• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.707-713
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• 2015

Royal jelly has been widely used as a health supplement worldwide. However, royal jelly has been implicated in allergic reactions, and we developed a water-soluble royal jelly (WSRJ) without the allergy inducing protein. In this study, we aimed to identify the anti-melanogenic efficacy of WSRJ. B16F1 melanoma cells were first treated with 10 nM α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and then with various doses of WSRJ. In addition, we investigated the mRNA and protein expression of melanogenesis-related genes such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. WSRJ directly inhibited tyrosinase and cellular tyrosinase activity, which decreased melanin synthesis in α-MSH stimulated B16F1 melanoma cells a level comparable to that observed with arbutin. WSRJ decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2, which was comparable to that observed with arbutin. WSRJ has strong anti-melanogenic activity, which invoice direct inhibition of tyrosinase enzyme activity and suppression of expression of melanogenesis related genes. Results from this study suggests that WSRJ is a potential candidate for the treatment of skin pigmentation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2021

Objectives : This study aims to report a case of chin area folliculitis improved by oral administration of Gyejigadaehwang-tang. Methods : The patient of this study visited our hospital with purulent lesions accompanied by erythema, papules and pustules around the chin area that have recurred over 10 years. Based on the patient's tendency of chills and constipation, Gyejigadaehwang-tang was prescribed. Results : About a month later, most of the skin symptoms improved (Total Folliculitis Symptom score 11→2), and only brown marks and mild erythema due to pigmentation after inflammation, were observed. Symptoms related to constipation also improved from 13 to 4 points. In the follow-up process after the treatment, It was confirmed that the symptoms of folliculitis did not recur. Conclusions : After taking Gyejigadaehwang-tang for a month, purulent lesions generally improved. Symptoms related to constipation also diminished, allowing regular bowel movements once a day.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot, a green alga of the Codiales family, has been reported to have several bioactive properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its antiobesity and whitening effects and their underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the antiobesity and melanogenesis inhibitory effects of C. fragile using methanol extracts of C. fragile (MECF). The results of this study revealed that MECF inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets and triacylglycerol in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which was associated with the inhibition of the expression of adipogenesis-related transcription factors, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBPα), and C/EBPβ, which function as the key regulators of adipogenesis. Also, MECF reduced tyrosinase activity and melanin content in B16F10 cells as well as the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), TRP-2, and microphthalmia-related transcription factor in the presence of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Taken together, our findings suggest that the extract of C. fragile could be considered a promising functional ingredient for the prevention and treatment of obesity and skin pigmentation in the food and cosmetic industry.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.277-282
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• 2022

Whitening effect of the extract of Phaseolus angularis (PA) shell was investigated for its potential application as a functional ingredient for cosmetic products. The tyrosinase inhibitory effect, which is related to whitening, was 76.4% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/ml. Cell viability of melanoma cells was measured to test toxicity of the PA shell extract at concentrations showing at least 90% viability. In addition, western blot and RT-PCR assays of the PA shell extract showed concentration-dependent decreases of MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2 and tyrosinase protein and inhibitory effect of mRNA expression. These findings suggested that extract from PA shell has great potential as a cosmeceutical ingredient with whitening effect.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.61-67
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• 2023

Objective : Mori Fructus has been used to relieve thirst, and treat dizziness, tinnitus, and insomnia caused by poor constitution. This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of the ethanol extract of Mori Fructus (MF) in ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced apoptotic cell death in human keratinocyte cells. Methods : MF was prepared by extracting 100 g of Mori Fructus in 1 L of 100% ethanol for 48 h. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure cell viability. Apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was observed by Western blot. Tyrosinase activity was measured with a colorimetric commercial kit. Results : MF promoted cell vitality and inhibited apoptosis of UVB-induced HaCaT cells. MF pretreatment reduced TUNEL-positive cells and increased the expression of caspase-3 and -9. MF also displayed antioxidant effect with high radical scavenging ability. At 2 ㎎/㎖ concentration, the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition rates were 55.3 ± 4.6% and 48.5 ± 1.3%, respectively. Furthermore, MF showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on tyrosinase. Conclusion : These results suggest that MF functions as a protective regulator in UVB-induced HaCaT cells by regulating apoptosis and partially exerting antioxidant effects. In addition, the tyrosinase inhibitory effect of MF shows the potential for MF to be used for skin pigmentation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.466-472
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• 2023

Exon skipping is an efficient technique to inhibit specific gene expression induced by a short-sequence peptide nucleic acid (PNA). To date, there has been no study on the effects of PNA on skin pigmentation. In melanocytes, the tripartite complex is responsible for the transport of mature melanosomes from the nucleus to the dendrites. The tripartite complex is composed of Rab27a, Mlph (Melanophilin), and Myosin Va. Defects in the protein Mlph, a melanosome transport-related protein, are known to cause hypopigmentation. Our study shows that Olipass peptide nucleic acid (OPNA), a cell membrane-permeable PNA, targets exon skipping in the Mlph SHD domain, which is involved in Rab27a binding. Our findings demonstrate that OPNA induced exon skipping in melan-a cells, resulting in shortened Mlph mRNA, reduced Mlph protein levels, and melanosome aggregation, as observed by microscopy. Therefore, OPNA inhibits the expression of Mlph by inducing exon skipping within the gene. These results suggest that OPNA, which targets Mlph, may be a potential new whitening agent to inhibit melanosome movement.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2022

In this study, derivatives of trimethoxybenzene were investigated as inhibitors of melanogenesis. We examined the effects of methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (MTB), ethyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (ETB), methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate (MTC), and ethyl 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate (ETC). First, the inhibitory effects of these agents on melanin production were evaluated using α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells. We found that all derivatives decreased α-MSH-induced melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells; ETC showed a strong inhibitory effect at half of the concentration of the other derivatives. As tyrosinase is considered a key enzyme of melanogenesis, we also examined whether the derivatives inhibited tyrosinase activity. MTC and ETC reduced mushroom tyrosinase activity and expression levels of α-MSH-induced B16F10 cellular tyrosinase protein. Inhibitory effects of all derivatives on α-MSH-induced B16F10 cellular tyrosinase activity were shown in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, the derivatives were exposed to diphenylpicrylhydrazyl free radical to examine their antioxidant characteristics. All derivatives showed considerable antioxidant activity, which was 2-fold higher than that of arbutin. In conclusion, the trimethoxybenzene derivatives, including MTB, ETB, MTC, and ETC exerted anti-melanogenic and antioxidant effects on α-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis, demonstrating their potential for use as novel hypopigmenting agents and antioxidants.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.19-27
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• 1976

Perilla (frutescens) seed oil, which is widely used as a source of vegetable oil in Korea, contains a strikingly large amount (58.4% of total fatty acids) of polyunsaturated linolenic acid (18 : 3) which is one of the essential fatty acids. Our hypothesis was that vitamin E contained in this oil would not be enough to prevent peroxidation of this polyunsaturated oil. A comparative study was carried out using rats and chicks devided into seven groups with various diet combinations emphasizing fat sources for the period of four weeks. The level of fat in each diet was 15% and animals were fed ad libitum. Various diet combinations were as follows; perilla seed oil and sesame seed oil with and without vitamin E supplementation, tallow as a saturated fat source and perilla seed hull group (10% at the expense of carbohydrate). The fat constituents of control group were consisted of 50% vegetable oil and 50% animal fat. A few important findings are as follows: 1. Rats fed perilla seed oil lost their hair focally around the neck and suffered from a bad skin lesion at the same place. In chicks, yellow pigmentation both of feather and of skin was clearly observed only in groups fed perilla seed oil with or without vitamin E supplementation. The basis of biochemical mechanisms of this phenomena remains as an important research interest. 2. The mean value for hematocrit was significantly lower for the chicks fed perilla seed oil than for those fed control diet. This result seems to be attributable to the effect on the red cell membrane known as peroxidation-hemolysis of vitamin E deficiency. 3. The serum cholesterol level was higher for the rats fed perilla seed oil than for those fed control diet, whereas in chicks the group fed perilla seed oil showed lower value than the control group indicating that different animal species could vary in their responses to the same diet. 4. In pathological examinations, the sign of hepatic fibrosis was seen in the perilla seed hull group and it was noticeable that the level of hepatic RNA was significantly increased in the rat recovering from vitamin E deficiency. It is hoped that more detailed studies on perilla seed oil and hulls will soon be carried out in many aspects especially i) at various levels of fat in the diet, ii) in relation to dietary selenium level and iii) to find an optimum level of dietary essential fatty acids in terms of P/S ratio using various animal species. In the mean time, the public should be informed to preserve this particular oil with care to minimize fatty acid oxidation and should be discouraged from overconsuming this oil. This study was supported by UB (United Board) Research Grant (Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea)

• 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 Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.793-798
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• 2009

This study was undertaken to reveal the relationship between genetic variations and inheritance patterns and the development of a systemic white coat color frequently observed in Jeju horses. It was determined that the white coat color occurred in all basic coat colored (black, bay and chestnut) horses by combining the phenotype and MC1R genotypes. There were no polymorphisms found in Jeju horses tested for mutational loci in the KIT gene, which were previously reported as potential mutations of the congenital dominant white coat color in other horse breeds in heterogeneity. The horses that had the 4.6-kb duplication in the STX17 intron 6 specifically showed the depigmented white coat color. Based on observation and STX17 genotypes, this depigmented whitening is defined as 'Chongma' (whitening, progressive graying with age-Gray) in Jeju horses. Pedigrees showed that this is an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern distinct from the bovine albinism caused by an autosomal recessive passion eye color. Because the gray phenotype is generally not completely expressed early in Jeju horses, it often makes them indistinguishable from other horses. Further studies are recommended for classification between the gray coat color and its similar phenotypes, such as the roan with its mixed hair colors appearing since neonatal period, acquired white hairs on wounded skin by veterinary treatment, and vitiligo-like skin pigmentation. However, study results revealing the relationship between the gray phenotype and genetic background suggested that useful information may be provided in regards to molecular breeding of Jeju horses.