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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Coat color dilution in mice because of inactivation of the melanoma antigen MART-1
Article first published online: 7 OCT 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2011.00910.x
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S
Additional Information
How to Cite
Aydin, I. T., Hummler, E., Smit, N. P. M. and Beermann, F. (2012), Coat color dilution in mice because of inactivation of the melanoma antigen MART-1. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, 25: 37–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2011.00910.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 DEC 2011
- Article first published online: 7 OCT 2011
- Accepted manuscript online: 21 SEP 2011 05:08PM EST
- PUBLCATION DATA Received 14 March 2011, revised and accepted for publication 16 September 2011, published online 21 September 2011
Keywords:
- knockout;
- MART-1;
- Melan-A;
- mlana;
- melanocytes;
- melanosome;
- pigment
Summary
Melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 (MART-1) is a melanoma-specific antigen, which has been thoroughly studied in the context of immunotherapy against malignant melanoma and which is found only in the pigment cell lineage. However, its exact function and involvement in pigmentation is not clearly understood. Melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 has been shown to interact with the melanosomal proteins Pmel17 and OA1. To understand the function of MART-1 in pigmentation, we developed a new knockout mouse model. Mice deficient in MART-1 are viable, but loss of MART-1 leads to a coat color phenotype, with a reduction in total melanin content of the skin and hair. Lack of MART-1 did not affect localization of melanocyte-specific proteins nor maturation of Pmel17. Melanosomes of hair follicle melanocytes in MART-1 knockout mice displayed morphological abnormalities, which were exclusive to stage III and IV melanosomes. In conclusion, our results suggest that MART-1 is a pigmentation gene that is required for melanosome biogenesis and/or maintenance.