Feruloylserotonin inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced melanogenesis and apoptosis in B16F10 and SK-Mel-2 melanoma cells.

Feruloylserotonin (FS) is a major bioactive component of safflower seeds, with documented strong antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and free radical scavenging activities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can strongly induce melanogenesis and cell apoptosis. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of FS in preventing hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced melanogenesis and cell apoptosis. Melanogenesis and apoptotic cell death were induced by transient exposure to H2 O2 in B16F10 and SK-Mel-2 melanoma cells. FS significantly inhibited melanogenesis and cell death in both cell lines. FS inhibited H2 O2 -induced melanin production by down-regulating CREB/MITF/TYR signaling via inhibited intracellular cAMP accumulation. Additionally, FS induced extracellular regulated kinase activation, which led to the degradation of MITF and consequently decreased TYR expression and melanin production in H2 O2 -stimulated cells. Furthermore, FS inhibited H2 O2 -induced apoptotic cell death by maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential. Therefore, FS might have potential use for cosmetic whitening and as a therapeutic agent for hyperpigmentation disorder.