Development of S-Methylmethionine Sulfonium Derivatives and Their Skin-Protective Effect against Ultraviolet Exposure.

In a previous study, we have demonstrated that S-methylmethionine sulfonium (SMMS) confers wound-healing and photoprotective effects on the skin, suggesting that SMMS can be used as a cosmetic raw material. However, it has an unpleasant odor. Therefore, in the present study, we synthesized odor-free SMMS derivatives by eliminating dimethyl sulfide, which is the cause of the unpleasant odor and identified two derivatives that exhibited skin-protective effects: one derivative comprised (2S,4S)- and (2R,4S)-2-phenylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and the other comprised (2S,4R)-, (2S,4S)-, (2R,4R)-, and (2R,4S)-2-phenyl-1,3-thiazinane-4-carboxylic acid.

Melanogenesis inhibition in mice using a low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser: a pilot study.

A low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser, or laser toning, has yielded favorable outcomes in various benign pigmented disorders. However, the exact mechanism of action of laser toning has not been fully elucidated. We sought to determine the inhibitory effect of laser toning on melanogenesis and to assess how laser passes influence the outcomes.

Mitochondria-Targeted Vitamin E Protects Skin from UVB-Irradiation.

Mitochondria-targeted vitamin E (MVE) is designed to accumulate within mitochondria and is applied to decrease mitochondrial oxidative damage. However, the protective effects of MVE in skin cells have not been identified. We investigated the protective effect of MVE against UVB in dermal fibroblasts and immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT).

The Photoprotective Effect of S-Methylmethionine Sulfonium in Skin.

S-Methylmethionine sulfonium (SMMS) was reported to have wound-healing effects; we therefore have investigated the photoprotective effect of SMMS in the present study. SMMS increased the viability of keratinocyte progenitor cells (KPCs) and human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) following ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, and reduced the UVB-induced apoptosis in these cells. SMMS increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), and the inhibitor of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway significantly decreased the SMMS-induced viability of KPCs and hDFs.

Antifibrogenic effects of B16 melanoma-conditioned medium.

Background: Some malignant cancers show high levels of local invasiveness by the secretion of soluble factors that can degrade adjacent tissues and suppress surrounding cell growth. We investigated the possibility of treating fibroproliferative scars based on these properties of malignant melanoma.

Material And Methods: B16 melanoma-conditioned medium (B16 M-CM) was added to keloid fibroblasts (KFs), and proliferation, migration, and type I collagen production were measured.

Functional regulation of adipose-derived stem cells by PDGF-D.

Platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) was recently identified, and acts as potent mitogen for mesenchymal cells. PDGF-D also induces cellular transformation and promotes tumor growth. However, the functional role of PDGF-D in adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) has not been identified.

Isolation of adipose-derived stem cells by using a subfractionation culturing method.

Objective: Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue have been tested in clinical trials. However, ASCs isolated by enzyme digestion and centrifugation are heterogeneous and exhibit wide variation in regenerative potential and clinical outcomes. Therefore, we developed a new method for isolating clonal ASCs (cASCs) that does not use enzyme digestion or centrifugation steps.

The molecular mechanism underlying the proliferating and preconditioning effect of vitamin C on adipose-derived stem cells.

Although adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) show promise for cell therapy, there is a tremendous need for developing ASC activators. In the present study, we investigated whether or not vitamin C increases the survival, proliferation, and hair-regenerative potential of ASCs. In addition, we tried to find the molecular mechanisms underlying the vitamin C-mediated stimulation of ASCs.

Wound-healing effect of ginsenoside Rd from leaves of Panax ginseng via cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase pathway.

Panax ginseng is considered as one of the most valuable medicinal herbs in traditional medicine, and ginsenoside Rd is one of the main active ingredients in P. ginseng leaf. Although there is significant number of evidences implicated on the beneficial effects of the ginsenosides with diverse associated mechanisms, reports on the skin regeneration by the ginsenoside Rd are not sufficient.

Aglycone of Rh4 inhibits melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells: possible involvement of the protein kinase A pathway.

To our knowledge, there is no report that directly shows an inhibitory effect of ginsenoside on melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells. Hence, we investigated whether the aglycone of Rh(4) (A-Rh4) inhibits melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells, and determined the mechanism of melanin inhibition. We isolated 12 ginsenoside compounds from leaves of Panax ginseng and tested them in B16 melanoma cells.

Ultraviolet B preconditioning enhances the hair growth-promoting effects of adipose-derived stem cells via generation of reactive oxygen species.

Hypoxia induces the survival and regenerative potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), but there are tremendous needs to find alternative methods for ASC preconditioning. Therefore, this work investigated: (1) the ability of low-dose ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation to stimulate the survival, migration, and tube-forming activity of ASCs in vitro; (2) the ability of UVB preconditioning to enhance the hair growth-promoting capacity of ASCs in vivo; and (3) the mechanism of action for ASC stimulation by UVB. Although high-dose UVB decreased the proliferation of ASCs, low-dose (10 or 20 mJ/cm(2)) treatment increased their survival, migration, and tube-forming activity.