, Isabel Varela-Nieto, Lluís Montoliu
New insights into the active site structure and catalytic mechanism of tyrosinase and its related proteins
Concepcion Olivares, Francisco Solano
Independent regulation of hair and skin color by two G protein-coupled pathways
Catherine D. Van Raamsdonk, Gregory S. Barsh, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito
Stem cell factor rescues tyrosinase expression and pigmentation in discreet anatomic locations in albino mice
Jillian C Vanover, Malinda L Spry, Laura Hamilton, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito, John A D'Orazio
Pigmentary function and evolution of tyrp1 gene duplicates in fish
Ingo Braasch, Daniel Liedtke, Jean-Nicolas Volff, Manfred Schartl
Complexities of cuticular pigmentation in insects
Manickam Sugumaran
Current Challenges in Understanding Melanogenesis: Bridging Chemistry, Biological Control, Morphology and Function
John D. Simon, Dana Peles, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito
Seeing red: pheomelanin synthesis uncovered
John D. Simon
Prolonged treatment of fair-skinned mice with topical forskolin causes persistent tanning and UV protection
Malinda L Spry, Jillian C Vanover, Timothy Scott, Osama Abona-Ama, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito, John A D'Orazio
The expanding role and presence of neuromelanins in the human brain – why gray matter is gray
Slaheddine Marrakchi, Samir Bouassida, Taha J. Meziou, Hamida Turki and Abdelmajid Zahaf
Melanins seem to be everywhere in the body, but for what?
Shosuke Ito
Structural characterization of melanin from Black-bone silky fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson)
Yong-gang Tu, Ming-yong Xie, Ya-zhen Sun, Ying-gang Tian
2008
Regulation of eumelanin/pheomelanin synthesis and visible pigmentation in melanocytes by ligands of the melanocortin 1 receptor
Elodie Le Pape, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito, Rainer Wolber, Vincent J. Hearing
Pigmentation effects of solar-simulated radiation as compared with UVA and UVB radiation
Rainer Wolber, Kathrin Schlenz, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Christoph Smuda, Yukiko Nakanishi, Vincent J. Hearing, Shosuke Ito
Characterization of melanin in human iridal and choroidal melanocytes from eyes with various colored irides
Wakamatsu, K; Hu, DN; McCormick, SA; Ito, S
Pages 97-105
February 2008
2007
A three-dimensional model of mammalian tyrosinase active site accounting for loss of function mutations
Schweikardt, T; Olivares, C; Solano, F; Jaenicke, E; Garcia-Borron, JC; Decker, H
Pages 394-401
October 2007
High levels of melanin-related metabolites in plasma from pink-eyed dilution mice
Wakamatsu, K; Hirobe, T; Ito, S
Pages 222-224
June 2007
An easy-to-run method for routine analysis of eumelanin and pheomelanin in pigmented tissues
Panzella, L; Manini, P; Monfrecola, G; d'Ischia, M; Napolitano, A
Pages 128-133
April 2007
Quantification of Ca2+ binding to melanin supports the hypothesis that melanosomes serve a functional role in regulating calcium homeostasis
Bush, WD; Simon, JD
Pages 134-139
April 2007
Photobleaching of retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes reduces their ability to inhibit iron-induced peroxidation of lipids
Zadlo, A; Rozanowska, MB; Burke, JM; Sarna, TJ
Pages 52-60
February 2007
The differing embryonic origins of retinal and uveal (iris/ciliary body and choroid) melanosomes are mirrored by their phospholipid composition
Ward, WC; Simon, JD
Pages 61-69
February 2007
2006
The physical and chemical properties of eumelanin
Meredith, P; Sarna, T
Pages 572-594
December 2006
Dopaquinone redox exchange with dihydroxyindole and dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid
Edge, R; d'Ischia, M; Land, EJ; Napolitano, A; Navaratnam, S; Panzella, L; Pezzella, A; Ramsden, CA; Riley, PA
Pages 443-450
October 2006
Oculocutaneous albinism type 4: six novel mutations in the membrane-associated transporter protein gene and their phenotypes
Inagaki, K; Suzuki, T; Ito, S; Suzuki, N; Adachi, K; Okuyama, T; Nakata, Y; Shimizu, H; Matsuura, H; Oono, T; Iwamatsu, H; Kono, M; Tomita, Y
Pages 451-453
October 2006
The slaty mutation affects the morphology and maturation of melanosomes in the mouse melanocytes
Hirobe, T; Abe, H
Pages 454-459
October 2006
Evaluation of melanin-related metabolites as markers of solar ultraviolet-B radiation
Wakamatsu, K; Ito, S
Pages 460-464
October 2006
Melanin structure and the potential functions of uveal melanosomes
Hong, L; Simon, JD; Sarna, T
Pages 465-466
October 2006
Melanin content and MC1R function independently affect UVR-induced DNA damage in cultured human melanocytes
Hauser, JE; Kadekaro, AL; Kavanagh, RJ; Wakamatsu, K; Terzieva, S; Schwemberger, S; Babcock, G; Rao, MB; Ito, S; Abdel-Malek, ZA
Pages 303-314
August 2006
Pigment pattern formation in the quail mutant of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: parallel increase of pteridine biosynthesis and pigmentation of melanin and ommochromes
Kato, T; Sawada, H; Yamamoto, T; Mase, K; Nakagoshi, M
Pages 337-345
August 2006
Sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced ERK activation inhibits melanin synthesis in human melanocytes
Kim, DS; Park, SH; Kwon, SB; Park, ES; Huh, CH; Youn, SW; Park, KC
Pages 146-153
April 2006
Diversity of pigmentation in cultured human melanocytes is due to differences in the type as well as quantity of melanin
Wakamatsu, K; Kavanagh, R; Kadekaro, AL; Terzieva, S; Sturm, RA; Leachman, S; Abdel-Malek, Z; Ito, S
Pages 154-162
April 2006
Determination of eumelanin in human urine
Wakamatsu, K; Takasaki, A; Kagedal, B; Kageshita, T; Ito, S
Pages 163-169
April 2006
Mechanistic studies of melanogenesis: the influence of N-substitution on dopamine quinone cyclization
Borovansky, J; Edge, R; Land, EJ; Navaratnam, S; Pavel, S; Ramsden, CA; Riley, PA; Smit, NPM
Pages 170-178
April 2006
Tyrosinase maturation through the mammalian secretory pathway: bringing color to life
Wang, N; Hebert, DN
Pages 3-18
February 2006
2005
Triazine-based tyrosinase inhibitors identified by chemical genetic screening
Li, NK; Leung, JK; Williams, D; Min, JK; Khersonsky, SM; Chang, YT; Orlow, SJ
Pages 447-453
December 2005
Melanin in human irides of different color and age of donors
Wielgus, AR; Sarna, T
Pages 454-464
December 2005
The histological analysis, colorimetric evaluation, and chemical quantification of melanin content in 'suntanned' fish
Adachi, K; Kato, K; Wakamatsu, K; Ito, S; Ishimaru, K; Hirata, T; Murata, O; Kumai, H
Pages 465-468
December 2005
An oxygen transporter hemocyanin can act on the late pathway of melanin synthesis
Adachi, K; Wakamatsu, K; Ito, S; Miyamoto, N; Kokubo, T; Nishioka, T; Hirata, T
Pages 214-219
June 2005
Eumelanin and pheomelanin concentrations in human epidermis before and after UVB irradiation
Hennessy, A; Oh, C; Diffey, B; Wakamatsu, K; Ito, S; Rees, J
Pages 220-223
June 2005
Degradation of tyrosinase induced by phenylthiourea occurs following Golgi maturation
Hall, AM; Orlow, SJ
Pages 122-129
April 2005
Isolation, purification and physicochemical characterization of water-soluble Bacillus thuringiensis melanin
Aghajanyan, AE; Hambardzumyan, AA; Hovsepyan, AS; Asaturian, RA; Vardanyan, AA; Saghiyan, AA
Pages 130-135
April 2005
Hemocyanin in the exoskeleton of crustaceans: enzymatic properties and immunolocalization
Adachi, K; Endo, H; Watanabe, T; Nishioka, T; Hirata, T
Pages 136-143
April 2005
A Tyrosinase missense mutation causes albinism in the Wistar rat
Blaszczyk, WM; Arning, L; Hoffmann, KP; Epplen, JT
Pages 144-145
April 2005
Metal-ion interactions and the structural organization of Sepia eumelanin
Liu, Y; Simon, JD
Pages 42-48
February 2005
High resolution magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy used to investigate the ability of drugs to bind to synthetic melanin
Borel, M; Lafarge, D; Moreau, MF; Bayle, M; Audin, L; Moins, N; Madelmont, JC
Pages 49-54
April 2005
1993
A Standardized Test for the Identification and Characterization of Melanins Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy
Enochs, WS; Nilges, MJ; Swartz, HM
Pages 91-99
March 1993
