These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: alpha-Methyl-p-tyrosine inhibits latanoprost-induced melanogenesis in vitro.
    Author: Drago F, Marino A, La Manna C.
    Journal: Exp Eye Res; 1999 Jan; 68(1):85-90. PubMed ID: 9986745.
    Abstract:
    The PGF2alpha derivative, latanoprost, is a recent anti-glaucoma drug that has been reported to induce a discrete incidence of increased iris pigmentation in men. The present experiments were made in order to study whether this phenomenon could be influenced by the tyrosinase inhibitor, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine. Melanin content, melanin production and tyrosinase activity of cultured uveal melanocytes derived from irides of brown or brown-blue color were measured after adding latanoprost at different molar concentration with or without alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (10(-5)m). It was shown that latanoprost stimulated melanin content, melanin production and tyrosinase activity in a molar range between 10(-7) and 10(-5)m in uveal melanocytes derived from irides of both brown and brown-blue color. The effect seemed to be more pronounced in melanocytes derived from irides of brown-blue color. The adding of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine completely prevented latanoprost-induced stimulation of melanin production in uveal melanocytes derived from irides of both colors. These results suggest that latanoprost-induced stimulation of melanin production, follows the metabolic pathway involving tyrosinase activity and may be relevant for the therapeutic application of latanoprost in glaucoma in order to reduce its side-effect resulting in increased iris pigmentation.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]