Effects of biologically active tumour-promoting and non-promoting phorbol esters on in vivo growth of melanocytic cells

Brooks, G., Birch, M. and Hart, I.R. (1990) Effects of biologically active tumour-promoting and non-promoting phorbol esters on in vivo growth of melanocytic cells. Pigment Cell Research, 3 (2). pp. 98-100. ISSN 0893-5785 doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0749.1990.tb00328.x

Abstract/Summary

Sapintoxin A (SAP A), a naturally occurring biologically active but non-promoting phorbol ester, acts as an effective in vitro mitogen for freshly derived human melanocytes. Seven days after addition of 50 nM SAP A there was a four to fivefold increase in melanocyte number over that observed in untreated control cultures comparable to that achieved with a 50 nM concentration of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). The fluorescent stage 2 promoter sapintoxin D (SAP D) also supported the growth of these cells, with a 50 nM dose producing an increase in cell number comparable to that observed with 200 nM TPA. Similar results were obtained with an established, but non-tumorigenic, line of murine melanocytes. The same compounds exerted a potent anti-proliferative effect against transformed melanocyte lines of murine and human origin associated with morphological alterations and an increase in melanin production consistent with induced cytodifferentiation.