Novel Anti-Melanogenesis Properties of Polydeoxyribonucleotide, a Popular Wound Healing Booster
Open accessAbstract
Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), a deoxyribonucleotide polymer, is popularly used for faster healing of cutaneous wounds and boosting of neocollagenesis of photoaged skin among current dermatologic practitioners. Some patients receiving PDRN injection treatment also reported improvement of photoaging-associated mottled pigmentation (PMP). To investigate the effect of PDRN on cutaneous melanogenesis, we examined the effect of PDRN and an available product (Placentex®) containing PDRN on melanogenesis using human melanocytes-keratinocytes cocultures and mouse melanocytes. Melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-1) were determined. Intracellular signaling pathways were assessed by Western blotting. PDRN and Placentex® led to decreases in melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and MITF and TRP-1 expression with concomitant increases in phosphorylated forms of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and AKT in mouse melanocytes. More importantly, both PDRN and Placentex® significantly suppressed the melanin content in human melanocyte–keratinocyte cocultures. Clinical evaluation of six female patients with facial hyperpigmentation after three sessions of intradermal PDRN injections using a 5-point scale revealed that PDRN led to more than noticeable improvements in hyperpigmented lesions. This is the first study to demonstrate that PDRN, which is known for its wound-healing properties, may have novel anti-melanogenesis and potential skin whitening properties.
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PDRN induces hypopigmentation by inhibiting melanogenesis through downregulation of melanogenic gene expression and suppression of tyrosinase activity.
“PDRN induces hypopigmentation by inhibiting melanogenesis through downregulation of melanogenic gene expression and suppression of tyrosinase activity, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanin synthesis [101].”
From Comparison of Polynucleotide and Polydeoxyribonucleotide in Dermatology: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Perspectives (2025) · cites this paper as [101]
Results §2.2 reports reduced intracellular tyrosinase activity, and Results §2.3 reports reduced MITF, tyrosinase, and TRP-1 protein levels after PDRN treatment. These findings support suppressed melanogenesis, but the paper reports protein levels rather than directly demonstrating downregulation of melanogenic gene expression. Page numbers are not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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- Authors
- Noh, T., Chung, B., Kim, S., Lee, M., Kim, M., Youn, C., Lee, M., & Chang, S.
- Affiliations
- Asan Medical Center (KR)
- Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital (KR)
- MJ All Skin Clinic, Seoul 04537, Korea
- YeMiWon Clinic, Seoul 06280, Korea
- Corresponding author
- Chang, Sung
- Venue
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2016-09-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1448
- ISSN
- 1422-0067 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5037727
- OpenAlex
- W2507671702
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 1.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatologic Treatments and Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
- Keywords
- polydeoxyribonucleotide, anti-melanogenesis, melanogenesis, skin lightening, hyperpigmentation, tyrosinase, MITF, TRP-1, ERK signaling, Akt signaling, intradermal injection, wound healing
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Animals, Cell Line, Female, Humans, Melanins, Melanocytes, Middle Aged, Polydeoxyribonucleotides, Skin Pigmentation, Trypsin, Monophenol Monooxygenase, Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt, Mice, Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor, Skin Lightening Preparations
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