Kim Hye-Min, Kang Yun-Mi, Lee Minho, An Hyo-Jin
Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Department of Herbology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Wonju 26339, Republic of Korea.
Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 Jul 30;13(8):928. doi: 10.3390/antiox13080928.
Papain (PN) is a proteolytic enzyme derived from L. While the pharmacological effects of PN have not been extensively studied compared to its enzymatic activity, PN also holds potential benefits beyond protein digestion. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of PN against skin inflammation in house dust mite body (Dfb)-exposed NC/Nga atopic dermatitis (AD) mice and human HaCaT keratinocytes and their underlying mechanisms. The effects of PN on the skin were assessed via histological examination, measurements of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our findings indicated that the oral intake of PN decreased the severity scores of lesions resembling AD, TEWL, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines and serum immunoglobulin E in Dfb-induced AD mice, along with a reduction in epidermal thickness and mast cell infiltration. Additionally, PN inhibited the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways in Dfb-induced AD mice and HaCaT keratinocytes. Moreover, PN improved survival and reduced ROS production in HO-damaged HaCaT keratinocytes and enhanced the expression of antioxidant enzymes in Dfb-induced AD mice. Concludingly, the oral administration of PN suppressed inflammatory mediators and downregulated the MAPKs/STAT pathway, suggesting its potential role in AD pathogenesis.
木瓜蛋白酶（PN）是一种源自番木瓜的蛋白水解酶。尽管与木瓜蛋白酶的酶活性相比，其药理作用尚未得到广泛研究，但木瓜蛋白酶除了具有蛋白质消化功能外，还具有潜在的益处。本研究旨在探讨木瓜蛋白酶对暴露于屋尘螨提取物（Dfb）的NC/Nga特应性皮炎（AD）小鼠和人HaCaT角质形成细胞皮肤炎症的潜在影响及其潜在机制。通过组织学检查、经表皮水分流失（TEWL）测量、定量逆转录-聚合酶链反应、蛋白质印迹法和酶联免疫吸附测定来评估木瓜蛋白酶对皮肤的影响。我们的研究结果表明，口服木瓜蛋白酶可降低Dfb诱导的AD小鼠中类似AD的病变严重程度评分、TEWL以及炎症细胞因子和血清免疫球蛋白E水平，同时减少表皮厚度和肥大细胞浸润。此外，木瓜蛋白酶抑制Dfb诱导的AD小鼠和HaCaT角质形成细胞中丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）和信号转导子与转录激活子（STAT）途径的激活。此外，木瓜蛋白酶可提高HO损伤的HaCaT角质形成细胞的存活率并减少活性氧生成，并增强Dfb诱导的AD小鼠中抗氧化酶的表达。总之，口服木瓜蛋白酶可抑制炎症介质并下调MAPK/STAT途径，表明其在AD发病机制中的潜在作用。
