Afamelanotide Is Associated with Dose-Dependent Protective Effect from Liver Damage Related to Erythropoietic Protoporphyria.

ABSTRACT: In animal models, melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSHs) protect the liver from various injuries. Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a metabolic disorder, leads to the accumulation of protoporphyrin (PPIX). In addition to the most prominent symptom of incapacitating phototoxic skin reactions, 20% of EPP patients exhibit disturbed liver functioning and 4% experience terminal liver failure caused by the hepatobiliary elimination of excess PPIX. Skin symptoms are mitigated through the application of the controlled-release implant afamelanotide, an α-MSH analog, every sixty days. Recently, we showed that liver function tests (LFTs) improved during afamelanotide treatment when compared to before treatment. The present study investigated whether this effect is dose-dependent, as the evidence o

SUBMITTER: Minder AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10143433 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature