Salopek T G, Jimbow K
Dermatology and Cutaneous Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 1996 Apr;1(2):195-202.
Melanin biosynthesis (melanogenesis) is a metabolic pathway exclusively expressed by melanocytes and melanoma cells, and is often altered and/or markedly elevated in the latter cells. The changes in melanogenesis may be responsible for some of the clinical and histopathological features unique to melanoma. Melanogenesis may also contribute to the malignant transformation of melanoma precursors (i.e., atypical moles [or dysplastic nevi]) to melanoma as seen in patients with the familial atypical multiple-mole-melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. However, it does not appear to affect the multi-step growth phases of melanoma cells from radial to vertical and lastly metastatic growth phases. Within the melanosomal compartment, eu- and pheomelanin pigments are synthesized. Both tyrosinase and lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) gene products play important roles in this process. A coordinated interaction between these two gene family products is required for melanogenesis to occur properly. p90 calnexin is a new melanosome-associated molecule that is presumed to function as a melanogenesis chaperone by controlling the assembly and folding of glycoprotein intermediates of tyrosinase and LAMP gene families.
黑色素生物合成（黑素生成）是一条仅由黑素细胞和黑色素瘤细胞表达的代谢途径，并且在后者细胞中常常发生改变和/或显著升高。黑素生成的变化可能是黑色素瘤一些独特临床和组织病理学特征的原因。黑素生成也可能导致黑色素瘤前体（即非典型痣[或发育异常痣]）向黑色素瘤的恶性转化，如在家族性非典型多发性痣-黑色素瘤（FAMMM）综合征患者中所见。然而，它似乎并不影响黑色素瘤细胞从辐射状生长到垂直生长以及最终转移生长阶段的多步骤生长过程。在黑素小体区室中，合成了真黑素和褐黑素色素。酪氨酸酶和溶酶体相关膜蛋白（LAMP）基因产物在这一过程中都发挥重要作用。这两种基因家族产物之间的协同相互作用是黑素生成正常发生所必需的。p90钙连接蛋白是一种新的与黑素小体相关的分子，推测它通过控制酪氨酸酶和LAMP基因家族糖蛋白中间体的组装和折叠而作为黑素生成伴侣发挥作用。
