2. Academic Validation
  3. Gomisin N Inhibits Melanogenesis through Regulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK Signaling Pathways in Melanocytes

Gomisin N Inhibits Melanogenesis through Regulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK Signaling Pathways in Melanocytes

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Feb 22;18(2):471. doi: 10.3390/ijms18020471.
Jae Kyoung Chae 1,  Lalita Subedi 2,  Minsun Jeong 3,  Yong Un Park 4,  Chul Young Kim 5,  Hakwon Kim 6,  Sun Yeou Kim 7 8 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, #191, Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. jae1990@nate.com.
  • 2 College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, #191, Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. subedilali@gmail.com.
  • 3 College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, #191, Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. minsun.jeong@gmail.com.
  • 4 College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, #191, Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. kong_park@naver.com.
  • 5 College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Korea. chulykim@hanyang.ac.kr.
  • 6 Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Natural Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Global Campus, #1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyenggi-do 17104, Korea. hwkim@khu.ac.kr.
  • 7 College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, #191, Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. sunnykim@gachon.ac.kr.
  • 8 Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Medical Center, Inchon 21565, Korea. sunnykim@gachon.ac.kr.
  • 9 Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University; #191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21565, Korea. sunnykim@gachon.ac.kr.
PMID: 28241436 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18020471
Abstract

Gomisin N, one of the lignan compounds found in Schisandra chinensis has been shown to possess anti-oxidative, anti-tumorigenic, and anti-inflammatory activities in various studies. Here we report, for the first time, the anti-melenogenic efficacy of Gomisin N in mammalian cells as well as in zebrafish embryos. Gomisin N significantly reduced the melanin content without cellular toxicity. Although it was not capable of modulating the catalytic activity of mushroom Tyrosinase in vitro, Gomisin N downregulated the expression levels of key proteins that function in melanogenesis. Gomisin N downregulated melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), adenylyl cyclase 2, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), Tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2). In addition, Gomisin N-treated Melan-A cells exhibited increased p-Akt and p-ERK levels, which implies that the activation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways may function to inhibit melanogenesis. We also validated that Gomisin N reduced melanin production by repressing the expression of MITF, Tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 in mouse and human cells as well as in developing zebrafish embryos. Collectively, we conclude that Gomisin N inhibits melanin synthesis by repressing the expression of MITF and melanogenic Enzymes, probably through modulating the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways.

Keywords

Gomisin N; Schisandra chinensis; lignan; melanogenesis; skin whitening.

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