Effect of Fucoidan on B16 Murine Melanoma Cell Melanin Formation and Apoptosis

Abstract

Background：Fucoidan is a complex sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed and has a wide variety of biological activities. It not only inhibits cancer cell growth but also inhibits tyrosinase in vitro. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the effect of fucoidan on B16 murine melanoma cells as the findings may provide new insights into the underlying mechanism regarding the inhibition of melanin formation by fucoidan. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-melanogenic effect of fucoidan and its inhibitory effect on B16 cells. Materials and Methods:The influence of fucoidan on B16 melanoma cells and cellular tyrosinase was examined. Cell viability was examined by the cell counting kit-8 assay. Cellular tyrosinase activity and melanin content were determined using spectrophotometric methods and protein expression was analyzed by immunoblotting. Morphological changes in B16 melanoma cells were examined by phase contrast microscopy and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: In vitro studies were performed using cell viability analysis and showed that fucoidan significantly decreased viable cell number in a dose-response manner with an IC50 of 550 ±4.3 µg/mL. Cell morphology was altered and significant apoptosis was induced when cells were exposed to 550 µg/mL fucoidan for 48 h. Conclusion: This study provides substantial evidence to show that fucoidan inhibits B16 melanoma cell proliferation and cellular tyrosinase activity. Fucoidan may be useful in the treatment of hyperpigmentation and as a skin-whitening agent in the cosmetics industry.

Anti-Photoaging Effects of Low Molecular-Weight Fucoidan on Ultraviolet B-Irradiated Mice

“…Furthermore, fucoidan has been reported to inhibit melanin formation, which may be useful for developing treatments for hyperpigmentation [38]. Taken together, these finding suggest that LMF can serve as a potential agent for treating UV-related skin disease.…”

Potential Use of Seaweed Bioactive Compounds in Skincare—A Review

“…Many studies proved that sulfated polysaccharide, fucoidan extracted from Fucus sp., Sargassum sp., and Laminaria sp. can also be used as a promising tyrosinase inhibitor [70][71][72]. Fucoidan, the polysaccharide extracted from the brown seaweed such as Chnoospora minima (Hering) Papenfuss and Sargassum polycystum C.Agardh inhibit the activity of collagenase, elastase and also tyrosinase [70].…”

“…Fucoidan plays a major role in the anti-melanogenesis by ERK phosphorylation [76]. Another study showed the inhibitory activity of fucoidan on cellular melanin and tyrosinase but in contrast, it lacks the inhibitory activity on the expression of TRP1, TRP2, and MITF [71]. Sargahydroquinoic acid, sargachromenol, and sargaquinoic acid from S. serratifolium (C.Agardh) C.Agardh decreased the α-MSH-activated melanogenesis in melanoma cells through the inhibition of CREB signaling pathways without affecting ERK pathway [77].…”

The promise of marine molecules as cosmetic active ingredients

“…Fucoidan, also a phaeophyte secondary metabolite, has been documented as a potential anti‐pigment treatment, with evidence for its mechanism of indirect melanogenesis inhibition , but has not yet been pursued as a cosmetic ingredient. Song et al .…”

“…This highlights a promising foundation of anti-melanogenesis research, where several polyphenols and flavonoids are emerging as novel cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients, but mainly as antioxidants and photoprotectants [83,84]. Fucoidan, also a phaeophyte secondary metabolite, has been documented as a potential anti-pigment treatment, with evidence for its mechanism of indirect melanogenesis inhibition [103,104], but has not yet been pursued as a cosmetic ingredient. Song et al [103] reported that this sulphated polysaccharide from phaeophyte Fucus vesiculosus downregulated melanin synthesis via the activation of the extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) pathway, which has been shown to cause the degradation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor [105] which is involved in melanin production [106].…”