title: Glutathione maintenance is crucial for survival of melanocytes after exposure to rhododendrol.
abstract: Rhododendrol is a phenolic compound that shows a tyrosinase-dependent toxicity for melanocytes and occasionally induces a vitiligo-like skin depigmentation. The post-tyrosinase mechanisms determining melanocyte death or survival, however, are far from clear. Here, we find that rhododendrol treatment leads to a reduction in the levels of cellular glutathione but also induces a cellular antioxidant response that eventually increases glutathione levels. We further find that rhododendrol toxicity is enhanced when glutathione levels are experimentally reduced and alleviated when glutathione levels are increased. Hence, it appears that the size of the preexisting glutathione pool along with the capacity to supply glutathione via the antioxidant response determines whether melanocytes survive or die after rhododendrol exposure. It is conceivable, therefore, that rhododendrol-induced leukoderma depends on the capacity to maintain appropriate glutathione levels and that enhancement of glutathione levels may preserve a patient's melanocytes and potentially help in repigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. kondou.masatoshi@kao.co.jp.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.affiliation: Analytical Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Sayuri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hachiya
authors.affiliation: Biological Science Research, Kao Corporation, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Kanebo Cosmetics Inc., Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000440:Butanols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017496:Hypopigmentation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D020011:Protective Agents; C115945:rhododendrol; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: antioxidant response; glutathione; leukoderma; rhododendrol; vitiligo