Abstract
Geoditin A, an isomalabaricane triterpene isolated from marine sponge Geodia japonica, has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in leukemia HL60 cells and human colon HT29 cancer cells through an oxidative stress, a process also interfering with normal melanogenesis in pigment cells. Treatment of murine melanoma B16 cells with geoditin A decreased expression of melanogenic proteins and cell melanogenesis which was aggravated with adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536, indicating melanogenic inhibition was mediated through a cAMP-dependent signaling pathway. Immunofluorescence microscopy and glycosylation studies revealed abnormal glycosylation patterns of melanogenic proteins (tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1), and a co-localization of tyrosinase with calnexin (CNX) and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1), implicating a post-translational modification in the ER and a degradation of tyrosinase in the lysosome. Taken together, potent anti-melanogenic property and the relatively low cytotoxicity of geoditin A have demonstrated its therapeutic potential as a skin lightening agent.