Ozone exposure promotes melanogenesis through MAPK-dependent oxidative stress signaling: attenuation by resveratrol in zebrafish and melanoma cells.

Ground-level ozone, a major air pollutant, primarily forms through photochemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight. Ozone is known to harm human health and skin, making it a significant environmental concern. In this study, we examined the effects of ozone exposure on melanogenesis and whether resveratrol could influence this process. Using zebrafish models and B16F10 melanoma cells, we assessed changes in melanin production. In B16F10 cells, we investigated the impact of 1 ppm ozone exposure on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and its subsequent effect on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, including the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. Our findings showed that ozone exposure significantly increased melanin levels in both zebrafish and B16F10 cells. Ozone exposure enhanced p38 and JNK phosphorylation, reduced ERK phosphorylation, and upregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase expression. Resveratrol was selected as a candidate agent for its ability to inhibit MAPK signaling. Resveratrol treatment effectively reduced ozone-induced melanin production by decreasing MITF and its downstream enzyme, tyrosinase. These results highlight the role of MAPK signaling in ozone-induced pigmentation and suggest that resveratrol could be a promising agent for protecting against ozone-related skin damage.