Susceptibility of human melanoma cells to oxidative stress including UVA radiation

Ultraviolet radiation, and in particular UVA (320–400 nm), induces significant oxidative stress to human skin. Ferritin and glutathione have been shown to be among the more important molecules within human skin cells providing protection against this damage, the presence of lower levels of these anti-oxidants giving rise to increased cellular sensitivity to stress. We compared endogenous levels of ferritin and glutathione in human melanoma cells with normal human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes, also the response of melanoma cells to oxidative stress with fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Ferritin levels were heterogenous in the untreated melanoma cell lines tested and remained the same following oxidative stress (UVA radiation) or hemin treatment. Epidermal keratinocytes were unaffected, as were the melanoma cell lines, but skin fibroblasts showed dose-dependent ferritin depletion. Similar results were seen for glutathione alterations resulting from UVA radiation: melanoma cell lines and epidermal skin keratinocytes remained unchanged following UVA radiation, while skin fibroblasts showed dose-dependent depletion. Our results show that human melanoma cells have low ferritin and glutathione levels, yet are resistant to oxidative stress. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.