RESUMO
Background: Ginseng has been used in Korea for a long time as a restorative herbal medicine. Black ginseng (BG) is made from red or white ginseng by multiple steamy and dry processes. Although BG has been reported to have anti-inflammatory potential, studies on its influence on inflammatory skin disorders are lacking. Objective: To investigate the effects of BG under the inflammatory conditions of cultured sebocytes and outer root sheath (ORS) cells. Methods: The cultured cells were treated with 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide, 5 µg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or 5 µg/ml LPS+50 µg/ml BG for 6 hours and 24 hours. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and Nile red staining were performed for analysis of inflammatory biomarkers and sebum-related biomarkers. Results: BG brought out the increased gene and protein expression of inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α, in the LPS-treated sebocytes and ORS cells. In addition, BG induced increased expression of TLR4, p-c-jun, p-JNK and p-iκB in LPS-treated sebocytes and ORS cells. Furthermore, it significantly increased the expression of LL-37 and the production of sebum in LPS-treated sebocytes. Conclusion: It may be possible for BG to increase the expression of inflammatory biomarkers in inflammatory skin disorders, such as acne.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Ginseng has been known in Korea as a health-supportive herbal medicine from time immemorial. Essential oil isolated from fresh ginseng has been shown to display antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. OBJECTIVE: The effects of red ginseng oil (RGO) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated sebocytes and outer root sheath (ORS) cells were studied. METHODS: The cultured cells were treated with either 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide, 5 µg/ml LPS, 50 µg/ml RGO, or 5 µg/ml LPS plus 50 µg/ml RGO for 6 and 24 hours. RT-PCR, real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were performed for the analysis of inflammatory cytokine. RESULTS: RGO showed the increased gene and protein expression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the LPS-treated sebocytes and ORS cells. RGO also showed the increased protein expression of p-c-jun and p-JNK in the LPS-treated sebocytes and ORS cells. Gene expression of TLR2 was increased in LPS-treated sebocytes following treatment with RGO. Additionally, RGO resulted in an increased expression of LL-37 in the LPS-treated sebocytes and ORS cells. Moreover, it remarkably increased the production of sebum in LPS-treated sebocytes. CONCLUSION: RGO might be among the aggravating factors of acne vulgaris. It would be better to stop taking red ginseng in patients with inflammatory acne.
RESUMO
In a previous study, we recently claimed that dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-inducible dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) expression is one of the key factors involved in androgen-potentiated balding. We also demonstrated that L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc 2-P) represses DHT-induced DKK-1 expression in cultured dermal papilla cells (DPCs). Here, we investigated whether or not L-threonate could attenuate DHT-induced DKK-1 expression. We observed via RT-PCR analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that DHT-induced DKK-1 expression was attenuated in the presence of L-threonate. We also found that DHT-induced activation of DKK-1 promoter activity was significantly repressed by L-threonate. Moreover, a co-culture system featuring outer root sheath (ORS) keratinocytes and DPCs showed that DHT inhibited the growth of ORS cells, which was then significantly reversed by L-threonate. Collectively, these results indicate that L-threonate inhibited DKK-1 expression in DPCs and therefore is a good treatment for the prevention of androgen-driven balding.