Anchorage-independent growth of murine melanoma in serum-less media is dependent on insulin or melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) is known to stimulate melanogenesis in murine melanoma, particularly in Cloudman S-91 melanoma cells. The effects of MSH and insulin on the proliferation of S91 murine melanoma cells have aroused controversy; in various reports, both hormones have been reported to either stimulate or inhibit murine melanoma growth. In our studies both MSH and insulin stimulated the colony-forming ability and the proliferative capacity of S-91 murine melanoma cells grown in soft agar with either serum-supplemented or serum-less medium. Unless insulin and/or MSH were present, Cloudman S-91 melanoma cells failed to clone in soft agar. The insulin effect was greater than that of MSH, and was more pronounced in serum-less than in serum-supplemented medium. The concurrent treatment of S91 melanoma cells with both MSH and insulin resulted in a greater increase in the total number of colonies formed than caused by treatment with either hormone alone. The combined MSH-insulin stimulation of anchorage-independent growth was specific, since the effect could not be mimicked by epidermal growth factor (EGF), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), nerve growth factor (NGF) or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Therefore, MSH and insulin may be specific growth factors for murine melanoma cells.