dibutyryl-cyclic-gmp and Melanoma

Nitric oxide (NO) and the NO generating agent nitroprusside (SNP), inhibit the binding of [125I] vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) to its receptor at the surface of IGR39 human melanoma cells. Cysteine (10 mM) increases the sensitivity of the system to SNP while N-acetylcysteine (10 mM) decreases it. The NO gas as well as SNP inhibits the [125I]VIP binding capacity. These observations sustain an effect of SNP-generated NO rather than an effect of the SNP molecule per se or the cyanoferrate portion of the molecule. The inhibitory effect of NO is time and concentration dependent and is fully reversible. Affinity constants of high and low affinity VIP receptors of SNP-treated IGR39 cells are not modified while maximal binding capacity (Bmax) of both receptor types are decreased to the same extent. Production of cGMP by SNP-treated cells is time and concentration dependent and the maximum amount of cGMP obtained reaches 13 times the basal level. The cAMP production is not affected by SNP. However, the SNP effects on the [125I]VIP binding are not mimicked by the membrane permeant cGMP analogs dibutyryl cGMP and 8-bromo cGMP even at concentrations as high as 0.5 mM. Taken altogether, these data demonstrate a regulatory action of NO on VIP binding capacity of IGR39 melanoma cells which is not cGMP mediated. They also evidence a new step which could be involved in the NO-VIP interaction.

Topics: Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; Dibutyryl Cyclic GMP; Humans; Melanoma; Neoplasm Proteins; Nitric Oxide; Nitroprusside; Protein Binding; Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; Skin Neoplasms; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Insulin lowers basal levels of tyrosinase activity and inhibits the MSH-induced increase in tyrosinase in Cloudman S-91 mouse melanoma cell cultures. Insulin exerts its inhibitory effects in a typical dose-response manner, with maximal inhibition of enzyme activity occurring at 10-7 M. At maximal inhibition, tyrosinase activity is reduced to approximately 50% of the control levels. This inhibition precedes the observed inhibitory effect on cellular proliferation. Insulin not only lowers cell responsiveness to MSH, but also inhibits the tyrosinase stimulation produced by either theophylline or (Bu)2cAMP. Neither control levels nor MSH-mediated elevated cellular levels of cAMP were altered by insulin (10-7 M). These findings suggest that insulin exerts its inhibitory effects at a site distal to cAMP production. The inhibitory effect of insulin on tyrosinase activity could not be mimicked by either (Bu)2cGMP or 8-bromo-cGMP, suggesting that insulin does not exert its effects by altering cellular levels of this nucleotide. Insulin reduces the rate of incorporation of [3H]leucine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material by 50%, a finding which suggests that insulin may exert its inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity and perhaps on cellular proliferation by causing a general reduction in protein synthetic rates.

Topics: Animals; Bucladesine; Catechol Oxidase; Cell Division; Cell Line; Cyclic AMP; Dibutyryl Cyclic GMP; Insulin; Kinetics; Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; Melanoma; Mice; Monophenol Monooxygenase; Protein Biosynthesis