TY - JOUR
T1 - Prolonged treatment of fair-skinned mice with topical forskolin causes persistent tanning and UV protection
AU - Spry, Malinda L.
AU - Vanover, Jillian C.
AU - Scott, Timothy
AU - Abona-Ama, Osama
AU - Wakamatsu, Kazumasa
AU - Ito, Shosuke
AU - D'Orazio, John A.
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - Summary We previously reported that topical application of forskolin to the skin of fair-skinned MC1R-defective mice with epidermal melanocytes resulted in accumulation of eumelanin in the epidermis and was highly protective against UV-mediated cutaneous injury. In this report, we describe the long-term effects of chronic topical forskolin treatment in this animal model. Forskolin-induced eumelanin production persisted through 3 months of daily applications, and forskolin-induced eumelanin remained protective against UV damage as assessed by minimal erythematous dose (MED). No obvious toxic changes were noted in the skin or overall health of animals exposed to prolonged forskolin therapy. Body weights were maintained throughout the course of topical forskolin application. Topical application of forskolin was associated with an increase in the number of melanocytes in the epidermis and thickening of the epidermis due, at least in part, to an accumulation of nucleated keratinocytes. Together, these data suggest in this animal model, short-term topical regular application of forskolin promotes eumelanin induction and that over time, topical forskolin treatment is associated with persistent melanization, epidermal cell accumulation, and skin thickening.
AB - Summary We previously reported that topical application of forskolin to the skin of fair-skinned MC1R-defective mice with epidermal melanocytes resulted in accumulation of eumelanin in the epidermis and was highly protective against UV-mediated cutaneous injury. In this report, we describe the long-term effects of chronic topical forskolin treatment in this animal model. Forskolin-induced eumelanin production persisted through 3 months of daily applications, and forskolin-induced eumelanin remained protective against UV damage as assessed by minimal erythematous dose (MED). No obvious toxic changes were noted in the skin or overall health of animals exposed to prolonged forskolin therapy. Body weights were maintained throughout the course of topical forskolin application. Topical application of forskolin was associated with an increase in the number of melanocytes in the epidermis and thickening of the epidermis due, at least in part, to an accumulation of nucleated keratinocytes. Together, these data suggest in this animal model, short-term topical regular application of forskolin promotes eumelanin induction and that over time, topical forskolin treatment is associated with persistent melanization, epidermal cell accumulation, and skin thickening.
KW - Erythema
KW - Forskolin
KW - Melanocyte
KW - Mouse model
KW - Pigmentation
KW - UV radiation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=62149102173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=62149102173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2008.00536.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2008.00536.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 19087231
AN - SCOPUS:62149102173
SN - 1755-1471
VL - 22
SP - 219
EP - 229
JO - Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research
JF - Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research
IS - 2
ER -