Corticosterone causing reduction of melanogenesis and disrupted expressions of cutaneous HPA axis elements.

A: Photographs of mice back skin on day 2 and day 13 after epilation showing the reduction of melanin in corticosterone treated mice on day 13. B: MITF expression was analyzed by immunoblotting. C: POMC expression was analyzed by immunoblotting. β-Actin expression was indicated as a loading control. Western blot assay are representative of three experiments. Densitometric scanning of band intensities obtained from three separate experiments was used to quantify change of proteins expression. Three animals were used for each data point. Data are showed in mean ± SEM. D: The mRNA expression levels of UCN1, POMC, CYP11A1, CRHR1, CRHR2, MC1R, MC2R, Hsd11b1, Hsd11b2, and Nr3c1 in mouse skin. The expression levels of each gene were normalized against β-Actin then calculated as fold change using the comparative 2-ΔΔCT method. Data are showed in mean ± SEM, n = 8. Data were analyzed by Student's t test. * P, ** P, *** P, compared with control.