Terrein: a new melanogenesis inhibitor and its mechanism

摘要: Terrein is a bioactive fungal metabolite whose effects are almost unknown. In this study, we found for the first time that terrein has strong hypopigmentary effect in spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel-Ab. Treatment of Mel-Ab cells with (10–100 μM) 4 days significantly reduced melanin levels dose-dependent manner. addition, at same concentration also tyrosinase activity. We then investigated whether influences extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway and expression microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which required expression. was to induce sustained ERK activation MITF down-regulation, luciferase assays showed inhibits promoter activity To elucidate correlation between decreased transcriptional level, PD98059, specific inhibitor pathway, applied before treatment abrogate terrein-induced attenuation. level least 72 h. These results suggest reduces synthesis by reducing production via activation, followed down-regulation.