Production of 6-hydroxydopa by human tyrosinase

A tyrosinase obtained from cultured human melanoma cells was found to oxygenate 2,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine to the strongly cytotoxic amino acid 6-hydroxydopa (2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine). The oxygenation was dependent on the presence of a reducing co-substrate such as dopa or dopamine. The rate of oxygenation of 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl-D,L-alanine was similar to that of L-tyrosine, the normal substrate of tyrosinase. The enzymatic reaction demonstrated may prove of value in the chemotherapy of human melanoma.