Mutagenicity of melanin from human red hair (original) (raw)

Summary

The_Salmonella typhimurium_ histidine reversion test of Ames et al. was used to demonstrate that pheomelanin, the red-brown polymeric pigment produced in human skin and hair, becomes mutagenic after exposure to long wave-length UV-light; a finding consistent with the UV-induced somatic mutation hypothesis for the origin of freckles and the high susceptibility of redheads and blonds to sunlight-induced skin cancers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Microbiology and Medicine (Dermatology Division), Cornell University Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, 10021, New York, New York, USA
    Z. P. Harsanyl, P. W. Post, Jeannie P. Brinkmann, M. R. Chedekel & Rose Marie Deibel
  2. Department of Field ofGenetics, Cornell University Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, 10021, New York, New York, USA
    Z. P. Harsanyl, P. W. Post, Jeannie P. Brinkmann, M. R. Chedekel & Rose Marie Deibel
  3. Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, 43210, Columbus, Ohio, USA
    Z. P. Harsanyl, P. W. Post, Jeannie P. Brinkmann, M. R. Chedekel & Rose Marie Deibel

Authors

  1. Z. P. Harsanyl
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  2. P. W. Post
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  3. Jeannie P. Brinkmann
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  4. M. R. Chedekel
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  5. Rose Marie Deibel
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Additional information

Acknowledgments.S. typhimurium strains were kindly provided by Dr Bruce N. Ames. Z. Harzanyi was supported by NIEHS grant 00675-03 and an Andrew W. Mellon Teacher-Scientist Award. M. Chedekel thanks The Ohio State University Graduate School for financial assistance.

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Harsanyl, Z.P., Post, P.W., Brinkmann, J.P. et al. Mutagenicity of melanin from human red hair.Experientia 36, 291–292 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01952282

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