Nan Young Kim a,1 , Kyung Jong Won b,1 , Do Yoon Kim a,c , Da Kyoung Lee a , Yoon Yi Kim a , Hwan Myung Lee a,c,*

a Division of Cosmetic and Biotechnology, College of Life and Health Sciences, Hoseo University, Asan, 31499, Republic of Korea

b Department of Physiology and Medical Science, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, 27478, Republic of Korea

c Korea Essential Oil Resource Research Institute, Hoseo University, Asan, 31499, Republic of Korea

* Corresponding author. Division of Cosmetic and Biotechnology, College of Life and Health Sciences, Hoseo University, Asan, 31499, Republic of

E-mail address: 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。 (H.M. Lee).

1 These two authors contributed equally to this work.

ABSTRACT

Lespedeza maximowiczii (LM), a member of the legume family, has tyrosinase inhibitory and estrogenic activities. However, its effects on skin-related biological activities remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the effects of LM flower absolute (LMFAb) on skinrelated biological events, especially skin re-epithelization, barrier and moisturizing-related keratinocyte (HaCaT cell) responses. In this study, LMFAb was isolated from LM flowers via solvent extraction and its chemical composition analysis was performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation, Boyden chamber, sprout outgrowth, enzyme-linked immunosorbent, and Western blot assay were used to analyze the biological effects of LMFAb on HaCaT cells (a human epidermal keratinocyte cell line). Twelve components were identified in LMFAb. LMFAb promoted cell proliferation, migration, and sprout outgrowth in HaCaT cells. The absolute enhanced the activations of MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK, and p38), PI3K and AKT proteins in HaCaT cells and elevated collagen type I and IV levels in HaCaT cell conditioned medium. In addition, LMFAb induced an increase in the expression levels of epidermal barrier proteins (filaggrin and involucrin) in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, LMFAb increased hyaluronan (HA) production and expression of HA synthases (HAS-1, HAS-2, and HAS-3) but decreased HYBID (HA binding protein involved in HA depolymerization) level in HaCaT cells. These findings demonstrate that LMFAb might promote skin re-epithelization, barrier and moisturizingrelated beneficial responses in keratinocytes. This study suggests that LMFAb should be considered a potential starting material for the development of cosmetic or pharmaceutical agents that restore the functions of damaged skin.

ARTICLE INFO

Keywords:

Lespedeza maximowiczii

Absolute

Skin re-epithelization

Skin barrier

Skin moisturizing

Keratinocyte