• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2018

Cancer preventive activities of green tea and its main constituent, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) have been extensively studied by scientists all over the world. Since 1983, we have studied the cancer chemopreventive effects of EGCG as well as green tea extract and underlying molecular mechanisms. The first part of this review summarizes groundbreaking topics with EGCG and green tea extract: 1) Delayed cancer onset as revealed by a 10-year prospective cohort study, 2) Prevention of colorectal adenoma recurrence by a double-blind randomized clinical phase II trial, 3) Inhibition of metastasis of B16 melanoma cells to the lungs of mice, 4) Increase in the average value of Young's moduli, i.e., cell stiffness, for human lung cancer cell lines and inhibition of cell motility and 5) Synergistic enhancement of anticancer activity against human cancer cell lines with the combination of EGCG and anticancer compounds. In the second part, we became interested in cancer stem cells (CSCs). 1) Cancer stem cells in mouse skin carcinogenesis by way of introduction, after which we discuss two subjects from our review on human CSCs reported by other investigators gathered from a search of PubMed, 2) Expression of stemness markers of human CSCs compared with their parental cells, and 3) EGCG decreases or increases the expression of mRNA and protein in human CSCs. On this point, EGCG inhibited self-renewal and expression of pluripotency-maintaining transcription factors in human CSCs. Human CSCs are thus a target for cancer prevention and treatment with EGCG and green tea catechins.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2013

Silkworm-derived silk materials which contain 45 to 55% protein (18 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids) have free radical-scavenging activities. In the present study, we investigated the whitening and anti-aging effects of silkworm gland under various conditions with B16F1 melanoma cells and human dermal fibroblasts. To evaluate the toxicity of soluble gland hydrolysate (SGH), mouse-derived B16F1 melanoma cells were treated with 0.2~5 mg/mL, cytotoxicity was not observed at all concentrations. The tyrosinase and elastase activities were significantly decreased as dosage levels of SGH increased. In addition, cell death was decreased by treated with SGH and antioxidative activity was the most effective in the SGH treatment. These findings suggest that SGH may be used as a potential functional biomaterial in having the skin whitening effect and anti-aging activity by inhibition of tyrosinase and elastase activities.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.224-234
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• 2006

We employed human SK-MEL-28 cells as a model system to identify cellular proteins that accompany N-(4-methyl)phenyl-O-(4-methoxy)phenyl-thionocarbamate (MMTC)-induced apoptosis based on a proteomic approach. Cell viability tests revealed that SK-MEL-28 skin cancer cells underwent more cell death than normal HaCaT cells in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with MMTC. Two-dimensional electrophoresis in conjunction with matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis or computer matching with a protein database further revealed that the MMTC-induced apoptosis is accompanied by increased levels of caspase-1, checkpoint suppressor-1, caspase-4, NF-kB inhibitor, AP-2, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase, melanoma inhibitor, granzyme K, G1/S specific cyclin D3, cystein rich protein, Ras-related protein Rab-37 or Ras-related protein Rab-13, and reduced levels of EMS (oncogene), ATP synthase, tyrosine-phosphatase, Cdc25c, 14-3-3 protein or specific structure of nuclear receptor. The migration suppressing effect of MMTC on SK-MEL-28 cell was tested. MMTC suppressed the metastasis of SK-MEL-8 cells. It was also identified that MMTC had little angiogenic effect because it did not suppress the proliferation of HUVEC cell line. These results suggest that MMTC is a novel chemotherapeutic and metastatic agents against the SK-MEL-28 human melanoma cell line.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.98-107
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• 2021

Background: Ginseng extracts and ginseng-fermented products are widely used as functional cosmetic ingredients for their whitening and antiwrinkle effects. Recently, increasing attention has been given to bioactive metabolites isolated from endophytic fungi. However, little is known about the bioactive metabolites of the fungi associated with Panax ginseng Meyer. Methods: An endophytic fungus, Penicillium sp. SNF123 was isolated from the root of P. ginseng, from which acremonidin E was purified. Acremonidin E was tested on melanin synthesis in the murine melanoma cell line B16F10, in the human melanoma cell line MNT-1, and in a pigmented 3D-human skin model, Melanoderm. Results: Acremonidin E reduced melanogenesis in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cells with minimal cytotoxicity. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that acremonidin E downregulated melanogenic genes, including tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), while their enzymatic activities were unaffected. The antimelanogenic effects of acremonidin E were further confirmed in MNT-1 and a pigmented 3D human epidermal skin model, Melanoderm. Immunohistological examination of the Melanoderm further confirmed the regression of both melanin synthesis and melanocyte activation in the treated tissue. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that acremonidin E, a bioactive metabolite derived from a fungal endophyte of P. ginseng, can inhibit melanin synthesis by downregulating tyrosinase, illuminating the potential utility of microorganisms associated with P. ginseng for cosmetic ingredients.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.411-415
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• 1998

In the present study, we were evaluated cytotoxic effects of epigallocatechin gallate in human skin melanoma cells such as HTB-69. The light microscopic study showed morphological changes of the treated cells. Disruptions in cell organelles were determined by colorimetric methods; 3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, neutral red (NR) assay and sulforhodamine B protein (SRB) assay. These results suggest that epigallocatechin gallate retains a potential antitumor activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2020

Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna) is a protective agent that is widely used in medicine because of its antioxidant effects. Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to increase pigmentation. Thus, ROS scavengers and inhibitors of ROS production may suppress melanogenesis. Forkhead box-O3a (FoxO3a) is an antimelanogenic factor that mediates ROS-induced skin pigmentation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the whitening effect of mesna and the signaling mechanism mediating this effect. Human melanoma (MNT-1) cells were used in this study. mRNA and protein expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis to track changes in FoxO3a-related signals induced by mesna. An immunofluorescence assay was performed to determine the nuclear translocation of FoxO3a. When MNT-1 melanoma cells were treated with mesna, melanin production and secretion decreased. These effects were accompanied by increases in FoxO3a activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in downregulation of four master genes of melanogenesis: MITF, TYR, TRP1, and TRP2. We found that mesna, an antioxidant and radical scavenger, suppresses melanin production and may therefore be a useful agent for the clinical treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Objectives : We aimed to study the effect of Smilax China L.(SCL), which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects, on the growth of skin cancer cells. Methods : HaCaT cells, a normal human cell line, and skin cancer cells including A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells were treated with Smilax China L. ethanol extract(SCL-EtOH) at concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40㎍/㎖. Meanwhile, JB6 Cl41, a normal mouse epithelial cell line, was treated with epidermal growth factor(EGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(TPA), an inflammatory factor, to induce cell transformation and treated with SCL-EtOH. In addition, we treated SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells with SCL-EtOH at various concentrations and checked the effect on the cell cycle. Results : As a result, it showed no toxicity to HaCaT cells up to the highest concentration of 40㎍/㎖, and significant cell growth inhibition to A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, as a result of checking the shape of skin cancer cells according to SCL-EtOH treatment, it was observed that as the concentration increased, the number of normally attached and growing cells decreased and the shape of the cells changed. Colony formation was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner in JB6 Cl41 cells treated with EGF or TPA. Flow cytometry analysis with propidium iodide(PI) staining showed that SCL-EtOH induced the G2/M phase arrest. We further confirmed the decrease in Cyclin B1 expression and increase in p27 expression associated with the G2/M phase of the cell cycle through western blot analysis. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that SCL-EtOH induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, through Western blot analysis, it was observed that the expression of cleaved-caspase-7, which is related to apoptosis, increased. Finally, it was confirmed that the expression of COX-2, an inflammatory marker protein, decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with SCL-EtOH. Conclusions : Through the above results, we have established a basis for applying SCL to the treatment of skin cancer.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09b
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• pp.243-244
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• 2003

The effects of Lactic acid bacteria have been investigated on anti-tumor. cholesterol reduction in blood. promotion of immune and skin-beauty. We are focused on cosmeceutical activity of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Ml, which is found in Korean traditional food. Kimchi The LAB.Ml has been identified as Lactobacillus plantarum Ml and individually cultured with Soybean soup and Soybean-Curd whey, until the total acidity has been reached the highest. After then, cell-free extracts from Ml have been used for the following studies. We assessed the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Ml on the depigmentation of B16FlO melanoma cell. The melanin content of cells was decreased with 1-3% of cultured extracts. The tyrosinase activity was reduced by cell-free extracts of Lactobacillus plantarum Ml. Anti-aging and anti-oxidative activity of Ml cultured extract was also studied in NIH-3T3 human fibroblast cells. It showed that induction of cell proliferation. collagen synthesis and free radical scavenging activity. Additional studies for anti-fungal and anti-acne activity were also detected on Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes, respectively. These results suggest that cultured extract of Lactobacillun plantarum Ml would be used for cosmeceutical ingredients through multifunctional reaction on skin such as whitening, anti-wrinkle. anti-oxidation and anti-acnes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.70-78
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of preventing pigmentation caused by external stimuli, promoting skin regeneration and whitening of the skin composition containing complex extract of Dendrobii Caulis and Centella asiatica (CE). We evaluated cell viability, tyrosinase and melanin inhibition activity, skin irritation test, and skin moisturizing and regenerative effects using CE. As a result of the tyrosinase inhibitory activity, 100 ㎍/mL CE (35.31%) showed higher value than kojic acid (21.32%). The results of melanin synthesis inhibition in B16F10 melanoma cells after treatment with α-melanocyte stimulating hormone showed a similar level of activity to that of arbutin, indicating an excellent whitening effect. In clinical test of the skin composition containing CE, we confirmed that CE is non-irritated in human skin primary irritation test as well as have a high skin moisturizing and regenerative effect. From these results, we suggested the CE not only prevents skin damage and pigmentation caused by external stimuli but has remarkable skin brightening activity and skin regeneration effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2015

Collagen peptides, which are found at high concentrations in the human body, are present in animal bones and the skin of marine organisms, namely, fish scales. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein of various connective tissues in animals. Furthermore, it is widely used in biomedical material, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and leather industries. Peptides extracted from scales of various fish protect against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin damage and photo-aging. However, the protective effects of collagen peptides derived from the scales of Branchiostegus japonicus against UVB exposure are unclear. This study investigated the effects of peptides larger than 1 kDa (high-molecular weight peptides [HMP]) and smaller than 1 kDa (low-molecular weight peptides [LMP]), derived from extracts of B. japonicus scales, against UVB-induced skin damage and photo-aging. These peptides scavenged 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals in a dose-dependent manner. In UVB-exposed HaCaT human keratinocytes, LMP inhibited 8-isoprostane generation, a marker of cellular lipid peroxidation. The peptides also suppressed the UVB-induced increase in tyrosinase activity and melanin content in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. In addition, the LMP and HMP treatment suppressed UVB-induced elastase and matrix metalloproteinase-1 activities in the HaCaT cells. These results indicate that peptides derived from B. japonicus scales have antioxidant, antiphoto-aging, and skin-whitening effects.