Depigmentation effect of kadsuralignan F on melan-a murine melanocytes and human skin equivalents

Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Jan 15;14(1):1655-66. doi: 10.3390/ijms14011655.

Abstract

The development of melanogenic inhibitors is important for the prevention of hyperpigmentation, and, recently, consideration has been given to natural materials or traditionally used ingredients such as Chinese medicine. The aim of this study is the evaluation of a new anti-melanogenic candidate, kadsuralignan F, from the natural plant Kadsura coccinea, as well as the determination of mechanisms of melanogenesis inhibition at a molecular level. Kadsuralignan F significantly reduced melanin synthesis in a dose-dependent manner in a murine melanocyte cell line and human skin equivalents. There was no direct inhibition on mushroom tyrosinase or cell-extract tyrosinase activity, and mRNA expression of tyrosinase and other melanogenic genes such as tyrosinase-related protein-1 (trp-1) or trp-2 were not affected by kadsuralignan F. Interestingly, the protein level of tyrosinase was dramatically downregulated with kadsuralignan F treatment. We found that a decrease of tyrosinase protein by kadsuralignan F was fully recovered by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, but not by chloroquine, a lysosome inhibitor. In this study, we found that kadsuralignan F, a lignan from an extract of Kadsura coccinea, has an inhibitory activity on melanin synthesis through tyrosinase degradation. These findings suggest that kadsuralignan F can be used as an active ingredient for hyperpigmentation treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cyclooctanes / chemistry
  • Cyclooctanes / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Kadsura / chemistry
  • Lignans / chemistry
  • Lignans / pharmacology*
  • Melanins / biosynthesis*
  • Melanocytes / cytology
  • Melanocytes / drug effects*
  • Melanocytes / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase / genetics
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase / metabolism
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Skin / drug effects*
  • Skin / metabolism
  • Skin Pigmentation / drug effects

Substances

  • Cyclooctanes
  • Lignans
  • Melanins
  • Plant Preparations
  • kadsuralignan F
  • Oxidoreductases
  • tyrosinase-related protein-1
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase
  • Intramolecular Oxidoreductases
  • dopachrome isomerase