• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2020

In this study, we investigated anti-pigmentation effect of a hexapeptide. The peptide significantly reduced melanin contents and inhibited tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, in which tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanogenesis. The peptide also significantly reduced the expression levels of tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) and their upstream transcription factor, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). Furthermore, the peptide suppressed the phosphorylation level of cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor of MITF, and increased the phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), a kinase mediates MITF phosphorylation and proteasomal degradation. The peptide significantly inhibited the expression of Rab27A, Melanophilin, and MyosinVa, the components of motor complex involved in intracellular movement of melanosome. These results suggest that Hexapeptide could be used as an effective whitening agent that has inhibitory effect on melanin production and melanosome transport by regulating expression and degradation of MITF in melanocytes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.240-242
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• 2011

In this study, liquid culture of Tricholoma matsutake mycelia was performed via biomass production, and its inhibitory effects on melanin biosynthesis were evaluated. The Tricholoma matsutake mycelia extract inhibited 38.6% of tyrosinase activity at 100 ppm, which is higher than that of extracelluar medium at same dose. In addition, when 100 ppm of Tricholoma matsutake mycelia extract was treated to melan-a cells for 3 days, 19% of melanin production was reduced without cell toxicity. These results suggested that cultured Tricholoma matsutake mycelia might be useful as a skin depigmenting material.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2008

The effect of genistein on melanin synthesis was studied using in vitro and in vivo model. Genistein inhibited melanin synthesis in cultured melan-a cells dose dependently. Tyrosinase activity was decreased by genistein treatment in melan-a cells, but genistein did not inhibit tyrosinase directly. Genistein did not affect the expression of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. Genistein inhibited the activity of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in virtro and the glycosylation of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. The resulting unsaturated glycosylation of tyrosinase makes it unstable and disturb correct transportation. To further clarify the effect of genistein on the melanogenesis, we established UVB-induced hyperpigmentation on the shaved backs of brown guinea pigs. The animals were exposed to UVB radiation once a week for three consecutive weeks. Genistein (1 and 2%) or vehicle alone as a control were then topically applied to the hyperpigmented areas daily. Genistein showed significant lightening effect on the UVB-induced hyperpigmentation in five weeks. Depigmenting effect was prominent in 2% genistein treatment with Fontana-Masson staining. In conclusion, genistein may be a useful agent for skin whitening.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.32 no.3 s.58
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• pp.153-160
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• 2006

We synthesized 2',4'-dimethoxyflavone and investigated the effects on melanogenesis. To determine the effects as a whitening agent, various in uitro tests were performed such as free radical scavenging activity, melanin assay, tyrosinase activity and expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 (western blot and RT-PCR) in Bl6 melanoma cells. 2',4'-Dimethoxyflavone showed neither free radical scavenging activities against 1,1- diphenyl -2-picrylhydrazvl (DPPH) radical and inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase activity, 2',4'-dimethoxyflavone significantly inhibited melanin production in B16 melanoma cells. 2',4'-Dimethoxyflavone treatment (48h) suppressed the biosynthesis of melanin up to 27% at $5{\mu}g/mL$ and reduced tyrosinase activity up to 20% at $5{\mu}g/mL$ in B16 melanoma cells. 2',4'-Dimethoxyflavone was also able to significantly inhibit tyrosinase and TRP-1 expression in protein and mRNA level. These results suggest that 2',4'-dimethoxyflavone inhibits melanin biosynthesis at the level of enzyme activity and protein mRNA expression B16 melanoma cells. Therefore, 2',4'-dimethoxyflavone may be useful as a new whitening agent in cosmetics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2009

Melanogenesis is a physiological process that results in the synthesis of melanin pigments. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanin biosynthesis, and hyperpigmentation disorders are associated with abnormal accumulation of melanin pigments, which can be improved by treatment with depigmenting agents. Among the possible melanin-reducing compounds, tyrosinase inhibitors are most promising for preventing and treating pigmentation disorder and are used as skin-whitening agents in the cosmetic industry. In the present study, the effects of fucoidan on melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells were investigated. Melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased in a dose-dependent manner by fucoidan. Melanin production and tyrosinase activity in B16F10 melanoma cells stimulated by a-melanocyte stimulating hormone (a-MSH) were inhibited by fucoidan with a dose-dependent manner compared to control. Fucoidan inhibited tyrosinase activity of B16F10 melanoma cells with a dose-dependent manner as assessed by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) staining. In conclusion, these findings indicate that fucoidan, which inhibit melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity, is an effective skin-whitening agent.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.612-615
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• 2009

A 10-year-old intact male mixed breed dog was presented with a three-month history of massive oral mass. Physical examination revealed extending mass from the right upper gingiva. No metastasis was found at the time of presentation. Histopathologic examination of biopsied tissue from the oral mass was consistent with a neuroendocrine tumor with generalized epithelioid cells and few spindle cells. There were highly mitoses and no visible melanin granules with H&E staining. Immunohistochemical staining for Melan A was performed on section of tumor and was strongly positive. Diagnosis was made as amelanotic malignant melanoma based on histopathology with Melan A immunohistochemistry. This case study indicates that the Melan A immunohistochemical staining may be valuable to diagnose amelanotic malignant melanoma in dogs.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.258-264
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• 2015

Withania somnifera has been used in folk medicine to treat various ailments for centuries. In this studies to investigate the whitening effect of Withania somnifera extracts as an active ingredient for whitening cosmetics, the antioxidant capacity and the effects of Withania somnifera extracts on melanogenesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells were identified. Withania somnifera extracts significantly reduced both tyrosinase activity and melanin content in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was found that Withania somnifera extracts decreased ${\alpha}-MSH$ (melanocyte-stimulating hormone)-induced tyrosinase activity and MITF(microphthalmia associated transcription factor) protein expression. These data indicate that Withania somnifera extracts attenuate ${\alpha}$-MSH-stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating MITF expression and that they may be a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation and an ingredient of whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.403-412
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• 2014

To develop an effective skin whitening agent for cosmetics, we isolated cucurbitacin B from Cucumis sativus L. which has been used as traditional skin lighting regimen by the bioactivity-guided fractionation, and investigated the inhibitory effects of cucurbitacin B on melanogenesis. At a non-cytotoxic concentration, cucurbitacin B reduced melanin contents of B16F1 melanoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Cucurbitacin B did not directly inhibit mushroom tyrosinase activity, but it inhibited intracellular tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Its inhibitory mechanism on melanin biosynthesis was further assessed, and we found that cucurbitacin B significantly decreased the protein level of tyrosinase, a major melanogenic enzymes and MITF, a master transcriptional factor of melanogenesis. In addition, cucurbitacin B increased the expression of WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) which is known to function as tumor repressor and inhibits $Wnt/{\beta}$-catenin pathway. Collectively, these results suggest that cucuritacin B from C. sativus could be used as an active ingredient for skin whitening.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.526-532
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the effect of 88 marine algae extracts on melanin synthesis to develop new whitening agents. Among varieties of marine algae tested, the ethyl acetate extracts from Endarachne binghamiae (EB), Scytosiphon lomentaria, Sargassum yezoense, Ecklonia cava and Sargassum fusiforme inhibited melanin synthesis in melan-a cells. EB treatment showed the strongest inhibitory activity in melanin synthesis, compared with that of other extracts. EB-mediated inhibition of melanin synthesis appeared to be associated with inhibition of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase-dependent glycosylation of tyrosinase in melan-a cells. In addition, EB treatment did not affect mushroom tyrosinase or cell-extracted tyrosinase activity in vitro. Taken together, our findings suggest that anti-browning effect of EB on skin is mediated through regulation of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity and subsequent inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis, and further development of EB as a potential agent for skin whitening.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.355-361
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• 2022

Melanin pigments are the main cause of skin color. They are produced in melanocytes and then transferred to keratinocytes, which eventually gives the skin surface a variety of colors. Although many skin-lightening or depigmenting agents have been developed, the demand for materials to reduce pig- mentation is still increasing. Here, we tried to find materials for skin-lightening or depigmentation using natural compounds and found that mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) extracts (ME) had an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. As a result, ME significantly reduced pigmentation in human primary melanocytes. In addition, a promoter reporter assay revealed that ME inhibited the transcription of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), melanophilin (MLPH), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), and tyrosinase (TYR) genes in HM3KO melanoma cells. In addition, ME decreased the protein level for pigmentation-related molecules, such as TYR and TRP-1. Furthermore, it markedly inhibited the melanogenesis of zebrafish embryos, an in vivo evaluation model for pigmentation. To elucidate the action mechanism of ME, we investigated its effects on intracellular signaling. Eventually, the ME dramatically decreased the phosphorylation of the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), AKT, and ERK. The data suggest that ME may inhibit the melanogenesis pathway by regulating the signaling pathway related to pigmentation. Taken together, these data propose that ME can be developed as a depigmenting or skin-lightening agent.