[Effects of mutation in dopachrome tautomerase on melanosome maturation and anti-oxidative potential in cultured melanocytes].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the mutation in dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) affects melanosome maturation and anti-oxidative potential in cultured melanocytes (MCs).

METHODS

Slaty and melan-a MCs were derived from the skins of neonatal Dct(Slt) and C57 BL/6J mice respectively. Their detailed melanosome structures were examined with a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their eumelanin granules characterized by Fontana-Masson staining. Furthermore, the tyrosinase activity and three melanogenic proteins, i. e., tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 and Dct, were also measured with a spectrophotometry method or Western blot assay. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was monitored by 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA) labeling.

RESULTS

Mature stage IV melanosomes markedly decreased in slaty MCs under TEM. The brownish granules stained with Fontana-Masson silver method were far less in slaty MCs than in melan-a MCs. The cell pellet of slaty MCs was white in color, but the similarities between slaty and melan-a were found in tyrosinase activity and its protein expression. The relative intensity of DCF fluorescence was 8.9 +/- 0.7 for slaty melanocytes versus 8.9 +/- 2.5 for melan-a melanocytes prior to UVA irradiation, but an abrupt ROS production was merely observed in slaty MCs (18.0 +/- 0.3) other than in melan-a MCs (13.6 +/- 0.3) after UVA exposure. There was statistical difference between these two cell lines in ROS level upon UVA irradiation (P = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

The mutation in Dct causes hypo-pigmented phenotype in cultured slaty MCs, inhibits melanosome maturation and decreases anti-oxidative capacity especially in the presence of UVA-induced oxidative stress.