{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Highly potent anti-melanogenic effect of 2-thiobenzothiazole derivatives through nanomolar tyrosinase activity inhibition.
{Author}: Jin Jung H;Jin Kim H;Soo Park H;Young Kim G;Jung Park Y;Lee J;Kyung Kang M;Yoon D;Kang D;Park Y;Chun P;Young Chung H;Ryong Moon H;
{Journal}: Bioorg Chem
{Volume}: 150
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 Jun 22
{Factor}: 5.307
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107586
{Abstract}: Compounds with sulfhydryl substituents and azole compounds exhibit potent anti-tyrosinase potency. 2-Thiobenzothiazole (2-TBT), a hybrid structure of sulfhydryl and azole, exists in two tautomeric forms, with the thione form being predominant according to several studies. 2-TBT derivatives were synthesized as potential tyrosinase inhibitors as the thione tautomeric form has the same N-CS moiety as phenylthiourea (PTU), which is suitable for chelation with the copper ions present in the tyrosinase active site. Eight of the ten 2-TBT derivatives inhibited the monophenolase and diphenolase activities of mushroom tyrosinase, with IC50 values of 0.02-0.83 μM. Kinetic studies and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to determine their mode of action and confirm that the 2-TBT derivatives bind to the tyrosinase active site with high stability. Derivatives 3, 4, 8, and 10 strongly inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 cells in a pattern similar to the results of cellular tyrosinase inhibition, thereby suggesting that their ability to inhibit melanogenesis was due to their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In a depigmentation experiment using zebrafish embryos, all 2-TBT derivatives showed better potency than kojic acid, even at 400 to 2000 times lower concentration, and 1 and 10 reduced zebrafish larva pigmentation more strongly than PTU even at 20 times lower concentration. Experiments investigating the changes in tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 2-TBT derivatives in the presence and absence of CuSO4 and their copper chelating ability supported that these derivatives exert their anti-melanogenic effect by chelating the copper ions of tyrosinase. These results suggest that 2-TBT derivatives are promising candidates for the treatment of hyperpigmentation-related disorders.