Abstract
Hibiscus syriacus L. exhibited promising potential as a new source of food and colorants containing various anthocyanins. However, the function of anthocyanins from H. syriacus L. has not been investigated. In the current study, we evaluated whether anthocyanins from the H. syriacus L. varieties Pulsae and Paektanshim (PS and PTS) inhibit melanin biogenesis. B16F10 cells and zebrafish larvae were exposed to PS and PTS in the presence or absence of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), and melanin contents accompanied by its regulating genes and proteins were analyzed. PS and PTS moderately downregulated mushroom tyrosinase activity in vitro, but significantly decreased extracellular and intracellular melanin production in B16F10 cells, and inhibited α-MSH-induced expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase. PS and PTS also attenuated pigmentation in α-MSH-stimulated zebrafish larvae. Furthermore, PS and PTS activated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), whereas PD98059, a specific ERK inhibitor, completely reversed PS- and PTS-mediated anti-melanogenic activity in B16F10 cells and zebrafish larvae, which indicates that PS- and PTS-mediated anti-melanogenic activity is due to ERK activation. Moreover, chromatography data showed that PS and PTS possessed 17 identical anthocyanins as a negative regulator of ERK. These findings suggested that anthocyanins from PS and PTS inhibited melanogenesis in vitro and in vivo by activating the ERK signaling pathway.
Highlights
Melanocytes are melanin-producing neural crest-derived cells located in the basal layer of skin epidermis, and they transfer melanin to the neighboring keratinocytes to protect the cells from ultraviolet radiation (UV)-mediated cell damages [1]
B16F10 cells were treated with various concentrations (0–800 μg/mL) of PS and PTS for 72 h, and cytotoxicity was evaluated by microscopic analysis and an MTT assay
To investigate the effect of PS and PTS on melanogenesis, B16F10 cells were treated with various concentrations (0–400 μg/mL) of PS and PTS for 72 h, and melanin content was measured from
Summary
Melanocytes are melanin-producing neural crest-derived cells located in the basal layer of skin epidermis, and they transfer melanin to the neighboring keratinocytes to protect the cells from ultraviolet radiation (UV)-mediated cell damages [1]. Melanin is a dark pigment responsible for skin, eye and hair color, and prevention of UV induced skin injuries [2]. Melanin has been thought as a major photoprotective factor against UV-induced oxidative stress and damages. Abnormal accumulation of melanin causes dermatological problems such as melasma, wrinkling, senile lentigines and skin cancer [3,4]. Many anti-melanogenic compounds targeting tyrosinase, a major rate-limiting enzyme of melanin biosynthesis, have been developed [5,6]
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