Effects of ultraviolet-visible irradiation in the presence of melanin isolated from human black or red hair upon Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Cancer Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5428899

Menon, I A; Persad, S; Ranadive, N S; Haberman, H F

The present study is an attempt to investigate the possibility that ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of pheomelanin may be more harmful to cells than the irradiation in the presence of eumelanin. The effects of UV-visible irradiation upon Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in the presence of the melanin isolated from human black hair (eumelanin) or from red hair (pheomelanin) were investigated. Irradiation of these cells was found to produce cell lysis, as observed by leakage of 51Cr from labeled cells and intracellular lactic dehydrogenase from the cells and decrease in cell viability demonstrated by the trypan blue exclusion test. The three parameters were quantitatively parallel to one another under various experimental conditions, namely different periods of irradiation and irradiation in the presence of different concentrations of melanin. The above effects were more pronounced when the irradiation was carried out in the presence of melanin from red hair than in the presence of black-hair melanin. In the absence of either melanin, the irradiation did not produce any significant effect in cell viability or cell lysis. Irradiation of the cells in the presence of red-hair melanin also decreased the transplantability of these cells. These observations clearly show that irradiation of cells in the presence of pheomelanin could produce cytotoxic effects. The present experimental design may have application in the development of in vitro models for the study of UV radiation-induced cutaneous carcinogenesis. The reactions of pheomelanin may be related to the susceptibility of ''Celtic'' skin to UV radiation-induced skin damage and carcinogenesis.

• Research Organization: Clinical Science Division, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• OSTI ID: 5428899
• Journal Information: Cancer Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Res.; (United States) Vol. 43:7; ISSN CNREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560121* -- Radiation Effects on Cells-- External Source-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ASCITES TUMOR CELLS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
CARCINOMAS
DISEASES
EHRLICH ASCITES TUMOR
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXPERIMENTAL NEOPLASMS
HAIR
HUMAN POPULATIONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MELANIN
MINORITY GROUPS
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PIGMENTS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
SKIN
TUMOR CELLS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION