[Nle4-D-Phe7]-α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Significantly Increased Pigmentation and Decreased UV Damage in Fair-Skinned Caucasian Volunteers

Epidermal melanin reduces some effects of UV radiation, the major cause of skin cancer. To examine whether induced melanin can provide protection from sunburn injury, 65 subjects completed a trial with the potent synthetic melanotropin, [Nle4-D-Phe7]-α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone ([Nle4-D-Phe7]-α-MSH) delivered by subcutaneous injection into the abdomen at 0.16mg/kg for three 10-day cycles over 3 months. Melanin density, measured by reflectance spectroscopy, increased significantly in all [Nle4-D-Phe7]-α-MSH-treated subjects. The highest increases were in volunteers with lowest baseline skin melanin levels. In subjects with low minimal erythemal dose (MED) skin type, melanin increased by an average of 41% (from 2.55 to 3.59, P