Pulse radiolysis studies of ortho-quinone chemistry relevant to melanogenesis.
Affiliation
CRC Drug Development Group, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester M20 4BX, UK. eland@mighty-micro.co.ukIssue Date
2001-11-15
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The contributions of pulse radiolysis towards characterisation of unstable ortho-quinones relevant to melanogenesis are reviewed. The quinones discussed include dopaquinone, the precursor of both eumelanogenesis and phaeomelanogenesis, and 5-S-cysteinyldopaquinone, an early component of the phaeomelanogenic pathway. Redox exchange between dopaquinone and 5-S-cysteinyldopa is shown to be a determinant of the balance between eumelanogenesis and phaeomelanogenesis. Ortho-quinones resulting from the oxidation of tertiary N,N-dialkylcatecholamines cyclise to redox-inactive betaines which fail to autoactivate tyrosinase. This is consistent with the dopa detected during melanogenesis catalysed by tyrosinase being formed indirectly by a combination of dopaquinone intramolecular reductive addition to form leucodopachrome (cyclodopa), followed by redox exchange between remaining dopaquinone and leucodopachrome. Rapid tautomerism of the ortho-quinone of 4-cyanomethylcatechol to a redox-inactive quinomethane likewise inhibits tyrosinase autoactivation. The incorporation of trihydric phenol moieties in melanin is modelled by the reactions of several ortho-quinones with phloroglucinol, which itself is not directly oxidised by tyrosinase due to the meta-positioning of the hydroxyl groups. The importance of a susceptibility towards nucleophilic attack as well as a propensity to undergo redox-exchange, in the chemistry of melanogenic ortho-quinones, is emphasised.Citation
Pulse radiolysis studies of ortho-quinone chemistry relevant to melanogenesis. 2001, 64 (2-3):123-35 J. Photochem. Photobiol. B, Biol.Journal
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, BiologyPubMed ID
11744399Type
ArticleLanguage
enISSN
1011-1344Collections
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