Next Article in Journal
The Contribution of Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma to the Treatment of Chronic Equine Laminitis: A Proof of Concept
Next Article in Special Issue
Selection on the Major Color Gene Melanocortin-1-Receptor Shaped the Evolution of the Melanocortin System Genes
Previous Article in Journal
Cardiotoxic Effects of Short-Term Doxorubicin Administration: Involvement of Connexin 43 in Calcium Impairment
Previous Article in Special Issue
Inhibition of NAT10 Suppresses Melanogenesis and Melanoma Growth by Attenuating Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor (MITF) Expression
Article

Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Melanogenesis through p-ERK and p-SAPK/JNK Pathways in Human Melanocytes

1
Department of Medical Biotechnology (BK21 Plus team), Dongguk University, Goyang-si 10326, Korea
2
Department of Electric and Electrical Engineering, Institute for Information Technology Convergence, Hankyong National University, Anseong-si 17579, Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18(10), 2120; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18102120
Received: 12 September 2017 / Revised: 29 September 2017 / Accepted: 3 October 2017 / Published: 11 October 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Melanins and Melanogenesis: From Nature to Applications)
This study evaluated frequency-dependent effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on melanogenesis by melanocytes in vitro. Melanocytes were exposed to 2 mT EMFs at 30–75 Hz for 3 days before melanogenesis was examined. Exposure to ELF-EMFs at 50 and 60 Hz induced melanogenic maturation without cell damage, without changing cell proliferation and mitochondrial activity. Melanin content and tyrosinase activity of cells exposed to 50 Hz were higher than in controls, and mRNA expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 was elevated relative to controls at 50 Hz. Phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein (p-CREB) levels were higher than controls in cells exposed to ELF-EMFs at 50–75 Hz. Immunohistochemical staining showed that melanocyte-specific markers (HMB45, Melan-A) were strongly expressed in cells exposed to EMFs at 50 and 60 Hz compared to controls. Thus, exposure to ELF-EMFs at 50 Hz could stimulate melanogenesis in melanocytes, through activation of p-CREB and p-p38 and inhibition of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and phosphorylated stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase. The results may form the basis of an appropriate anti-gray hair treatment or be applied in a therapeutic device for inducing repigmentation in the skin of vitiligo patients. View Full-Text
Keywords: extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs); melanogenesis; MITF; p-CREB; tyrosinase extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs); melanogenesis; MITF; p-CREB; tyrosinase
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

MDPI and ACS Style

Kim, Y.-M.; Cho, S.-E.; Kim, S.-C.; Jang, H.-J.; Seo, Y.-K. Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Melanogenesis through p-ERK and p-SAPK/JNK Pathways in Human Melanocytes. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 2120. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18102120

AMA Style

Kim Y-M, Cho S-E, Kim S-C, Jang H-J, Seo Y-K. Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Melanogenesis through p-ERK and p-SAPK/JNK Pathways in Human Melanocytes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017; 18(10):2120. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18102120

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kim, Yu-Mi, Sang-Eun Cho, Soo-Chan Kim, Hyun-Joon Jang, and Young-Kwon Seo. 2017. "Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Melanogenesis through p-ERK and p-SAPK/JNK Pathways in Human Melanocytes" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18, no. 10: 2120. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18102120

Find Other Styles
Note that from the first issue of 2016, MDPI journals use article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Access Map by Country/Region

1
Back to TopTop