The role of calcium in MSH stimulated melanosome dispersion.
Lucas. A M AM; Thody. A J AJ; Shuster. S S
Key Findings
- Higher calcium concentrations shift the dose‑response curve for alpha‑MSH, making cells more responsive.
- Calcium is required for the binding of alpha‑MSH (and its analogue) to its receptor on melanophores.
- Calcium also participates in the downstream signaling that moves melanosomes (pigment granules) within the cell.
Practical Outcomes
- For people using melanotan‑I, having normal calcium levels might help the peptide work more consistently. While the research is in lizard cells, it suggests that severe calcium deficiency could blunt tanning or other MSH‑related effects. Ensuring adequate dietary calcium (e.g., dairy, leafy greens, or supplements) is a low‑risk way to potentially support melanotan‑I efficacy, but no specific dosing changes are recommended based on this study alone.
Summary
The study shows that calcium ions are important for how skin cells respond to alpha‑MSH (the natural hormone that melanotan‑I mimics). Changing calcium levels changes the strength of the response, and calcium is needed both for the hormone to bind its receptor and for the signal to travel inside the cell.
Abstract
We have examined the role of the calcium ion in the response of the melanophores of the lizard, Anolis carolinensis to alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) by a rate method which allows kinetic analysis of melanosome dispersion. Dose-response curves to alpha-MSH were compared in the presence of different calcium concentrations, and Schild regression plots were constructed. An avidly binding analogue of alpha-MSH, Nle4-D-Phe7-alpha-MSH, was used to demonstrate kinetically the involvement of calcium in the melanophore response both for MSH receptor binding and the subsequent transduction of the MSH signal across the melanophore membrane.
Study Information
pubmed
1987
1987-11-01T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/0196-9781(87)90120-3
8
14