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

Figure 5

AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway was involved in AS-IV-induced melanogenesis in NHEMs. NHEMs were incubated with various concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 100 μM) of AS-IV for 24 h, and the protein expression of p-AKT, AKT, p-GSK-3β, GSK-3β, and β-catenin was analyzed by (a) western blot and (b) quantitative analyses. NHEMs were incubated with or without AS-IV (100 μM) for 24 h, and the protein expression of β-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus was analyzed by (c) western blot analysis and quantitative analysis. NHEMs were incubated with AS-IV (100 μM) for 24 h with or without pretreatment with FH535 (25 μM) for 3 h. Protein expression of MITF was analyzed by (d) western blot and quantitative analyses, and (e) melanin synthesis was detected. Results were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). , , and NS indicates nonsignificance according to one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparisons.

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