Baicalein Inhibits α-Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone-stimulated Melanogenesis via p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway in B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells

Min Chang Oh; Pincha Devage Sameera Madushan Fernando; Mei Jing Piao; Kyoung Ah Kang; Herath Mudiyanselage Udari Lakmini Herath; Jin Won Hyun

doi:10.15430/JCP.2023.28.2.40

Baicalein Inhibits α-Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone-stimulated Melanogenesis via p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway in B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells

J Cancer Prev. 2023 Jun 30;28(2):40-46. doi: 10.15430/JCP.2023.28.2.40.

Authors

Min Chang Oh^#¹, Pincha Devage Sameera Madushan Fernando^#¹, Mei Jing Piao^{1

2}, Kyoung Ah Kang^{1

2}, Herath Mudiyanselage Udari Lakmini Herath¹, Jin Won Hyun^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.
² Jeju Research Center for Natural Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Excessive UVB exposure causes development of both malignant and non-malignant melanoma via the secretion of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). We investigated whether baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone) could inhibit α-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis. Baicalein prevented UVB- and α-MSH-induced melanin production and attenuated α-MSH-stimulated tyrosinase (monophenol monooxygenase) activity, and expression of tyrosinase and tyrosine-related protein-2. In addition, baicalein prevented melanogenesis and pigmentation via the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway. These findings suggest that baicalein represents a natural compound for attenuating melanogenesis.

Keywords: B16F10 cells; Baicalein; Carcinogenesis; Monophenol monooxygenase; α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone.

Grants and funding

FUNDING This research was supported by the 2023 scientific promotion program funded by Jeju National University.