IL-17 and TNF synergistically induce growth-associated cytokines in melanocytes while suppressing melanogenesis

In this study, we sought to determine how IL-17 and TNF influence normal human melanocytes, either alone, or with both cytokines together. We reveal a dichotomous effect of IL-17 and TNF, which not only elicit essential mitogenic cytokines but also suppress melanogenesis by down-regulating genes of melanogenesis pathway Comparison of one batch of primary human melanocyte line cultured in serum free media, treated with TNF and/or IL-17, for either 24 or 48 hours.