The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is overexpressed in most human melanoma metastases, thus making it a promising target for imaging and therapy of melanomas.
Patients who live in areas of high ultraviolet radiation, and have many large naevi and the red hair colour phenotype, particularly those with the MC1R R/R genotype, have a high risk of melanoma above the threshold recommended for screening in other cancers.
Some genetic melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) variants responsible for human red hair color (RHC-variants) are consequently associated with increased melanoma risk.
Variants of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene have been associated with fair pigmentation and melanoma risk, and a polymorphism of the Agouti Signaling Protein (ASIP) gene has been associated with dark pigmentation.
Individuals having melanoma in a visibly UV-damaged site were more likely to carry MC1Rrs75570604 (odds ratio [OR] 2.5), 9q31.2 rs10816595 (OR 2.5), and MTAP rs869329 (OR 1.4); these same alleles were more common in MPM patients diagnosed ≤40 years.
αMSH peptide sequences, evaluated for conjugation to the PEG-Cy5-C' dot nanoparticles, bound to MC1-R with high affinity and targeted melanoma in syngenetic and xenografted melanoma mouse models.
Germline variants in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene are common in the population and confer moderate risk for melanoma and basal cell cancers across skin types.
Radionuclide Targeting: α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is the most prominent peptide for targeting of melanoma tumors via the G protein-coupled melanocortin-1 receptor that is (over-)expressed by melanoma cells and melanocytes.
The MC1R gene, suggested to be involved in Parkinson disease (PD) and melanoma, was sequenced in PD patients (n = 539) and controls (n = 265) from New York, and PD patients (n = 551), rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) patients (n = 351), and controls (n = 956) of European ancestry.
In conclusion, MC1R polymorphisms are a predisposing factor of melanoma in a southern European population with a relatively low incidence of the disease.
We also review the current knowledge about the function of MC1R as a skin cancer, particularly melanoma, susceptibility gene and how it modulates the response of melanocytes to UVR.
The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is highly expressed in the vast majority of melanomas, which makes it an attractive target for molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy.