par Loir, Béatrice
;Sales, Francois;Deraemaecker, Rika
;Morandini, R;Garcia-Borron, J C;Ghanem, Ghanem Elias 
Référence European journal of cancer, 34, 3, page (424-426)
Publication Publié, 1998-02



Référence European journal of cancer, 34, 3, page (424-426)
Publication Publié, 1998-02
Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : | We have previously reported high immunoreactive alpha-MSH (IR-alpha-MSH) concentrations in melanoma patients' plasma, as well as significant amounts in melanoma metastases and cells grown in culture. Necrosis within the melanoma tumour leads to a massive proteolysis of intracellular proteins and release of cell content: this might significantly contribute to the elevated IR-alpha-MSH plasma levels measured in melanoma patients. To test this hypothesis, we studied the necrosis-related release of MSH from human melanoma cells, using a specific radioimmunoassay. The studies of fine-needle biopsies indicated that most of the human melanoma tumour exudates tested contained very high MSH concentrations (> 500 pg/ml; 14/15), while plasma levels were generally normal (< or = 25 pg/ml; 10/15). The level in an exudate from a non-melanoma tumour type was < 40 pg/ml. In vitro studies showed that release of the IR-alpha-MSH was time- and temperature-dependent, and related to cell death. |