Effect of MELANOTAN, [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]-alpha-MSH, on melanin synthesis in humans with MC1R variant alleles.
Fitzgerald. Liesel M LM; Fryer. Jayne L JL; Dwyer. Terence T; Humphrey. Stuart M SM
Key Findings
- Melanotan significantly raises melanin density versus placebo (p<0.001).
- Individuals with MC1R variant alleles (e.g., Val60Leu, Asp84Glu, Val92Met, Arg142His, Arg151Cys, Arg160Trp) experience an even greater melanin increase than non‑variant carriers.
- The peptide could serve as a photoprotective aid for those genetically predisposed to lower melanin production.
Practical Outcomes
- If you have a MC1R variant (often associated with red hair or very fair skin), melanotan may help you build more melanin for better UV protection. However, it’s not an approved drug and can have side effects, so any use should start at low doses, be closely monitored, and comply with local regulations.
Summary
The study shows that melanotan (a synthetic peptide) boosts skin melanin levels in people, and it works even better in those with certain MC1R gene variants that usually give lighter skin and higher sun sensitivity. This means melanotan could help people with these variants get more natural UV protection through increased skin pigment.
Abstract
MELANOTAN (NDP-MSH) binds the MC1 receptor to significantly increase the eumelanin content of human skin cells. In this study of 77 Caucasian individuals, we investigated the effects of MELANOTAN in individuals with variant MC1R genotypes, as it has been suggested through in vitro studies that variant alleles decrease MELANOTAN binding efficacy, which would subsequently affect the synthesis of melanin. Administration of MELANOTAN produced a significant (p<0.001) increase in melanin density in treated, compared to placebo, individuals. Importantly, MELANOTAN increased the melanin density to a greater extent in individuals carrying the variant alleles Val60Leu, Asp84Glu, Val92Met, Arg142His, Arg151Cys, and Arg160Trp than in individuals with no variant alleles. This study demonstrates that MELANOTAN effectively increases the melanin content of skin in those individuals with MC1R variant alleles and therefore, those most in need of photoprotection.
Study Information
pubmed
2005
2005-11-15T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.peptides.2004.12.038
33
38