Abstract
Despite a large number of studies reporting a variety of biological and pharmacological activities of Momordica charantia, its skin protective properties are poorly understood. The present study aimed to explore the skin protective properties of Momordica charantia methanol extract (Mc-ME) and the underlying mechanism in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and melanocytes. Mc-ME exhibited an antioxidative property by decreasing radical levels in HaCaT keratinocytes and a cytoprotective property in H2O2-damaged HaCaT cells, which was mediated by increasing the expression or activation of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), HO-1, p85/PI3K, and AKT. Mc-ME was also active against wrinkle formation by regulating the activity or expression of tissue remodeling factors such as elastase, type 1 collagen, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and -9 and tissue-protecting enzymes such as hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT cells, in addition to increasing the proliferation of HaCaT cells. Mc-ME also showed antidehydration properties by inducing the expression of natural moisturizing factors such as filaggrin (FLG), transglutaminase-1 (TGM-1), and hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS)-1, -2, and -3 in HaCaT cells. Moreover, Mc-ME showed an antimelanogenic property by inhibiting the synthesis and secretion of melanin from B16F10 melanoma cells via suppression of tyrosinase activity. Taken together, these results suggest that Mc-ME plays a skin protective role through its antioxidative, cytoprotective, skin remodeling, moisturizing, and antimelanogenic properties and might be a new and promising skin protective cosmeceutical.
Highlights
Skin is the outer thin layer of tissue covering the animal body that protects the body from environmental stresses and dangers, including infectious pathogens, ultraviolet (UV) light, harmful chemical agents, and mechanical stimulation, in addition to maintaining body temperature and moisture
HaCaT cells were pretreated with increasing doses of Momordica charantia methanol extract (Mc-ME) (0–200 μg/ml) for 30 min and treated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (200 μM) for 24 h, and ROS generation induced by SNP in the cells was decreased by Mc-ME in a dose-dependent manner (Figure 1(c))
To examine the molecular mechanism of the Mc-ME–mediated cytoprotective effect in H2O2–treated HaCaT cells, the activities of p85/PI3K and AKT were evaluated by western blot analysis
Summary
Skin is the outer thin layer of tissue covering the animal body that protects the body from environmental stresses and dangers, including infectious pathogens, ultraviolet (UV) light, harmful chemical agents, and mechanical stimulation, in addition to maintaining body temperature and moisture. Chronic and repeated exposure of skin to these stresses causes detrimental damage, resulting in ageing and cancers of skin [1,2,3]. UV induces skin tissue remodeling and wrinkle generation by modulating the expression of tissue remodeling factors such as procollagen, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and elastase [11,12,13]. Skin ageing induces dehydration in skin tissues, and hyaluronic acid (HA) has been reported as a key molecule involved in skin hydration through regulating the expression of hyaluronic acid synthases (HASs) [14]. Melanin is a dark pigment that is synthesized in melanocytes by the oxidation of L-tyrosine and protects the skin from external stimuli such as UV [16, 17]. The primary role of melanin is to protect skin tissues
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