Melanin content of hamster tissues, human tissues, and various melanomas
Melanin content (percentage by weight) was determined in both pigmented and nonpigmented tissues of Syrian golden hamsters bearing Greene melanoma. Melanin content was also measured in various other melanoma models (B-16 in C57 mice, Harding-Passey in BALB/c mice, and KHDD in C3H mice) and in nine human melanomas, as well as in selected normal tissues. The purpose was to evaluate the possible efficacy of chlorpromazine, which is known to bind to melanin, as a vehicle for boron transport in neutron capture therapy. Successful therapy would depend upon selective uptake and absolute concentration of borated compounds in tumors; these parameters will in turn depend upon melanin concentration in melanomas and nonpigmented ''background'' tissues. Hamster whole eyes, hamster melanomas, and other well-pigmented animal melanomas were found to contain 0.3 to 0.8% melanin by weight, whereas human melanomas varied from 0.1 to 0.9% (average, 0.35%). Other tissues, with the exception of skin, were lower in content by a factor of greater than or equal to30. Melanin pigment was extracted from tissues, and the melanin content was determined spectrophotometrically. Measurements were found to be sensitive to the presence of other proteins. Previous procedures for isolating and quantifying melanin often neglected the importance of removing proteins and other interfering nonmelanic substances.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 5030334
- Journal Information:
- Cancer Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Res.; (United States) Vol. 41; ISSN CNREA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
550600* -- Medicine
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AMINES
ANIMALS
AZINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMOTHERAPY
CHLORPROMAZINE
DISEASES
DRUGS
HAMSTERS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYPNOTICS AND SEDATIVES
MAMMALS
MELANIN
MELANOMAS
MICE
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PHENOTHIAZINES
PIGMENTS
POPULATIONS
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
RODENTS
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
THERAPY
TISSUES
TRANQUILIZERS
VERTEBRATES