• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2017

Myelophycus simplex Papenfuss, a type of brown algae, is known to be majorly distributed in along the southern coast of Korea and Japan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of M. simplex Papenfuss methanol extract (MSPME) on melanogenesis in ${\alpha}$-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells. Melanin contents of B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased by 27, 41, and 59% in a dose-dependent manner, upon MSPME treatment at 100, 300, and $500{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Tyrosinase activities in B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased by 18, 49, and 61% in a dose-dependent manner, upon MSPME treatment at 100, 300, and $500{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. MSPME suppressed expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, tyrosinase-related protein-2, and melanocyte-inducing transcription factor in B16F10 melanoma cells. Concentration of $50{\mu}g/mL$ of MSPME especially induced greater decreases in tyrosinase activity, melanin contents, and melanogenic enzyme protein expressions. This results indicate that MSPME inhibits melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity, and M. simplex Papenfuss extract may be an ideal candidate as a skin whitening agent.