Astragaloside IV Enhances Melanogenesis via the AhR-Dependent AKT/GSK-3β/β-Catenin Pathway in Normal Human Epidermal Melanocytes

Figure 4

AhR signaling was essential for AS-IV-induced melanogenesis in NHEMs. NHEMs were incubated with AS-IV (100 μM) or FICZ (100 nM) for 4 h. AhR nuclear translocation was detected by (a) confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis (scale bar = 50 μm) and (b) western blot analysis and quantitative analysis. NHEMs were incubated with various concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 100 μM) of AS-IV for 12 h or 24 h for (c) qPCR and (d) western blot and quantitative analyses. (e) The effect of si-AhR transfection. si-control and si-AhR-transfected NHEMs were treated with AS-IV at 100 μM for 24 h for (f) western blot and quantitative analyses and (g) melanin content assay. Results were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3), and images showed one representative experiment of at least three replicates. and according to one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparisons.

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