title: Epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor signaling attenuate laser-induced melanogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a peptide that promotes cell growth by binding to its receptor (EGFR) on the cell surface. EGF has been used in cosmetics to whiten the skin and for the prevention of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), presumably by accelerating wound healing, but the effects of EGF on melanogenesis are not known, and the presence of EGFR on melanocytes has not been confirmed.
  
  
  METHODS
  To establish a role of EGF in melanogenesis, we first investigated expression of EGFR on melanocytes. Second, in the search for an effect of EGF on PIH, we investigated the effect of EGF on melanin production by melanocytes with or without laser-treated keratinocyte-conditioned culture media (LCM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with EGF did not affect proliferation of melan-A, mouse-derived immortalized melanocytes. Melanocytes treated with LCM had greater prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) expression and tyrosinase enzyme activity than melanocytes treated with control media. Treatment with EGF lowered melanin production of LCM-treated melanocytes but not of melanocytes treated with control media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support EGF as a candidate target for development of antimelanogenic agents in PIH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Kyung Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Seong Who
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi Woo
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051379:Mice; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D015232:Dinoprostone