Hordenine, a single compound produced during barley germination, inhibits melanogenesis in human melanocytes.

Abstract

Melanin plays an important role protecting skin against ultraviolet light injury. However, increased production and accumulation of melanin results in a large number of skin disorders. Here, we identified hordenine as an active compound from germinated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and investigated the effects of hordenine on melanogenesis and its mechanisms of action in human epidermal melanocytes. We measured melanin content, tyrosinase activity, expression of melanogenesis-related proteins, and cAMP production. Melanin content was significantly inhibited by hordenine. The intracellular cAMP level was also reduced by hordenine. In addition, expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), an upstream transcription factor of tyrosinase as well as tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2, was inhibited by hordenine. Taken together, these results show that hordenine inhibited melanogenesis by suppressing cAMP production, which is involved in the expression of melanogenesis-related proteins and suggest that hordenine may be an effective inhibitor of hyperpigmentation.

• Authors: Sang-Cheol Kim, Jin-Hyunk Lee, Moo-Han Kim, Jung-A Lee, Yum Beom Kim, Eunsun Jung, Young-Soo Kim, Jongsung Lee, Deokhoon Park
• Journal: Food chemistry (Food Chem) Vol. 141 Issue 1 Pg. 174-81 (Nov 01 2013) ISSN: 1873-7072 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23768344 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Interferon Type I
• MITF protein, human
• Melanins
• Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor
• Pregnancy Proteins
• interferon tau
• Cyclic AMP
• Oxidoreductases
• tyrosinase-related protein-1
• hordenine
• Tyramine

Topics

• Cyclic AMP (metabolism)
• Down-Regulation (drug effects)
• Germination
• Hordeum (chemistry, growth & development, metabolism)
• Humans
• Interferon Type I (genetics, metabolism)
• Melanins (biosynthesis)
• Melanocytes (cytology, drug effects, metabolism)
• Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor (genetics, metabolism)
• Oxidoreductases (genetics, metabolism)
• Pregnancy Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Tyramine (analogs & derivatives, metabolism, pharmacology)