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Updated: Jul 4, 2025
Quantification of Hypopigmentation Activity In Vitro
Published on: March 6, 2019
Caffeic acid derivative WSY6 protects melanocytes from oxidative stress by reducing ROS production and MAPK
Rong Jin1, Wenting Hu1, Miaoni Zhou1
1Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310009, PR China.
Purpose:
Vitiligo is a chronic depigmentation disease caused by a loss of functioning melanocytes and melanin from the epidermis. Oxidative stress-induced damage to melanocytes is key in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. WSY6 is a caffeic acid derivative synthesized from epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This study is to investigate whether the new chemical WSY6 protected melanocytes from H2O2-induced cell damage and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism.
Patients And Methods:
The present study compared the antioxidative potential of WSY6 with EGCG in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated PIG1 cells. Western blotting was used to study the protein expression of cyto-c, cleaved-caspase3, cleaved-caspase9, and the activation of MAPK family members, including p38, ERK1/2, JNK and their phosphorylation in melanocytes. ROS assay kit to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species production; CCK8 and lactate dehydrogenase leak assay to detect cytotoxicity.
Results:
EGCG and WSY6 ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative stress damage in PIG1 cells in a does-dependent manner, while WSY6 was much more effective. WSY6 reduced cellular ROS production, cytochrome c release, downregulated caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. MAPK pathway signaling including phosphorylated p38, ERK and JNK were observed under oxidative stress and can be much protected by pre-treatment of WSY6.
Conclusion:
These results indicated that WSY6 could be a more powerful antioxidant than EGCG and protect melanocytes against oxidative cytotoxicity.
