Betaine protects human melanocytes from H2O2-induced dysfunction and degeneration

Pretreatment with 2mM betaine increased proliferation, decreased apoptotic rates, and reduced intracellular oxidative damage in both normal and vitiligo melanocytes. It also reversed H2O2-induced cellular dysfunction in migration and melanogenesis.

Betaine upregulated the expression of SCF/c-KIT/MITF signaling components, and its protective effects on melanocytes were partially blocked by c-KIT inhibitor treatment. Furthermore, betaine reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the release of cleaved caspase-3 protein, and prevented the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK MAPKs in H2O2-treated melanocytes. Additionally, 5-methylcytosine immunodetection results indicated that betaine pretreatment reversed the enhancement of global DNA demethylation induced by H2O2 in melanocytes.