• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2008

These days there is a constant possibility of exposure to UV radiation which can cause abnormal production of melanin and result in skin disease such as hyperpigmentation and melanoma. Many materials were investigated for skin whitening and protection against UV radiation. In this study, we assessed the melanogenesis inhibitory activities of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG, Ginseng Radix Rubra) and Ginkgo (EGb 761 Ginkgo Biloba) in an attempt to develop a new skin whitening agent derived from natural products. B16F10 melanoma cells were treated for 48 hr with KRG and EGb 761. The inhibitory effect on melanogenesis was measured and related cytokines and proteins expression were also investigated by RT-PCR and Western blotting. In addition, we also assessed the effects of these substances on the skin of C57BL/6 mice. Cell growth, melanin content and tyrosinase activity were inhibited effectively in B16F10 melanoma cells treated with KRG and EGb 761. Moreover, tyrosinase mRNA expression was inhibited clearly and melanogenesis related proteins (MRPs) containing tyrosinase, TRP1 and TRP2 were also reduced by KRG and EGb761, while cytokines such as IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 were induced. In the case of UV irradiated mice, we observed induction of cytokine mRNA levels and reduction of MRPs mRNA expression. In addition, a decrease in pigmentation from treatment with KRG and EGb 761 on the skin of mice was observed. These results indicate that KRG and EGb 761 inhibit melanogenesis in B16F10 cells and have display protective activities against UVB. Therefore, we suggest that KRG and EGb 761 are good candidates to be used as whitening agents and UVB protectors for the skin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.461-466
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• 2010

A cylindrical UV sterilization system was developed to decrease microorganisms in centrifuged Takju (CT). CT was run through 110 strips of honey comb type-teflon tubes and 9 UV lamps (1395 W) were equipped between teflon tubes. The optimum sterilization condition of CT was fixed for 1.5 min at 2 L/min in overall quality aspects; also, 5~6 log cycle decrease of viable cell numbers of total bacteria and yeast was observed at this operating condition. Quality changes of UV-sterilized CT were examined by UV irradiation of CT followed by storing at $30^{\circ}C$ for 8 days. To evaluate quality changes of UV-sterilized CT, pH, amino nitrogen content, acidity, reducing sugar content and viable cell numbers of total bacteria and yeast were measured. The growth of yeast and bacteria was retarded, showing around $10^8\;CFU/mL$ even after 4 days and $10^8\;CFU/mL$ after 6 days, respectively. Also, UV sterilized CT showed no changes in pH, titratable acidity, and amino nitrogen content during storage except reducing sugar content. UV sterilization did not cause significant difference in L, a, and b values between CT and UV-sterilized CT over the storage period.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.220-225
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• 2020

Hair is made of proteins containing various amino acids. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is believed to be responsible for the most damaging effects of sunlight, and also plays an important role in hair aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in morphological and chemical structures after ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation of human hair. The UVB-irradiated hair showed characteristic morphological and structural changes, compared to those of the normal hair. The result from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray diffractometer (EDX) showed that the scale of UV-irradiated hair appeared to be rough and the amount of oxygen element was higher than that of the normal hair. Fluorescence and three dimensional (3D) topographical images were obtained by a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). In 3D images, the green emission intensity of normal hair was much higher than that of fluorescing UVB-irradiated hair. The intensity of green emission reflects the intrinsic fluorescence of hair protein. Also, a fluorescent imaging method using fluorescamine reagent was used to identify the free amino groups resulting from a peptide bond breakage in UVB-irradiated hair. Strong blue fluorescence of UVB-irradiated hair, which indicates a very high level of amino groups, was observed by CLSM. Therefore, the fluorescamine as an extrinsic fluorescence could provide a useful tool to identify the peptide bond breakage in UVB-irradiated hair. Infrared image mapping was also employed to assess the cross-sections of normal and UVB-irradiated specimens to examine the oxidation of disulfide bonds. The degree of peak areas with strong absorbance for the disulfide mono-oxide was spread from the outside to the inside of hair. The spectroscopic techniques used alone, or in combination, launch new possibilities in the field of hair cosmetics.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.2787-2790
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• 2014

Quercetin is a major dietary flavonoid found in onions, apples, tea, and red wine, and potentially has beneficial effects on disease prevention. We carried out this study to investigate the effect of quercetin on UVB-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells and to further understand the mechanisms of its action. The anti-inflammatory activity of quercetin was investigated and quercetin significantly suppressed the NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. Post treatment of quercetin decreased UV irradiation-induced phosphorylation of JNK, p38 MAPK, and ERK by 91%, 21%, and 17%, respectively. MMP-1 is mainly responsible for the degradation of dermal collagen during the aging process of human skin and quercetin suppressed the UVB-induced MMP-1 by 94%. Binding studies revealed that quercetin binds to p38 with high binding affinity ($1.85{\times}10^6M^{-1}$). The binding model showed that the 4'-hydroxy groups of the B-ring of quercetin participated in hydrogen bonding interactions with the side chains of Lys53, Glu71, and Asp168 and the 5-hydroxy group of the A-ring formed a hydrogen bond with the backbone amide of Met109. The major finding of this study shows that quercetin inhibits phosphorylation of JNK, p38 MAPK, and ERK pathway leading to the prevention of MMP-1 expression in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Therefore, our findings suggested the potentials of quercetin as a skin anti-photoaging agent.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.451-453
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• 2002

A new concept of "photo" -antisense method has been evaluated, where the inhibition of gene expression by the conventional antisense method is enhanced by photochemical binding between antisense oligonucleotides conjugated with photo-reactive compound and target mRNA or DNA. Fluorescein labeled oligodeoxyribonucleotides (F-DNA) was delivered to cell nuclei in the encapsulated form in multilamellar lecithin liposomes with neutral charge. F-DNA was previously shown to photo-bind to the complementary stranded DNA, and the delivery system using neutral liposome to be effective in normal human keratinocytes. In the present study, we used human kidney cancer G401.2/6TG.1 cell line to be advantageous in reproducible experiments. p53 was adopted as a target gene since antisense sequence information has been accumulated. The nuclear localization ofF-DNA was identified by comparing the fluorescence ofF-DNA with that of Hoechst 33258 under fluorescence microscope. After 7hr incubation to accumulate p53 protein induced by UV -B, p53 protein was quantified by Western blot. After 2hrs from F-DNA application, about 30% of cell population incorporated F-DNA in their nuclei with some morphological change possibly due to liposomal toxicity. Irradiation of visible light longer than 400nm from solar simulator at this time enhanced the inhibitory action of antisense F-DNA. The present results suggest that photo-antisense method is promising to control gene expression in time and space dependent manner. Further improvement of F-DNA delivery to cancer cells in the stability and toxicity is in progress. progress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1736-1743
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• 2014

In this study, we evaluated the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum HY7714 on skin hydration in human dermal fibroblasts and in hairless mice. In Hs68 cells, L. plantarum HY7714 not only increased the serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) mRNA level, but also decreased the ceramidase mRNA level. In order to confirm the hydrating effects of L. plantarum HY7714 in vivo, we orally administered vehicle or L. plantarum HY7714 at a dose of $1{\times}10^9CFU/day$ to hairless mice for 8 weeks. In hairless mice, L. plantarum HY7714 decreased UVB-induced epidermal thickness. In addition, we found that L. plantarum HY7714 administration suppressed the increase in transepidermal water loss and decrease in skin hydration, which reflects barrier function fluctuations following UV irradiation. In particular, L. plantarum HY7714 administration increased the ceramide level compared with that in the UVB group. In the experiment on SPT and ceramidase mRNA expressions, L. plantarum HY7714 administration improved the reduction in SPT mRNA levels and suppressed the increase in ceramidase mRNA levels caused by UVB in the hairless mice skins. Collectively, these results suggest that L. plantarum HY7714 can be a potential candidate for preserving skin hydration levels against UV irradiation.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.408-415
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• 2009

Iron-loaded activated carbon fibers (Fe-ACF) supported titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) photocatalyst (Fe-ACF/$TiO_2$) was synthesized using a sol-gel method. Three different types of Fe-ACF/$TiO_2$ were obtained by treatment with different precursor of Fe, and characterized using BET, SEM, XRD and EDX analysis. The photocatalytic activity of Fe-ACF/$TiO_2$ was investigated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh.B) solution under UV irradiation. From the experimental results, it was revealed that Fe-ACF/$TiO_2$ composites show considerable photocatalytic ability for the removal of Rh.B by comparing non-treated ACF/$TiO_2$ composites. And photo-Fenton reaction with Fe element was incoordinately influenced due to different precursor of Fe. It clearly indicates that Fe-ACF/$TiO_2$ composites prepared using $FeCl_3$ provided the highest photo-Fenton activity, then, which was affected by pH changes on the degradation of Rh.B.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.65-69
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• 2007

The effects of bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra var. henenis Strapf) leaf extract (BLE) on the changes of ultraviolet (UV) light B radiation-induced apoptotic sunburn cell (SBC) and epidermal ATPase-positive dendritic cell (DC) in SKH1-hr or ICR mouse were investigated. The mice were treated with UVB ($200mJ/cm^2$) and were sacrificed 24 hours later. BLE (50 mg/kg of body weight) or vehicle (saline) was given i.p. at 36 and 12 hours before irradiation, and 30 minutes after irradiation. BLE cream (0.2%) or cream base (vehicle) was also topically treated at 24 hours and 15 minutes before irradiation, and immediately after irradiation. The skin of SKH1-hr mouse prepared from the back of untreated mice exhibited about 0.3 SBC/cm length of epidermis, and 24 hours after UV irradiation, the applied areas show an increased number of SBCs. But the frequency of UVB-induced SBC formation was significantly reduced by intraperitoneal injection (59.0%) and topical application (31.8%) of BLE extract. The numbers of DC in normal ICR mouse were $628.00{\pm}51.56\;or\;663.20{\pm}62.58\;per\;mm^2$ of ear epidermis. By 1 day after UVB treatment, the number of ATPase-positive $cells/mm^2$ were decreased by 39.0% or 27.1% in i.p. or topical application group with vehicle. The frequency of UVB ($200mJ/cm^2$)-induced DC decrease was reduced by treatment of BLE as 25.7% in i.p. group and 3.2% in topical application group compared with the irradiation control group. The results presented herein that BLE administration could reduce the extent of skin damages produced by UVB.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.205-208
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• 2002

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly described transmitter involved with cell to cell communication that is generated in biologic tissues by specific types of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which metabolize L-arginine and molecular oxygen to citrulline and nitric oxide. In the skin. NO has been reported to play an important role in such diseases as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis, as well as act as an important modulator in UVB-induced erythema. Ultraviolet B irradiation to the skin evokes an increase in NO production in the epidermis through two pathways; induction of inducible NOS, mediated by inflammatory cytokines, and elevation of constitutive neuronal NOS activity. In a cell culture system, it has been demonstrated that NO functions as a melanogen after being produced in keratinocytes in response to UVB-irradiation. NO-stimulated melanogenesis in melanocytes is mediated by the cGMP/PKG pathway. In this study, up-regulation of tyrosinase gene expression by NO-stimulation and the involvement of NO in UVB-induced pigmentation were examined. In NO-induced melanogenesis, protein synthesis and tyrosinase activity increased along with an up-regulation of tyrosinase gene expression. In an animal model, UVB-induced pigmentation in skin was suppressed by sequential daily treatments with a specific inhibitor of NOS. Thus, NO plays an important role in UVB-induced pigmentation, where its function as a melanogen is considered to be one of the mechanisms. Together with its role in the development of erythema, NO contributes to the total protective response of skin against UVB-irradiation.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2002

The immunological mechanism of the responses to ultraviolet (UV) B radiation in mouse models were investigated by the suppression of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), and susceptibility to infection. However, there are some differences in immune suppression according to the different models as well as the irradiation protocols. Therefore, this review focused on the differences in the suppressive effects on CHS and DTH, and susceptibility to infection in relation to the different in vivo models. Recent advances in cytokine knockout mice experiments have the reexamination of the role of the critical cytokines in UVB-induced immune suppression, which was investigated previously by blocking antibodies. The characteristics of the suppressor cells responsible for UVB-induced tolerance were determined. The subcellular mechanism of UVB-induced immune suppression was also explained by the induction of apoptotic cells through the Fas and Fas-ligand interaction. The phagocytosis of the apoptotic cells is believed to induce the production of the immune suppressive cytokine like interleukin-10 by macrophages. Therefore, the therapeutic UVB response to a skin disease, such as psoriasis, by the depletion of infiltrating T cells could be considered in the extension line of apoptosis and immune suppression.