1987 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
MELANIN SYNTHESIS AND CONTROL OF MALIGNANT MELANOMA
Project/Area Number |
60480250
|
Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
|
Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Research Field |
Dermatology
|
Research Institution | Sapporo Medical College |
Principal Investigator |
JIMBOW Kowichi Dept. of Dermatology, Sapporo Medical College, 医学部(皮膚科), 助教授 (30094238)
|
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ISHIDA Osamu Dept. of Dermatology, Sapporo Medical College, 医学部(皮膚科), 助手 (80191873)
TAKAHASHI Hiroyuki Dept. of Dermatology, Sapporo Medical College, 医学部(皮膚科), 助手 (20183444)
AKUTSU Yutaka Dept. of Dermatology, Sapporo Medical College, 医学部(皮膚科), 助手 (30159347)
HORIKOSHI Takashi Dept. of Dermatology, Sapporo Medical College, 医学部(皮膚科), 講師 (40145587)
|
Project Period (FY) |
1985 – 1987
|
Keywords | MELANIN / MELANOMA / SKIN CANCER / 診断・治療 |
Research Abstract |
Malignant melanoma offers some particular attributes that provide opportunities for improved diagnosis and chemotherapy by a guided missile approach. This proposal is based upon the following observations; a) the synthesis of melanin and melanosomes, i.e., melanogenesis, occurs exclusively in melanocytes and is greatly elevated in the neoplastic counterpart, malignant melanocytes; b) melanosomes consist structurally of matrix protein anc tyrosinase, the latter of which categorizes the conversion of tyrosine to dopa and dopaquinone to form melanin; c) the structural protein becomes markedly aberrant in malignant melanoma; and b) the metabolic pathway from tyrosin to melanin is irreversible thus permittin incorporation of tyrosinase substrate into metabolically polymer melanin. To the melanosomal structural matrix proteins specifically of unique to the malignant melamocyte, we were able to establish monoclonal antibodies against melanosomes and thereby we have succeeded to establish the improved immunodiagnostic tools to detect early lesion of malignant melanoma and estimate the prognosis of malignant melanoma patients. Secondly, by chemically modifying the melanin precursors of tyrosinase substrate, we succeeded to localize synthetic compounds in melanoma cells and thereby destroy them. Thus, our project provided, by dissecting our specific specific biological properties of the malignant melanocyte, a unique research directed a) early laboratory diagnosis, and b) rational chemotherapy of malignant melanoma. Specifically, we were able to characterize the biological component of the melanocyte and to develop practical application of experimental result for better management of patient care.
|
Research Products
(28 results)