• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권5호
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• pp.342-355
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• 2021

The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor family (MiT family) proteins are evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that perform many essential biological functions. In mammals, the MiT family consists of MITF (microphthalmia-associated transcription factor or melanocyte-inducing transcription factor), TFEB (transcription factor EB), TFE3 (transcription factor E3), and TFEC (transcription factor EC). These transcriptional factors belong to the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLH-LZ) transcription factor family and bind the E-box DNA motifs in the promoter regions of target genes to enhance transcription. The best studied functions of MiT proteins include lysosome biogenesis and autophagy induction. In addition, they modulate cellular metabolism, mitochondria dynamics, and various stress responses. The control of nuclear localization via phosphorylation and dephosphorylation serves as the primary regulatory mechanism for MiT family proteins, and several kinases and phosphatases have been identified to directly determine the transcriptional activities of MiT proteins. In different immune cell types, each MiT family member is shown to play distinct or redundant roles and we expect that there is far more to learn about their functions and regulatory mechanisms in host defense and inflammatory responses.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 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.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제65권2호
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• pp.93-99
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• 2022

Lysosome organelle extract (LOE) was derived from egg whites. The lysosome is an intracellular organelle that contains several hydrolysis enzymes. Previous studies have reported that LOE performs important functions, such as melanin de-colorization and anti-melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, its principal molecular and cellular mechanisms have not been elucidated till date. In non-cytotoxic conditions, LOE significantly inhibited α-MSH induced melanin synthesis of murine B16F10 cells. The anti-melanogenic activity of LOE was mediated by suppressing the mRNA expression of tyrosinase enzyme, tyrosinase related protein-1/2 (TRP-1/2), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) genes. By performing western blot analysis, we found that LOE significantly attenuated melanogenesis. In this case, LOE helped in increasing extracellular receptor kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in α-MSH induced B16F10 cells. Furthermore, MITF is found to be a key regulatory transcription factor in melanin synthesis; it was down-regulated by LOE through ERK phosphorylation. In this experiment, PD98059 (MEK inhibitor) was used to check whether LOE directly regulated the activity of ERK. Although LOE exerted inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis, we could not observe this effect in PD98059-treated α-MSH induced B16F10. These results strongly indicate that LOE is related to ERK activation and MITF degradation in anti-skin pigmentation. Hence, LOE should be utilized as a whitening agent of skin in the near future.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권11호
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• pp.1336-1341
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• 2013

아시아에서 한방약초로 널리 알려진 당귀 추출물의 미백활성을 알아보기 위하여 tyrosinase 저해활성을 측정한 결과 1,000 ${\mu}g/ml$의 농도에서 70% 이상의 활성을 나타내었다. 또한 당귀 추출물에 대한 멜라노마 세포(B16F10)의 세포생존율을 확인한 결과 500 ${\mu}g/ml$의 농도에서 99% 이상의 세포생존율을 확인할 수 있었다. 미백 관련 인자인 MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2 및 tyrosinase의 mRNA 발현량을 측정한 결과 50 ${\mu}g/ml$의 농도에서 각각 85.7%, 123.9%, 68.8%, 208%로 당귀 추출물을 처리하지 않은 군보다 감소하였음을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 연구 결과에 따라 당귀 추출물이 melanin 합성과 관련이 있는 유전자 발현의 억제효과가 있음을 확인할 수 있었으며, 미백 화장품 소재로서의 가능성을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.982-988
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• 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.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.246-251
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• 2007

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) with an increased risk of fracture. Low bone mass results from an imbalance between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) plays a critical role in osteoclast development and thus is an important candidate gene affecting bone turnover and BMD. In order to investigate the genetic effects of MITF variations on osteoporosis, we directly sequenced the MITF gene in 24 Koreans, and identified fifteen sequence variants. Two polymorphisms (+227719C > T and +228953A > G) were selected based on their allele frequencies, and then genotyped in a larger number of postmenopausal women (n = 560). Areal BMD ($g/cm^2$) of the anterior-posterior lumbar spine and the non-dominant proximal femur was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We found that the MITF + 227719C > T polymorphism was significantly associated with low BMD of the trochanter (p = 0.005-0.006) and total femur (p = 0.02-0.03) (codominant and dominant models), while there was no association with BMD of the lumbar spine. The MITF+228953A > G polymorphism was also associated with low BMD of the femoral shaft (p = 0.05) in the recessive model. Haplotype analysis showed that haplotype 3 of the MITF gene (MITF-ht3) was associated with low BMD of the trochanter (p = 0.03-0.05) and total femur (p = 0.05) (dominant and codominant models). Our results suggest that MITF variants may play a role in the decreased BMD of the proximal femur in postmenopausal women.

• 한국응용과학기술학회지
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.1229-1240
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• 2021

은행나무 종자인 백과를 70% 에탄올로 추출하여 미백 효능을 규명하고 화장품 소재로서의 응용 가능성을 확인하고자 하였다. 백과 에탄올추출물 (GBE)을 B16F10 melanoma cells에 처치하여 멜라닌 생성과 tyrosinase 활성을 확인한 결과 유의한 수준의 멜라닌 생성 저해가 관찰되었고, 멜라닌 생성과정에 관여하는 주요 효소인 tyrosinase의 활성이 농도 의존적으로 억제됨이 관찰되었다. 멜라닌 생성 관련 주요 인자들의 단백질 발현과 mRNA 수준을 관찰한 결과, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, -2 (TRP-1, -2), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF)의 단백질 발현과 유전자 수준이 GBE의 처리에 의해 유의한 수준으로 저해되었다. 이 결과를 통해, 본 연구의 백과 에탄올추출물은 멜라닌 세포의 멜라닌 생성 관련 핵심 전사인자인 MITF의 조절을 통해 멜라닌 생성 억제 효과를 나타내는 것으로 보인다. 이에 따라 백과 에탄올추출물을 화장품 미백 기능성 소재로 활용 가능성이 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.104-117
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• 2009

Objective : Melanin is one of the most important facor in skin color. Melanin protects human skin from ultraviolet radiation otherwise it causes melanin pigmentation. So this experiment is carried out for test whether Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi(SBG) inhibits melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in mouse B16 melanoma cells. Method : The melanin synthesis inhibition effects of SBG were examined by in vitro melanin production assay. We assessed inhibitory effects of SBG on melanin contents from B16F1 melanoma cell, on tyrosinase activity(cell and cell free system), effect of SBG on the expression tyrosinase, Microphthalmia-associated Transcription Factor(MITF), Extracellular signal-regulated Kinase(ERK). Result : SBG inhibited melanin synthesis induced $\alpha$-MSH($\alpha$-Melanin Stimulating Hormone) in B16F1. SBG inhibited tyrosinase activity and expression. And SBG down-regulates MITF and stimulated ERK activation in B16F1. Conclusion : According to above results, SBG was improved its suppression effect to the inhibition of melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activation, and tyrosinase promotor activation. So SBG is considered to be used for an strong source of skin whitening effect.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.135-144
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Melanocyte (MC), derived from neural crest stem cell (NCSC), are involved in the production of melanin. The mechanism by which NCSC differentiates to MC remains unclear. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification was applied to discuss the potential mechanism. Methods and Results: NCSCs were isolated from hair follicles of rats, and were obtained for differentiation. Cell viability, tyrosinase secretion and activity, and transcription factors were combined to evaluated the MC differentiation. RT-qPCR was applied to determine mRNA levels, and western blot were used for protein expression detection. Total m6A level was measured using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation was used to access the protein binding relationship. In current work, NCSCs were successfully differentiated into MCs. Fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) was aberrant downregulated in MCs, and elevated FTO suppressed the differentiation progress of NCSCs into MCs. Furthermore, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf), a key gene involved in MC synthesis, was enriched by FTO in a m6A modification manner and degraded by FTO. Meanwhile, the suppression functions of FTO in the differentiation of NCSCs into MCs were reversed by elevated Mitf. Conclusions: In short, FTO suppressed the differentiating ability of hair follicle-derived NCSCs into MCs by m6A modifying Mitf.

• 대한화장품학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.11-22
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• 2020

본 연구에서는 6 개의 아미노산으로 이루어진 헥사펩타이드(hexapeptide)의 미백 효능에 대해 수행하였다. 실험 결과 헥사펩타이드 처리에 의해 유의한 수준의 멜라닌 생성 저해가 관찰 되었고, 멜라닌 생성 과정에 관여하는 주요 효소인 tyrosinase의 활성이 농도 의존적으로 억제됨이 관찰 되었다. 멜라닌 생성 관련 인자들의 발현을 관찰 한 결과 tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) 및 이들의 상위 전사인자인 microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF)의 발현이 헥사펩타이드 처리에 의해 유의한 수준으로 저해 되었다. 또한 헥사펩타이드 처리에 의해 MITF 발현을 조절하는 상위 전사인자인 cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)의 인산화가 저해 되었고 MITF 인산화를 통해 프로테아좀 분해(proteasomal degradation)를 유도하는 extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 인산화가 증가 되었다. 이외에도, 멜라노좀의 세포 내 이동에 관여하는 복합체의 구성 인자들로 알려진 Rab27A, melanophilin, myosinVa의 발현도 헥사펩타이드에 의해 유의한 수준으로 저해 되었다. 이 결과를 통해, 본 연구의 헥사펩타이드는 멜라닌세포의 멜라닌 생성 관련 핵심 전사인자인 MITF의 발현 및 분해 조절을 통해 멜라닌 생성 억제 및 멜라노좀 이동과 같은 전반적인 멜라노좀 성숙 과정에 저해 효과를 나타내는 것으로 보인다. 헥사펩타이드의 이러한 미백 효능은 신규 미백 기능성 화장품 소재로 응용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.