We previously reported that a novel hydrophilic
gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) derivative, gamma-tocopheryl-N,N-dimethylglycinate hydrochloride (
gamma-TDMG) gets converted to the
antioxidant gamma-Toc in skin. We also found that this derivative displayed greater bioavailability than gamma-Toc itself. In the present study, we determined whether
gamma-TDMG could reduce UV-induced skin pigmentation in brownish guinea pigs.
gamma-TDMG (0.1 or 0.5%) was topically applied to the skin before and after it was exposed to UVB plus UVA (3 times/week for 1 week), and then 10 times/week for 4 weeks thereafter. Treatment with 0.5%
gamma-TDMG resulted in significant skin lightening (70% of the pigmentation of irradiated controls). We also found that
melanin synthesis was dose-dependently inhibited by
gamma-TDMG in murine
B16 melanoma cells. When
gamma-TDMG or
kojic acid (250 microM) were added to homogenates of
B16 melanoma cells, their
tyrosinase activity was significantly inhibited by approximately 40% and 75%, respectively. Mushroom
tyrosinase activity was significantly inhibited by 200 microM gamma-Toc and
kojic acid, but not
gamma-TDMG. When B16 cells were incubated with 250 microM
gamma-TDMG for 24 or 48 h, their intracellular gamma-Toc concentrations rose over 100 fold to 10.5 and 11.2 nmol/10(6) cells, respectively, suggesting that
gamma-TDMG was rapidly converted to gamma-Toc in these cells and that their reduced
melanin synthesis may have been due to the activity of gamma-Toc. Our data further suggest that the topical application of
gamma-TDMG may be efficacious in preventing photo-induced skin pigmentation in humans.