日本香粧品学会誌

Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 129–136（2022）〈一般論文〉

線維芽細胞由来肝細胞増殖因子（Hepatocyte Growth Factor）のメラノサイトへの影響とシソ葉エキスの美白効果
森口正太郎 1, *，羽 田 容 介 1，岩 野 英 生 1，澤 木 茂 豊 2

Eﬀects of HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor) Secreted from Fibroblasts on
Melanocytes and of a Perilla Leaf Extract on Pigmentation
Shotaro MORIGUCHI1, *, Yohsuke HADA1, Hideki IWANO1, Shigetoyo SAWAKI2(Accepted: November 8, 2021)

Abstract
Melanogenesis in melanocytes is regulated by various factors from nearby cells. In particular, inﬂammatory factors
derived from epidermal cells have an inﬂuence on melanogenesis. Recent studies have shown that melanocytes are not only
activated by mediators from epidermal cells but also mediators from dermal cells. Recent research reports show that theexpression of HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) secreted from ﬁbroblasts is increased in areas of solar lentigo and aging tissues. Therefore, HGF is thought to have an inﬂuence on excessive melanization. Thus, we investigated the inﬂuence of HGF
secreted from ﬁbroblasts on melanocytes and the inhibitory eﬀect of a perilla extract on excessive melanogenesis caused by
HGF in melanocytes. We chose the perilla leaf because it is known to contain polyphenols that show antioxidant activity andanti-inﬂammatory eﬀects that contribute to a suppressive eﬀect on inﬂammation. This suggested that a perilla leaf extract
might well suppress melanogenesis.
We conﬁrmed that UV-B irradiation increased HGF gene expression in cultured ﬁbroblasts (NB1RGB) and that the perilla leaf extract had an inhibitory eﬀect on HGF gene expression in cultured ﬁbroblasts irradiated with UV-B light.
Furthermore, we investigated the inﬂuence on the proliferation of melanocytes and the transcription activity of STAT-3
in cultured human melanocytes (NHEMs) with and without the addition of HGF and perilla leaf extract. We conﬁrmed thatthe proliferation of melanocytes and transcription activity of STAT-3 were increased when HGF was added to melanocytes.
On the other hand, perilla leaf extract inhibited the increase in proliferation of melanocytes and transcription activity ofSTAT-3 induced by HGF. We also investigated other eﬀects of perilla leaf extract, and we found that it had an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity.
In the in vivo study, we prepared a cream containing the perilla leaf extract, and application of the cream inhibited thepigmentation induced by UV-B in human skin.
In addition, we aimed to conﬁrm the safety of perilla leaf extract by checking for toxicity to melanocytes. We applied
the cream containing the perilla leaf extract to human skin twice per day for 2 weeks, and then irradiated the site with UV-B
to induce pigmentation equivalent to that in the control area. The results showed that the perilla leaf extract did not exhibit
toxicity in melanocytes. In conclusion, we developed an original perilla leaf extract as a functional natural material that inhibits the stimulation of melanocytes via ﬁbroblasts.
Key words: ﬁbroblast, HGF, melanocyte, STAT3, Perilla leaf.
1.

緒からの炎症因子がメラノサイトの活性化に影響してい言る 1）。表皮細胞由来の炎症性サイトカインは，メラノサ

メラノサイトでのメラニン合成は，周辺細胞からさまイトの受容体を介してチロシナーゼをはじめメラニン合ざまな因子によって調整されている。特に，表皮細胞成に関与する遺伝子発現を亢進し，メラニン合成を亢進

株式会社テクノーブル
バンスト研究開発部
2
株式会社テクノーブル
1

ライフサイエンス総合研究所

アド* Corresponding author：株式会社テクノーブル ライフサイエン

ス総合研究所 アドバンスト研究開発部，〒550–0015 大阪市
西区南堀江1–26–24（E-mail: s_moriguchi@technoble.co.jp）

1

Advanced Research Development Department, Life Science General Institute, Technoble Co., Ltd. (1–26–24 Minamihorie, Nishi-ku,
Osaka 550–0015, Japan)
2
Technoble Co., Ltd.