Free and bound 5-S-cysteinyldopa and dopa in human malignant melanomas.

Free dopa and 5-S-cysteinyldopa were extracted from two human melanomas. Subsequent hydrolysis of carefully washed melanoma tissue released dopa and 5-S-cysteinyldopa, indication the presence of these catechol amino acids in proteins. Cysteinyldopa-containing proteins may represent the antigens previously demonstrated in human melanomas.