Nerve growth factor chromatin receptor and cell surface receptor-regulated growth of melanocytes and nevus cells.

RNA synthesis in melanocytes and nevus cells, and the proliferation of those cells in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF) and 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), were found to correlate with the amount of NGF bound to the chromatin versus the total internalized NGF (n/c NGF = nuclear/cellular ration). In nevus cells and in melanocytes of the early passages (n/c NGF = 0.16-0.18), NGF slightly activated RNA synthesis but was without any effect on cell growth. At passage 5-6 of melanocytes (n/c NGF = 0.88), NGF inhibited RNA synthesis, which led to inhibition of cell growth. Removal of TPA from the culture of nevus cells resulted in increased n/c NGF ratio and in a switch from activatory to inhibitory action of NGF. The possibility that the cell surface receptor mediated the stimulatory effect of NGF and may antagonize the chromatin receptor-mediated inhibitory effect of NGF of melanocyte and nevus cell growth is discussed.