• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2012

Sarsasapogenin (SAR) is a steroidal sapogenin that is used as starting material for the industrial synthesis of steroids. It has various pharmacological benefits, such as antitumor and antidepressant activities. Since its effect on melanin biosynthesis has not been reported, we used murine melanocyte melan-a cells to investigate whether SAR influences melanogenesis. In this study, SAR significantly increased the melanin content of the melan-a cells from 1 to 10 ${\mu}M$. Based on an enzymatic activity assay using melan-a cell lysate, SAR had no effect on tyrosinase and DOPAchrome tautomerase activities. It also did not affect the protein expression of tyrosinase-related protein 1 and DOPAchrome tautomerase. However, protein levels of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor were strongly stimulated by treatment with SAR. Therefore, our reports suggest that SAR treatment may induce melanogenesis through the stimulation of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor expression in melan-a cells.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.411-414
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• 2008

This report described a severe bilateral microphthalmia in a young Holstein calf. The anomalous calf with wry tail showed normal vigor, appetite and normal body weight except for eye defect. The orbits were shallower and smaller than normal. The orbit bilaterally contained a white small mass suspected as eyeball. A spot-like remnant of eyeball (REB) was buried in the mixture of vestigial extraocular muscles and adipose tissue of the bilateral orbit. Histologically, the REB was composed of irregularly arranged elements of ocular wall such as sclera, retina and ciliary body. But any destructive changes in the central nervous systems were not detected. This case of eye defect was defined as severe bilateral microphthalmia. The cause of this ocular defect is unknown.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 1984

This study was undertaken to investigate congenital microphthalmia occurred at a pig farm in Gyeongbug province. These microphthalmic piglets composed of 20 piglets farrowed by three different sows(1, 11 and 8 piglets by No.1, 2 and 3 sow, respectively) that were apparently normal during pregnancy and after parturition. Attempts were made to know epidemiological findings and histopathological changes of these piglets and the results were summarized as follows; 1. One piglet from No. 1 sow exhibited staggering and incoordination and remained alive, but 19 piglets from No. 2 and 3 sow died between 3 and 20 minutes after birth. 2. In histopathological finding, hypoplasia and edema of all organs were observed in all piglets, and significant of lesions related to infection of microrganisms were not observed. 3. The cause of microphthalmia was considered as hypovitaminosis A in the sown intaked only barley barn before and during early pregnancy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.5
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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.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2021

Peptides are short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. They are widely used as effective and biocompatible active ingredients in cosmetic industry. In this study, we developed novel peptide mixture and identified its anti-pigmentation effect on melanocytes and keratinocytes. Our results revealed that peptide mixture inhibited melanosome biogenesis through the regulation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, a key factor of melanogenesis in melanocytes. And we observed that peptide mixture inhibited melanosome uptake through the reduction of protease-activated receptor 2, a phagocytosis-related receptor in keratinocytes. Furthermore, peptide mixture activated autophagy system resulting in degradation of transferred melanosomes in keratinocytes. The anti-pigmentation effect of multi-targeting peptide mixture was assessed in a human skin equivalent model (MelanoDerm). Melanin contents in epidermal layer were significantly decreased by topical treatment of peptide mixture, suggesting that it can be applied as a novel cosmetics material having a whitening function.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1336-1341
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to research the whitening effects of the extract from Angelica gigas Nakai, which is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in Asia. For whitening effects, the tyrosinase inhibition effect of the A. gigas Nakai extract was shown to be greater than 70% at 1,000 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration. The result of measuring the cell toxicity effect of the extract from A. gigas Nakai on melanoma cells showed 99% toxicity at 500 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration. The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2), and tyrosinase mRNA expression inhibitory effect by reverse transcription-PCR of the extract from A. gigas Nakai were decreased by 85.7%, 123.9%, 68.8%, and 208%, respectively, at 50 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration. All these findings could verify that extract from A. gigas Nakai could have an effect on whitening. Moreover, extract from A. gigas Nakai has great potential as a cosmetic ingredient.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.191-191
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• 2005

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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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.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.22 no.2
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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.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 1991

The combined effect of radiation and ultrasound has been studied in mouse embryos. Radiation and/or ultrasound were adminstered to ICR mice on day 8 of gestation. Intrauterine death, gross malformation, and fetal body weight were selected as indicators of effects. Does of whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$ were 0.5 to 2.5 Gy and those of ultrasound were $0.5\;W/cm^2$ to $3\;W/cm^2$. Intrautrine mortality increased with increasing radiation dose ; this trend was more remarkable in combination with ultrasound. Gross malformations such as exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia appeared frequently in the fetuses treated with both radiation and ultrasound. Decreased fetal weight was observed even in mice treated with 1.5 Gy of radiation or $1\;W/cm^2$ of ultrasound. There was a linear relationship between dose and reduction of fetal weight. The fetal weight was sensitive, precise and easy-to-handle indicator for the effects of growth retardation. Intrauterine mortality and frequencies of exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia were higher than the sum of those induced by radiation and by ultrasound. The results indicatied that the combined action of radiation and ultrasound on intrauterine death and malformations was synergistic.