Regulation of fatty acid metabolism by red light in primary keratinocytes and skin-equivalent models

• Grant number: 24/21143-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Radiology and Photobiology
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio da Silva Baptista
• Grantee: Manuel Alejandro Herrera López
• Supervisor: Florian Gruber
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Medical University of Vienna, Austria
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/08521-6 - Effects of solar radiation on mitochondrial activity and protoporphyrin IX synthesis, BP.DD

Abstract

The skin is continuously exposed to solar radiation and is our largest organ, offering an effective barrier against water loss and protection against external agents, among many other functions. Different light wavelengths have different effects on the skin. Most importantly for this project, they can differentially affect oxidative phosphorylation and metabolic fluxes in keratinocyte mitochondria. We have shown that red light (660 nm) affects oxidative phosphorylation by increasing oxygen consumption due to beta-oxidation enhancement. The oxidation of fatty acids is a central energy pathway and has an important role in the fueling of the electron transport chain and driving ATP synthesis. During keratinocyte differentiation into corneocytes, lipid composition changes occur in parallel with the functional and physiological changes which may be modulated by red light. For this reason, we would like to mechanistically explore if red light irradiation modulates lipid metabolism of keratinocytes. Therefore, we propose to isolate primary cells from the skin to analyze the regulation machinery of fatty acid metabolism. Current data suggests that lipolysis may be enhanced by red light in immortalized keratinocytes, so we want to analyze the lipid droplet state and study the lipid profile by lipidomics. Finally, if red light influences the skin at an organizational level, we want to analyze how red light influences the integrity of the tissue and possibly to establish a relationship between red light exposure, oxygen consumption and senescence, using skin equivalents. We expect that the work in the laboratory of Dr. Gruber will consolidate our finds in immortalized keratinocytes using primary cells, an important step in my research.