Tanning drug could prevent cancer: Drug tricks skin into producing melanin without sun - TomoNews
- 7 years ago
BOSTON — Scientists have developed a drug that can increase pigmentation in human skin without the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
In a study published in Cell Reports, Dr. David Fisher and other researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) have found a way to trick the skin into producing dark melanin in tests on skin samples and mice.
The study is a follow-up to a 2006 study where Fisher identified the gene largely responsible for the tanning response in skin.
Ultraviolet light causes the skin to tan by damaging it. This starts a chain of chemical reactions in the epidermis that eventually leads to the production of dark melanin, the body’s natural sunblock, according to the BBC.
The drug is applied to the skin and triggers the process of making melanin without the need for UV light.
After testing their skin-tanning agent on mice, they tested it on samples of human skin in a lab dish, according to Time. The human skin cells darkened as they would have when exposed to sunlight, except without the exposure to UV rays, Time reported.
According to Fisher, “our real goal is a novel strategy for protecting the skin from UV radiation and cancer.
“Dark pigment is associated with a lower risk of all forms skin cancer — that would be really huge.”
Tests performed in the study have shown the melanin produced by the drug was able to block harmful UV rays, according to BBC.
The drug still needs to go through more safety testing and is not yet ready for commercial use.
Researchers eventually hope to combine their drug with sunscreen to provide more protection from the sun.
In a study published in Cell Reports, Dr. David Fisher and other researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) have found a way to trick the skin into producing dark melanin in tests on skin samples and mice.
The study is a follow-up to a 2006 study where Fisher identified the gene largely responsible for the tanning response in skin.
Ultraviolet light causes the skin to tan by damaging it. This starts a chain of chemical reactions in the epidermis that eventually leads to the production of dark melanin, the body’s natural sunblock, according to the BBC.
The drug is applied to the skin and triggers the process of making melanin without the need for UV light.
After testing their skin-tanning agent on mice, they tested it on samples of human skin in a lab dish, according to Time. The human skin cells darkened as they would have when exposed to sunlight, except without the exposure to UV rays, Time reported.
According to Fisher, “our real goal is a novel strategy for protecting the skin from UV radiation and cancer.
“Dark pigment is associated with a lower risk of all forms skin cancer — that would be really huge.”
Tests performed in the study have shown the melanin produced by the drug was able to block harmful UV rays, according to BBC.
The drug still needs to go through more safety testing and is not yet ready for commercial use.
Researchers eventually hope to combine their drug with sunscreen to provide more protection from the sun.