BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
Antioxidant has been recognized to inhibit UV-induced melanogenesis. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of tyrostat, tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich fraction in inhibiting melanogenesis in human skin melanocytes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Primary culture of melanocytes was exposed to repeated doses of 0.6 J/cm2 UVA for 6 days and treated with tyrostat, tocotrienol-rich fraction or tocopherol alone or in combination.
RESULTS:
UVA irradiation increased melanin content and tyrosinase activity and up-regulated TYR, TYRP1 and TYRP2 genes. Treatment with tyrostat, tocotrienol-rich fraction or tocopherol decreased melanin content and down-regulated TYR, TYRP1 and TYRP2 genes with decreased tyrosinase activity. Combined treatment exerted better effects as compared to treatment with single compound in decreasing the melanin content and down-regulating TYR, TYRP1 and TYRP2 genes. These findings indicated that tyrostat, tocotrienol-rich fraction and tocopherol inhibit melanogenesis by modulating the expression of genes involved in the regulation of melanin synthesis and inhibiting tyrosinase activity.
CONCLUSIONS:
Tyrostat, tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich fraction possessed anti-melanogenic properties and might be useful in improving skin pigmentation caused by UVA exposure.