Echinochrome A Inhibits Melanogenesis in B16F10 Cells by Downregulating CREB Signaling
Mi Ran Choi,
Heejin Lee,
Hyoung Kyu Kim,
Jin Han,
Jung Eun Seol,
Elena A. Vasileva,
Natalia P. Mishchenko,
Sergey A. Fedoreyev,
Valentin A. Stonik,
Won Seok Ju,
Dai-Jin Kim,
Sang-Rae Lee
Affiliations
Mi Ran Choi
Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Korea
Heejin Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
Hyoung Kyu Kim
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University Busan, Busan 50834, Korea
Jin Han
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University Busan, Busan 50834, Korea
Jung Eun Seol
Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 47392, Korea
Elena A. Vasileva
G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia
Natalia P. Mishchenko
G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia
Sergey A. Fedoreyev
G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia
Valentin A. Stonik
G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far-Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia
Won Seok Ju
Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Korea
Dai-Jin Kim
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea
Sang-Rae Lee
Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Korea
Excessive increase in melanin pigment in the skin can be caused by a variety of environmental factors, including UV radiation, and can result in spots, freckles, and skin cancer. Therefore, it is important to develop functional whitening cosmetic reagents that regulate melanogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of echinochrome A (Ech A) on melanogenesis in the B16F10 murine melanoma cell line. We triggered B16F10 cells using α-MSH under Ech A treatment to observe melanin synthesis and analyze expression changes in melanogenesis-related enzymes (tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TYRP2)) at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, we measured expression changes in the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), CREB, and pCREB proteins. Melanin synthesis in the cells stimulated by α-MSH was significantly reduced by Ech A. The expression of the tyrosinase, TYRP1, and TYRP2 mRNA and proteins was significantly decreased by Ech A, as was that of the MITF, CREB, and pCREB proteins. These results show that Ech A suppresses melanin synthesis by regulating melanogenesis-related enzymes through the CREB signaling pathway and suggest the potential of Ech A as a functional agent to prevent pigmentation and promote skin whitening.
