• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2005

Melanin determines phenotypic appearance and its election-opaque property protects cells from physical, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and chemical stimuli such as free radicals. However hyper-pigmentation is associated with various skin diseases such as keloid scar. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of aqueous extracts from Angelica dahurica Benth. (AEAD) on ${\alpha}-Melanocyte$ stimulating hormone $({\alpha}-MSH)-induced$ melanogenesis in B16 mouse melanoma cell. Relative high doses ($5\;mg/m{\ell}$) of AEAD could inhibit melanin formation without apoptotic death in cells treated with ${\alpha}-MSH$. And also, ${\alpha}-MSH-induced$ activation of tyrosinase was inhibited in cells treated with AEAD. These results suggest that AEAD inhibit melanogenesis through inhibiting tyrosinase activity, and also, AEAD may apply to develop whitening drugs and cosmetics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2019

Coculture with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can stimulate proliferation and migration of melanocytes. To enhance outcomes of skin disorders caused by melanocyte loss or death, mixed transplantation with ADSCs has been suggested. However, role of cocultured ADSCs in proliferation and migration of melanocytes remains unclear. This study determined the effect of ADSCs on production of growth factors and expression levels of intergrins in primary culture of adult human melanocytes with or without ADSCs and in nude mice grafted with such melanocytes. Higher amounts of growth factors for melanocytes, such as bFGF and SCF were produced and released from ADSCs by coculturing with melanocytes. Relative levels of integrins ${\beta}1$, ${\alpha}5$, and ${\alpha}6$ as well as adhesion to fibronectin and laminin were increased in melanocytes cocultured with ADSCs. Such increases were inhibited by neutralization of bFGF or SCF. Relative levels of bFGF, SCF and integrins were increased in nude mice skin after grafting with melanocyte+ADSC cocultures. Collectively, these results indicate that ADSCs can stimulate proliferation and migration of melanocytes by increasing expression of integrins in melanocytes through upregulation of production/release of melanocyte growth factors such as bFGF and SCF.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.648-654
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• 2023

Oxidative stress-induced melanocyte apoptosis is linked to the immune system and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3), which is downregulated in vitiligo keratinocytes, regulates intracellular H₂O₂ accumulation. However, the role of AQP3 in oxidative stress is uncertain in vitiligo. This study investigated the effect of downregulated AQP3 on oxidative stress in vitiligo using lesional and non-lesional skin specimen sets from vitiligo patients and primary cultured adult normal human epidermal keratinocytes, with or without downregulation and overexpression of AQP3 in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ treatment. The levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and/or its main target, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1), were lower in the lesional keratinocytes and cultured keratinocytes with AQP3 knockdown, but were increased in keratinocytes upon AQP3 overexpression. Ratios of NRF2 nuclear translocation and NQO-1 expression levels were further reduced in AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes following H₂O₂ treatment. The conditioned media from AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes treated with H₂O₂ contained higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the number of viable melanocytes was reduced when the conditioned media were added to the culture media. Overall, AQP3 downregulation in the keratinocytes of patients with vitiligo can induce oxidative stress in neighboring melanocytes, leading to melanocyte death.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.418-425
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• 2017

This study investigated antioxidation activity through the content of total polyphenol, that of flavonoid and DPPH radical scavenging activity and measured the cytotoxicity against B16F10 melanoma and inhibiting function of melanin biosynthesis to evaluate antioxidation activity and melanocyte effect of pueraria lobata root extract. As the results of study, it was recognized that the toxicity did not show against B16F10 melanoma and the increase of generating melanin was inhibited as the results of measuring the inhibition function of melanin biosynthesis after inducing the generation of melanin by ${\alpha}$-MSH against B16F10 melanoma cell. The high contents of polyphenol and flavonoid was found as the contents of pueraria lobata root extract increases and DPPH radical scavenging activity as the results of antioxidation activity. Through this study, it was recognized that pueraria lobata root extract has the feasibility that can be used as the material of cosmetics as it has the excellent effect of antioxidation activity and inhibiting the generation of melanin against melanocyte, low toxicity against skin cell and its safety against melanocyte of skin was found.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2013

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been reported to exert anticancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, there has been no report on the effect of KRG on skin pigmentation. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of KRG on melanocyte proliferation. KRG extract (KRGE) at different concentrations had no effect on melanin synthesis in melan-A melanocytes. Saponin of KRG (SKRG) inhibited melanin content to 80% of the control at 100 ppm. Keratinocyte-derived factors induced by UV-irradiation were reported to stimulate melanogenesis, differentiation, proliferation, and dendrite formation. In this study, treatment of melan-A melanocytes with conditioned media from UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes increased melanocyte proliferation. When UV-irradiated SP-1 keratinocytes were treated with KRGE or SKRG, the increase of melanocyte proliferation by the conditioned media was blocked. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was produced and released from UV-irradiated keratinocytes. This factor has been reported to be involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of epidermal melanocytes. In this study, GM-CSF was significantly increased in SP-1 keratinocytes by UVB irradiation ($30mJ/cm^2$), and the proliferation of melan-A melanocytes increased significantly by GM-CSF treatment. In addition, the proliferative effect of keratinocyte-conditioned media on melan-A melanocytes was blocked by anti-GM-CSF treatment. KRGE or SKRG treatment decreased the expression of GM-CSF in SP-1 keratinocytes induced by UVB irradiation. These results demonstrate that UV irradiation induced GM-CSF expression in keratinocytes and KRGE or SKRG inhibited its expression. Therefore, KRG could be a good candidate for regulating UV-induced melanocyte proliferation.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.196-196
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• 2005

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.192-196
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• 2001

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) plays an essential role in the disease resistance system and is the precursor protein of biologically active peptides such as adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), $\alpha-melanocyte-stimulating$ hormone $(\alpha- MSH)$, $(\beta-melanocyte-stimulation hormone\;(\beta- MSH)$ and $\beta-endorphin$. We have isolated and sequenced two different forms of POMC cDNA, POMC-I and POMC-II, from a pituitary cDNA library of flounder. POMC-I cDNA consisted of 956 bp corresponding to deduced amino acids of 216 residues and POMC-II cDNA was 982 bp in length corresponding to 194 amino acids, respectively. The results of deduced amino acids analysis of the clones showed high sequence homology with previously reported POMCs amino acid sequences from various species. The homology between flounder POMC-I and -II is$57\%$ identity. We also constructed a phylogenetic tree based on POMC amino acid sequences.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2006

In order to develop hydroquinone analogues for topical delivery, a structure-activity relationship study has been performed. A series of 2-substituted hydroquinones were tested for their ability to inhibit mushroom tyrosinase, alter melanin release and exert cytotoxicity in B6-F10 melanocytes. The electronic property of the 2-substituents did not affect the tyrosinase inhibition nor melanocyte toxicity. However, lipophilicity did affect to some degree the tyrosinase inhibition. The discrepancy in the structure-activity relationship may be due to the poor aqueous solubility of select analogues. Compounds with steric bulk at the 2-position seems to be less soluble, not enabling the analogue to interact effectively with the tyrosinase enzyme. Among the analogues tested, 2-isopropyl hydroquinone seems to be the most promising candidate for topical delivery, being the least toxic analogue with moderate melanin release inhibition.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the whitening effect of Salvia miltorrhiza Bunge water extract (SM-W) in human epidermal melanocyte (HEM). Mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory effect of SM-W was approximately 42% at $1,000{\mu}g/mL$. The HEM cellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis inhibition activity were 26 and 25% at $5{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Whitening related proteins and mRNAs including tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2, and microphthalmia associated transcription factor were reduced by SM-W treatment. In addition, the cAMP expression inhibitory effect of SM-W was decreased by 41% at $5{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. These results indicated that Salvia miltorrhiza Bunge could be used to the possible utilization of functional cosmetic ingredients by confirming whitening activity related with melanin content.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.649-653
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• 2008

The aqueous extract from Asiasari radix (AEAR) was used to investigate the effect of ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone induced melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melnoma cells. The treatment with AEAR at the 1.0 and 2.0 mg/ml level significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of melanin without changes of cell growth and morphology compared with untreated control. The AEAR-treated cells at the 2.0 mg/ml level were more efficient than commercial arbutin at 0.1 mg/ml. The tyrosinase activity also significantly decreased in AEAR-treated cells at the 1.0 and 2.0 mg/ml level. The Western analyses confirmed the slightly decreased expression of tyrosinase by AEAR treatment. These results indicate that AEAR may contribute to the inhibition of melanin biosynthesis through regulating tyrosinase activity and expression and serve as a new candidate in the design of new skin-whitening or therapeutic agents.