{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:57:58Z","timestamp":1787029078779,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,5]],"date-time":"2021-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1633392000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"The Thailand Research Fund","award":["PHD\/0116\/2559"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PHD\/0116\/2559"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002873","name":"Chulalongkorn University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GRU 6205633003-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GRU 6205633003-1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002873","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Despite its classification as a non-life-threatening disease, increased skin pigmentation adversely affects quality of life and leads to loss of self-confidence. Until now, there are no recommended remedies with high efficacy and human safety for hyperpigmentation. This study aimed to investigate anti-melanogenic activity and underlying mechanism of cajanin, an isoflavonoid extracted from Dalbergia parviflora Roxb. (Leguminosae) in human melanin-producing cells. Culture with 50 \u03bcM cajanin for 48\u201372 h significantly suppressed proliferation in human melanoma MNT1 cells assessed via MTT viability assay. Interestingly, cajanin also efficiently diminished melanin content in MNT1 cells with the half maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) at 77.47 \u00b1 9.28 \u03bcM. Instead of direct inactivating enzymatic function of human tyrosinase, down-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of MITF and downstream melanogenic enzymes, including tyrosinase, TRP-1 and Dct (TRP-2) were observed in MNT1 cells treated with 50 \u03bcM cajanin for 24\u201372 h. Correspondingly, treatment with cajanin modulated the signaling pathway of CREB and ERK which both regulate MITF expression level. Targeted suppression on MITF-related proteins in human melanin-producing cells strengthens the potential development of cajanin as an effective treatment for human hyperpigmented disorders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26196040","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,8]],"date-time":"2021-10-08T21:23:55Z","timestamp":1633728235000},"page":"6040","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Cajanin Suppresses Melanin Synthesis through Modulating MITF in Human Melanin-Producing Cells"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Ponsawan","family":"Netcharoensirisuk","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kaoru","family":"Umehara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, Kanagawa 2450066, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wanchai","family":"De-Eknamkul","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3206-192X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chatchai","family":"Chaotham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand"},{"name":"Cell-Based Drug and Health Products Development Research Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1155","DOI":"10.1152\/physrev.00044.2003","article-title":"Melanin pigmentation in mammalian skin and its hormonal regulation","volume":"84","author":"Slominski","year":"2004","journal-title":"Physiol. 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