Lycium barbarum polysaccharide promotes proliferation of human melanocytes via activating the Nrf2/p62 signaling pathway by inducing autophagy in vitro

Vitiligo is a skin disease characterized by lack of functional melanocytes. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has been demonstrated to preserve keratinocytes and fibroblasts against oxidative stress. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of LBP on autophagy in H2O2‐damaged human melanocytes. Cellular viability was measured by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and annexin V–fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and electron microscopy were performed to detect autophagy. The protein expression level of Nrf2 and p62 were assessed by western blotting. Plasmid transfection and lentiviral infection were used to overexpress and silence Nrf2 in PIG1 cells. LBP promoted the proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of H2O2‐damaged PIG1 cells. LBP increased the proliferation of H2O2‐damaged PIG1 cells via induction of autophagy, and Nrf2 shRNA experiment confirmed that LBP activated the Nrf2/p62 signal pathway. These results suggest that LBP may be used for the treatment of vitiligo. Practical applications Goji berry is the mature and dried fruit of Lycium barbarum L., which is a common food with a long history in China, as well as a Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our previous research found that LBP could activated the Nrf2/ARE pathway in an ultraviolet (UV)‐induced photodamage model of keratinocytes, and increase the levels of phase II detoxification and antioxidant enzymes. We firstly confirmed the anti‐vitiligo effects of L. barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) by inducing autophagy and promoted proliferation of human melanocytes, and LBP induced autophagy via activating the Nrf2/p62 signaling pathway in this study. These results proved that LBP can be an effective therapy for vitiligo treatment.