The regulation of ?-melanocyte-stimulating hormone to melanogenesis of skin / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous dyschromia is a common problem of plastic and cosmetic surgery. There are not good methods to resolve this problem in present. The mechanisms of skin pigmentation process are not well understood. It is now recognized the correlation between melanogenesis and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Alpha-msh enhances activity and quantity of tyrosinase as well as stimulates melanogenesis, specifically to stimulate eumelanin synthesis by activating the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC-1R) on melanocytes. Alpha-msh stimulates melanocyte prolixferation, formation of dendricity, and transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes, It also protects melanocytes from the damaging effects by immunomodulation. Also, alpha-msh interact with other factors to affect pigmentation indirectly. Agouti signaling protein(ASIP) is a endogeneous antagonist of alpha-msh can induces pheomelanin synthesis by competing with alpha-msh for binding to the MC-1R.Follwing better understood the mechanisms of skin pigmented process, it will provide effective methods to resolve acquired human cutaneous hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation.