• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.340-345
• /
• 2012

Sarsasapogenin (SAR) is a steroidal sapogenin that is used as starting material for the industrial synthesis of steroids. It has various pharmacological benefits, such as antitumor and antidepressant activities. Since its effect on melanin biosynthesis has not been reported, we used murine melanocyte melan-a cells to investigate whether SAR influences melanogenesis. In this study, SAR significantly increased the melanin content of the melan-a cells from 1 to 10 ${\mu}M$. Based on an enzymatic activity assay using melan-a cell lysate, SAR had no effect on tyrosinase and DOPAchrome tautomerase activities. It also did not affect the protein expression of tyrosinase-related protein 1 and DOPAchrome tautomerase. However, protein levels of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor were strongly stimulated by treatment with SAR. Therefore, our reports suggest that SAR treatment may induce melanogenesis through the stimulation of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor expression in melan-a cells.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.2 s.129
• /
• pp.130-136
• /
• 2002

Melanogenesis is a physiological process resulting in the synthesis of melanin pigments, which play a crucial protective role against skin photocarcinogenesis. The heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan L.(C. sappan) has long been commonly used in Oriental folk medicines to promote blood circulation, and as an emmenagogue, analgesic or anti-inflammatory agent as well as a remedy for thrombosis. From the heartwood, many constituents have been purified and among them, brazilin and hematoxylin are two of the most abundant. This present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of butanol extract from C. sappan on proliferation and melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. After 48 h treatment of these cells with various concentrations of butanol extract, the cells showed a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptotic cell death. Therefore, the growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest or cell differentiation. We also estimated total melanin content as a final product and activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme, of melanogenesis in Melan-a cells. The melanin content and tyrosinase activity were deσeased in extract-treated cells in a dose dependent manner compared to control group. The butanol extract also resulted in a decrease of melanin content in ${\alpha}-melanocyte-stimulating$ hormone (MSH)-induced melanogenesis, indicating that butanol extract of C. sappan could be developed as skin whitening components of cosmetics.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.3 s.130
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2002

Flavonoid seems to have various biological effects. Quercetin is a kind of natural plant flavonoids and has multiple biological effects such as antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenec agent. Melanogenesis is a physiological process resulting in the synthesis of melanin pigments, which play a crucial protective role against skin photocarcinogenesis. This present study was designed to investigate effect of quercetin on proliferation and melanogenesis in Melan-a melanocyte cells. After 48h treatment of cells with quercetin, the cells exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptosis. Therefore, thε growth retardation by the extract may be due to the cell arrest or cell differentiation. We also investigated the effect of quercetin on melanogenesis of this cells. Melan-a melanocyte cells were grown for 48h in the presence of $0.01-60\;{\mu}g/ml$ quercetin and the total melanin content and activity of tyrosinase were measured. Quercetin stimulated melanization of the cells in low concentrations $(0.01-1.0\;{\mu}g/ml)$, whereas it inhibited melanization in high concentrations $(5.0-30\;{\mu}g/ml)$. It was observed that quercetin differently regulates melanogenesis of Melan-a melanocyte cells dependent on Its concentrations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.268-276
• /
• 2017

Background: UV-B-exposed keratinocytes secrete various paracrine factors. Among these factors, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulates the proliferation of melanocytes. Ginsenosides, the major active compounds of ginseng, are known to have broad pharmacological effects. In this study, we examined the antiproliferative effects of ginsenosides on bFGF-induced melanocyte proliferation. Methods: We investigated the inhibitory effects of Korean Red Ginseng and ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on bFGF-induced proliferation of melan-a melanocytes. Results: When melan-a melanocytes were treated with UV-B-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes media, cell proliferation increased. This increased proliferation of melanocytes decreased with a neutralizing anti-bFGF antibody. To elucidate the effects of ginsenosides on melanocyte proliferation induced by bFGF, we tested 15 types of ginsenoside compounds. Among them, Rh3, Rh1, F1, and CK demonstrated antiproliferative effects on bFGF-induced melanocyte proliferation after 72 h of treatment. bFGF stimulated cell proliferation via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in various cell types. Western blot analysis found bFGF-induced ERK phosphorylation in melan-a. Treatment with Rh3 inhibited bFGF-induced maximum ERK phosphorylation and F1-delayed maximum ERK phosphorylation, whereas Rh1 and CK had no detectable effects. In addition, cotreatment with Rh3 and F1 significantly suppressed bFGF-induced ERK phosphorylation. Western blot analysis found that bFGF increased microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) protein levels in melan-a. Treatment with Rh3 or F1 had no detectable effects, whereas cotreatment with Rh3 and F1 inhibited bFGF-induced MITF expression levels more strongly than a single treatment. Conclusion: In summary, we found that ginsenosides Rh3 and F1 have a synergistic antiproliferative effect on bFGF-induced melan-a melanocyte proliferation via the inhibition of ERK-mediated upregulation of MITF.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.69-77
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Scirpi rhizoma ethanol extract (SREE) on skin whitening using in vitro test. In the antioxidative activities, it was found that SREE contains 38.9 mg/g of polyphenol and 74.5 mg/g of flavonoid in total. In the electron donating ability, SREE showed a dose-dependent response, showing a high antioxidative capacity of 86.1% at 1000 ppm. It was found that the maximum permissible level of SREE to Melan-a cells was over 200 ppm, showing a quite low toxicity of SREE against Melan-a cells. Both in the inhibitory measurement for tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis using Melan-a cells, SREE presented a dose-dependent response with excellent efficacy.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.12 no.9
• /
• pp.4038-4045
• /
• 2011

To investigate whitening Effects of Angelica dahurica Radix Ethanol Extract (ADEE), we used melan-a cell line, brown guinea pig, and HMB-45. We treated with ADEE of 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration in order to evaluate the effect of ADEE on cell viability and on morphological observation of melan-a cells. Also we were induced the artificial tanning spots by 1,500 mJ/$cm^2$ of ultraviolet B radiation on the backs of brown guinea pigs (approximately 450~500g) and then the test agent of $30{\mu}{\ell}$ was applied on the spots twice a day, five days a week, for five weeks respectively. The visible whitening effect was evaluated once a week. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed under anesthetization. The artificial tanning spots were obtained by biopsy punch and stained with HMB-45 to observe the gp100 proteins which were melanosomes. Our results show that cell viability was not reduce at ADEE concentrations between 6.25 and 50 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$, melanin synthesis and melanocyte dendricity were decreased in ADEE treated melan-a cells increasing ADEE concentration. In the gross observation, ADEE treated groups had lower pigmentation than the vehicle control groups. And in the histological observation, ADEE treated groups had lower melanocytes than the vehicle control groups. Also in the quantitative analysis of the gp100 proteins using image analysis software, ADEE treated groups had a significantly lower value (p<0.001) than the vehicle control group and this resultsagreed with the results of observation under microscope. From these results, weconcluded that ADEE had positive whitening effect.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.273-278
• /
• 2011

Sertoli cell tumor (SCT) of the testicle arises from the supporting cells within the seminiferous tubules. SCT is common in dogs, especially in cryptorchid testicles, but also has been reported in the stallion, ram, cat, and bull. Sertoli cell tumor sample was collected from 7-years male german shepherd. In this study, SCT arose from one testicle. Sample size is approximately 1.7 cm in diameter and it has a round form. In the microscopic, cells within the tumor variably resemble Sertoli cells (SCs) that normally populate the seminiferous tubules and interstitial area. There is abundant stroma of dense, mature fibrous connective tissue in SCT. In the immunohistochemical staining, cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was not expressed in the control and SCT. S-100 protein was expressed by SCs, germ cells and fibrous connective tissue of SCT. Melan A was expressed by leydig cells (LCs) of SCT. A study by using S-100 and melan A in canine SCT was almost never carried out. S-100 and melans A is considered to suggest for diagnosis and pathogenesis of canine SCTs. Inhibin-alpha and Vimentin were well known as the marekers of SCTs. Also, they were expressed by Sertoli cells and LSs of SCT in this study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.8
• /
• pp.982-988
• /
• 2022

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) has been used as preventive and therapeutic material for hyperpigmentation disorders. Previously, we isolated noble compounds including dehydroglyasperin C (DGC), dehydroglyasperin D (DGD) and isoangustone A (IAA) from licorice hexane/ethanol extracts. However, their anti-melanogenic effects and underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. The present study compared effects of DGC, DGD and IAA on pigmentation in melan-a melanocytes and human epidermal melanocytes (HEMn). DGD exerted the most excellent anti-melanogenic effect, followed by DGC and IAA at non-cytotoxic concentrations. In addition, DGD significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro cell-free system and cell system. Western blot result showed that DGD decreased expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) in melan-a cells and HEMn cells. DGD induced phosphorylation of MITF, ERK and Akt signal pathway promoting MITF degradation system. However, DGD did not influence p38 and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)/CREB signal pathway in melan-a cells. These result indicated that DGD inhibited melanogenesis not only direct regulation of tyrosinase but also modulating intracellular signaling related with MITF level. Collectively, these results suggested a protective role for DGD against melanogenesis.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2011

Novel tyrosinase inhibitors are important for pigmentation in the skin. Following extraction of tyrosinase inhibitors from edible vegetables or fruits, we found that the Prunus persica flesh extract (PPFE) exhibited potential inhibitory activity for melanogenesis. PPFE showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity in an enzymatic assay and PPFE also significantly inhibited the melanin formation in cultured mouse melan-a cells. Moreover, real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the inhibition of melanin production by PPFE was closely related to marked suppression of mRNA expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 and -2 (TRP-1 and TRP-2) in melan-a cells. Further investigation found that the modulation of tyrosinase expression by PPFE was associated with the transcriptional regulation of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). PPFE inhibited the promoter activity of MITF and suppressed MITF mRNA expression in melan-a cells. These results indicate that PPFE down-regulates melanogenesis-associated gene expression through MITF-mediated transcriptional regulation and these events might be related to the hypopigmentary effects of PPFE.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.293-300
• /
• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Cinnamomum camphora on melanogenesis. The MeOH extract of Cinnamomum camphora inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, it significantly suppressed the melanin production in melan-a cells at the concentration of $100{\mu}/m{\ell}$. The MeOH extract was partitioned with ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. Among them, the BuOH soluble fraction exhibited significant inhibitory effect on mushroom tyrosinase. In addition, the BuOH soluble fraction reduced the melanin production in melan-a cells. But, the BuOH soluble fraction had less inhibition effects on melan-a cell originated tyrosinase. So, it was performed western blotting for melanogenic proteins (tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-2)) using melan-a cells. The BuOH soluble fraction inhibited the protein expression of tyrosinase at the concentration of $100{\mu}/m{\ell}$. The results suggested that the BuOH soluble fraction of C. camphora might be a potent inhibitor of melanin biosynthesis in melan-a cells.