Journal of Functional Foods · Published 2026-07-30 · DOI 10.1016/j.jff.2026.107441
Yun Hye Kim, Hyeon Jin Lee, Su Hyun Park, Hyung Gyun Kim, Gimoon Seo, Hong Sun Yook, Woo Sik Kim
Excessive oxidative stress and dysregulated melanogenesis accelerate skin aging and contribute to pathological skin alterations. Here, we investigated plant-derived nanovesicles from Abelmoschus manihot (AM-PDNVs), an edible plant widely used in functional foods, as bioactive nanomaterials for skinrotection. In α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated melanocytes, AM-PDNVs attenuated melanogenesis via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. Concurrently, AM-PDNVs promoted cell proliferation and enhanced antioxidant capacity while reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). In staurosporine (STS)-induced keratinocytes, AM-PDNVs inhibited apoptosis by modulating PI3K/AKT and suppressing mitochondrial apoptotic markers, including Bax and cleaved caspases-3/−9. Notably, while AM-PDNVs reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-8, they markedly upregulated IL-6. Functional assays using recombinant IL-6 and neutralizing antibodies demonstrated IL-6 as a key mediator of AM-PDNV-induced cytoprotection. Collectively, these findings suggest AM-PDNVs as promising food-derived nanomaterials for alleviating hyperpigmentation and oxidative injury, highlighting a novel cytoprotective role for IL-6.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Kim, Y., Lee, H., Park, S., et al. (2026). Edible plant-derived nanovesicles from Abelmoschus manihot exhibit dual functions in inhibiting melanogenesis and promoting IL-6-mediated cytoprotection. Journal of Functional Foods. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2026.107441