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In this study, the effect of -MSH on tyrosinase activity was compared in epidermal and hair follicular melanocytes of mice. It had no effect on epidermal tyrosinase activity in dorsal skin from neonatal non-agouti black mice (C57BL/6J) in both in-vivo and in-vitro experiments. Theophylline and 8-bromocyclic (c)AMP were similarly without effect in in-vitro experiments. In-vivo administration of -MSH and theophylline for 7 days was also without effect on epidermal tyrosinase activity in ear skin of adult non-agouti mice, and the same was true for -MSH in wild-type agouti mice. Activation of the epidermal melanocytes in the non-agouti and wild-type agouti mice with ultraviolet radiation also failed to bring about a response to -MSH and to theophylline in the case of the former. No tyrosinase activity was detected in the epidermis of viable yellow mice (C₃H-HeA^vy), but, as shown previously, tyrosinase activity was present in the hair follicle when the hair was actively growing and was increased in those mice given either -MSH or theophylline. -MSH and theophylline had no such effects on hair follicular tyrosinase activity in the non-agouti mice.

The present results suggest that -MSH- and cAMP-dependent mechanisms have little or no importance in the regulation of tyrosinase expression in mouse epidermal melanocytes. -MSH may, however, regulate tyrosinase expression in hair follicular melanocytes, but even in these melanocytes its action may be restricted to mice that express the agouti gene.

J. Endocr. (1988) 119, 517–522

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