Metabolomics Reveals the Alteration of Metabolic Pathway by Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone in B16F10 Melanoma Cells

The purpose of this study was to understand the changes of metabolic pathway induced by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in B16F10 melanoma cells in an untargeted metabolomics approach. Cells were treated with 100 nM of alpha-MSH and then incubated for 48 h. alpha-MSH increased tyrosinase activity and melanin content by 56.5 and 61.7%, respectively, compared to untreated cells after 48 h of cultivation. The clear separation between groups was observed in the principal component analysis score plot, indicating that the levels of metabolites of melanoma cells were altered by treatment with alpha-MSH. Metabolic pathways affected by alpha-MSH were involved in some amino acid metabolisms. The increased levels of fumaric acid, malic acid, oxaloacetic acid and citric acid related to the citric acid cycle pathway after alpha-MSH treatment suggested enhanced energy metabolism. Metabolic pathways altered by alpha-MSH treatment can provide useful information to develop new skin pigmentation inhibitors or anti-obesity drugs.