title: Licochalcone A, a polyphenol present in licorice, suppresses UV-induced COX-2 expression by targeting PI3K, MEK1, and B-Raf.
abstract: Licorice is a traditional botanical medicine, and has historically been commonly prescribed in Asia to treat various diseases. Glycyrrhizin (Gc), a triterpene compound, is the most abundant phytochemical constituent of licorice. However, high intake or long-term consumption of Gc has been associated with a number of side effects, including hypertension. However, the presence of alternative bioactive compounds in licorice with anti-carcinogenic effects has long been suspected. Licochalcone A (LicoA) is a prominent member of the chalcone family and can be isolated from licorice root. To date, there have been no reported studies on the suppressive effect of LicoA against solar ultraviolet (sUV)-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. Here, we show that LicoA, a major chalcone compound of licorice, effectively inhibits sUV-induced COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 PGE2 generation through the inhibition of activator protein 1 AP-1 transcriptional activity, with an effect that is notably more potent than Gc. Western blotting analysis shows that LicoA suppresses sUV-induced phosphorylation of Akt/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2/p90 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (RSK) in HaCaT cells. Moreover, LicoA directly suppresses the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)1, and B-Raf, but not Raf-1 in cell-free assays, indicating that PI3K, MEK1, and B-Raf are direct molecular targets of LicoA. We also found that LicoA binds to PI3K and B-Raf in an ATP-competitive manner, although LicoA does not appear to compete with ATP for binding with MEK1. Collectively, these results provide insight into the biological action of LicoA, which may have potential for development as a skin cancer chemopreventive agent.
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. happynury@gmail.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. happynury@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nu Ry
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. allmendhubel@gmail.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. allmendhubel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jong-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Skin Research Institute, Amorepacific R&D Center, Yongin, 446-829, Korea. superbody@amorepacific.com.
authors.forename: Jun Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. allmendhubel@gmail.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. allmendhubel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jong Rhan
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. heeerim@gmail.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. heeerim@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Heerim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. thief28@snu.ac.kr.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. thief28@snu.ac.kr.|Traditional Alcoholic Beverage Research Team, Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam 463-746, Korea. thief28@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eunjung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Skin Research Institute, Amorepacific R&D Center, Yongin, 446-829, Korea. kangyg82@amorepacific.com.
authors.forename: Young-Gyu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. joe8601@gmail.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. joe8601@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joe Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. seo0414@naver.com.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. seo0414@naver.com.
authors.forename: Sang Gwon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Konkuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Korea. ysheo@konkuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yong Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: WCU Biomodulation Major, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea. kiwon@snu.ac.kr.|Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 443-270, Korea. kiwon@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ki Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D047188:Chalcones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D047188:Chalcones; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; C482125:MAP2K1 protein, human; C070840:licochalcone A; D015232:Dinoprostone