title: Kappa-casein suppresses melanogenesis in cultured pigment cells.
abstract: The effects of bovine milk proteins on melanogenesis in B16 cells were examined. Both whey protein isolate and casein exhibited depigmenting properties. Among the major protein components of milk--including beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, alpha-, beta-, and kappa-casein--only kappa-casein exhibited the depigmenting effect. However, the carboxyl terminal peptide of kappa-casein, glycomacropeptide, did not show this activity. Also, kappa-casein promoted the proliferation of the cells and inhibited the activity of tyrosinase in the cells. These results indicate that kappa-casein acts as a melanogenesis-suppressing modulator.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Science Laboratory, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shinoda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Samejima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuwatari
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayasawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008545:Melanoma; D051379:Mice; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; D008543:Melanins; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase