부산대학교 도서관

Fucoidan, a fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed in the class Phaeophyceae,has been widely studied for its possible health benefits. However, the potential of fucoidanas a possible treatment for hyperpigmentation is not fully understood. This study investigated theeffects of fucoidan on melanogenesis and related signaling pathways using Mel-Ab cells. Fucoidansignificantly decreased melanin content. While fucoidan treatment decreased tyrosinase activity, it didnot do so directly. Western blot analysis indicated that fucoidan downregulated microphthalmiaassociatedtranscription factor and reduced tyrosinase protein expression. Further investigation showedthat fucoidan activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, suggesting a possiblemechanism for the inhibition of melanin synthesis. Treatment with PD98059, a specific ERK inhibitor,resulted in the recovery of melanin production. Taken together, these findings suggest that fucoidaninhibits melanogenesis via ERK phosphorylation.