- 건국대학교

	KU Research Team Identify New Molecular Regulators of Melanin Production in Skin Pigment
	관리자		1007		2019.02.12

Konkuk University research team has been identified the new molecular mechanism of controlling pigmentation of skin spots and freckles.
<img style="float: left; margin-left: 11px; margin-right: 11px;" src="ArticleFile.do?id=11753666" width="277" height="256" />Professor Soon Young Shin of the Department of Biological Science of Sanghuh College of Life Sciences, has unearthed a novel synthesis pathway for the melanin black pigment synthesized in melanocytes of the skin and identified the mechanism of melanin synthesis physiological activity at the molecular level. The skin consists of the stratum corneum, the epidermis, and the dermis from the upper part. Skin Melanin is a pigment produced by melanocytes in the lower basal layer of the epidermis. It is an important skin pigment that protects the skin by absorbing ultraviolet rays, maintains skin temperature and determines skin color. However, excessive production of melanin due to prolonged or intense ultraviolet exposure or stress may cause abnormal pigmentation such as spots, freckles, and black spots (solar lentigo). When skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is produced from keratinocytes in the epidermis to stimulate melanocytes. In this case, tyrosinase gene expression is promoted in the melanin-producing cells, and when the enzyme activity is increased, tyrosine is oxidized and the melanin biosynthesis process proceeds. The polymer melanin produced from the melanin-producing cells is transferred to the keratinocyte, and over time, the newly formed keratinocyte pushes the keratinocyte containing the melanin up to the upper stratum corneum, and eventually it makes the skin becomes black. <img style="margin-left: auto; display: block; margin-right: auto;" alt="" src="ArticleFile.do?id=11754056" width="541" height="347" />[Figure 1] When skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, melanin is synthesized in the melanocytes of the skin epidermis and migrates to keratinocytes. When it accumulates excessively, it becomes melasma, freckles and age spot. In the academia, when α-MSH is produced in keratinocytes by ultraviolet stimulation, melanocytes produce phosphorylase A (PKA) -CRE binding protein (CREB) -melanin transcription factor (MITF) through signal transduction pathway to promote tyrosinase gene expression. In a study of tyrosinase activity, which plays a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of melanin pigments, Professor Soon Young Shin and her colleagues investigated whether agerarin extracted from the pyrogenic plants in 2018 could inhibit ST-3 expression in melanocytes inhibit the expression of tyrosinase gene by inhibiting transcription factor activity. The results of this study have been reported in the journal of Dermatological Research (Journal of Dermatological Scince 2018; 91: 104-112; article: Agerarin inhibits α-MSH-induced TYR gene transcription via STAT3 suppression independent of CREB-MITF pathway). Professor Soon Young Shin, and her colleagues further investigated that stimulation of melanocytes with ultraviolet stimulation and melanin-producing cell stimulating hormone (α-MSH) induces the expression of EGR1, a transcription factor, it was concluded that EGR1 promotes the expression of STAT3 gene and that STAGE3 binds to the tyrosinase gene regulatory region and promotes melanin biosynthesis. The EGR1-STAT3-Tyrosinase transcriptional regulatory signaling pathway, discovered by Professor Soon-young Shin, is now a new signaling pathway that promotes melanin biosynthesis. The research of Konkuk University's research team was carried out as part of the <Supporting Projects for Advanced Researchers> of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. The study was published online in the January 12 issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the top research paper on dermatology field. [The title of the paper: The EGR1-STAT3 Transcription Factor Axis Regulates α-MSH-induced Tyrosinase Gene Transcription in Melanocytes] <img style="margin-left: auto; display: block; margin-right: auto;" alt="" src="ArticleFile.do?id=11754057" width="619" height="478" /> [Figure 2] Melanin-producing cell-stimulating hormone increases EGR1 and STAT3 expression, and a novel signaling pathway regulates tyrosinase gene expression Professor Soon Young Shin said, "Based on the results of this study, we found a material that inhibits the activity of EGR1, the upper gene of tyrosinase, in Agera Biotech Co., Ltd., which was established as a venture company of Konkuk University in 2017. We will develop a new concept of next-generation skin whitening functional cosmetics." Professor Shin said, "EGR1 and STAT3 genes not only contribute to skin pigment production, but also promote skin inflammation and play an important role in the development of malignant skin cancer melanoma. EGR1 / STAT3 gene expression control material can be developed as a variety of physiologically active agents such as skin anti-inflammatory agents or skin cancer prevention and treatment agents which have little side effects in the future, and the effect of industrial utilization is expected to be great.”

	Figure 1.JPG (76,095) Figure 2.JPG (76,696)
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