Melanogenesis as a targeting strategy against metastatic melanoma: A reassessment

A review with 81 refs. Following the early study of Hochstein and Cohen in 1963 suggesting the potential toxicity of quinonoid melanin precursors, considerable interest has been focused on the possibility of exploiting the pigment-producing pathway as a targeting strategy against metastatic melanoma. Several melanocytotoxic phenolic pro-drugs have been developed, and some of them have reached the preclin. stage. Here we review the progress made so far and supply some insight into the chem. and biochem. mechanisms underlying the melanocytotoxic response.