Inhibitory effect of glyceollin isolated from soybean against melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells

Natural products with non-toxic and environmentally friendly properties are good resources for skin-whitening cosmetic agents when compared to artificial synthetic chemicals. Here, we investigated the effect of glyceollin produced to induce disease resistance responses of soybean to specific races of an incompatible pathogen, phytophthora sojae, on melanogenesis and discussed their mechanisms in melanin biosynthesis. We found that glyceollin inhibits melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in 816 melanoma cells without cytotoxicity. To elucidate the mechanism of the effect of glyceollin on melanogenesis, we conducted western blot analysis for melanogenic enzymes such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and TRP-2. Glyceollin inhibited tyrosinase and TRP-1 protein expression. Additionally, glyceollin effectively inhibited intracellular cAMP levels in B16 melanoma cells stimulated by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). These results suggest that the whitening activity of glyceollin may be due to the inhibition of cAMP involved in the signal pathway of alpha-MSH in B16 melanoma cells. [BMB reports 2010; 43(7): 461-467]