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α-Melanozyten-stimulierendes Hormon

Von der Forschung in die Klinik

α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone

From bench to bedside

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Zusammenfassung

α-Melanozyten-stimulierendes Hormon (α-MSH) ist ein Tridekapeptid, das in der Haut selbst aus dem Präkursor Proopiomelanokortin gebildet wird. Es vermittelt Ultraviolett-Licht-vermittelte Pigmentierung nach Binding an Melanokortin-1-Rezeptoren (MC-1R), die u. a. auf der Oberfläche von epidermalen Melanozyten exprimiert sind. Die pigmentinduzierende und zytoprotektive Wirkung von α-MSH bildet das Rationale für den ersten klinischen Einsatz eines subkutan applizierbaren synthetischen und superpotenten α-MSH-Analogons, Nle4-D-Phe7-α-MSH (NDP-α-MSH), in Phase-II-Studien bei Patienten mit Photodermatosen, z. B. der erythropoietischen Protoporphyrie. Da α-MSH in einer Reihe von präklinischen Untersuchungen neben seiner melanotropen Wirkung auch vielversprechende antiinflammatorische und antifibrotische Effekte gezeigt hat, wird es von großem Interesse sein, diese Eigenschaften anhand weiterer klinischer Pilotstudien mit NDP-α-MSH zu überprüfen. Neben synthetischen α-MSH-Analoga bieten darüber hinaus Tripeptid-Derivate wie KdPT, die nicht an MC-1R binden, aber erhaltene antiinflammatorische Eigenschaften haben, eine weitere neue therapeutische Strategie in der Dermatologie.

Abstract

α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a tridecapeptide that is produced by the skin itself from the precursor proopiomelanocortin. It crucially mediates ultraviolet light-induced tanning after binding to melanocortin-1 receptors (MC-1R) expressed on the surface of epidermal melanocytes. The potent pigment-inducing and also cytoprotective actions of α-MSH are the rationale for the performance of first phase II clinical trials with Nle4-D-Phe7-α-MSH (NDP-α-MSH), a subcutaneously administered synthetic and superpotent α-MSH analogue, in patients with photodermatoses such as erythropoietic protoporphyria. Since α-MSH has shown promising anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties in numerous preclinical studies, it will be most interesting to evaluate these effects in further clinical pilot studies with NDP-α-MSH. In addition to α-MSH analogues, truncated tripeptides such as KDPT which do not bind to MC-1R but have sustained anti-inflammatory properties are currently emerging as another novel therapeutic strategy in dermatology.

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  1. Klinik und Poliklinik für Hautkrankheiten – Allgemeine Dermatologie und Venerologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 58, 48149, Münster, Deutschland

    M. Böhm & T.A. Luger

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  2. T.A. Luger
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Correspondence to M. Böhm.

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Böhm, M., Luger, T. α-Melanozyten-stimulierendes Hormon. Hautarzt 61, 497–504 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00105-009-1891-1

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