Melanin protects the skin-;the body's largest organ and a vital component of the immune system-;from the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. When the skin is exposed to UV radiation, melanin production is stimulated in melanocytes, with tyrosinase playing a key role in the biosynthetic pathway. However, disruptions in this pathway caused by UV exposure or aging can lead to excess melanin accumulation, resulting in hyperpigmentation.
To address this, tyrosinase inhibitors that suppress melanin synthesis have become valuable in the cosmetic industry. Unfortunately, some of these compounds, such as hydroquinone, have been found to be toxic to human skin, causing issues like vitiligo-like symptoms and rashes. Consequently, hydroquinone is no longer recommended for use.
The increasing demand for safer alternatives has sparked a race to discover tyrosinase inhibitors from microbes that produce compounds with low toxicity. Recently, researchers at Tokyo University of Science (TUS) identified a promising tyrosinase inhibitor from Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum ( C. tuberculostearicum ), a bacterium commonly found on human skin.
The study, led by Assistant Professor Yuuki Furuyama from the Department of Applied Bioscience at TUS, was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on July 4, 2024. Co-authors Ms. Yuika Sekino and Prof.
Kouji Kuramochi, also from TUS, contributed to the findings. Dr. Furuyama elaborated on their approach: " Bacteria that res.