Influence of agouti signal protein on melanocyte function in skin autograft / 第二军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the influence of agouti signal protein (ASIP) on melanocyte function in skin autograft, so as to understand the cause of hyperpigmentation in skin autograft. Methods: Guinea pigs were used to establish a skin autograft hyperpigmentation model. The skin autografts in model animals were injected with ASIP or normal saline (control). RT-PCR technique was used to detect the tyrosinase mRNA expression in melanocytes of skin autografts and Masson-Fontana staining technique was used to detect the melanin contents in skin autografts in ASIP treatment group; and the results were compared with those of control group (n=13) and normal guinea pigs (n=5). Results: The expression of tyrosinase mRNA and the melanin content in skin autografts in ASIP treatment group were both lower than those of control group and normal guinea pigs (P<0.01). Conclusion: The results indicate that ASIP can antagonize the melanogenic effect of α-MSH, resulting in reduced pigmentation in skin autografts. It is also indicated that overexpression of α-MSH in epidermal cells after skin grafting is an important cause of hyperpigmentation in skin autografts.