Prevention of early alterations in UVB-induced photocarcinogenesis in hairless mice skin by Pothomorphe umbellata

Author(s)

Vanessa Vitoriano da Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2007-05-03

Examining board members

Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros; Elfriede Marianne Bacchi; Roger Chammas; Telma Mary Kaneko; Carlos Frederico Martins Menck

• Advisor: Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros

Abstract

Topical application of botanical antioxidants has been appreciated as a viable approach to reduce the occurrence of deleterious damage cased by sunlight exposure, such as photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. The plant Pothomorphe umbellata has been shown to exert a potent antioxidant activity on the skin and to delay the onset and reduce the incidence of UVB-induced skin damage and photoaging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of topical P. umbellata treatment on acute (single dose 0.20 KJ/m2) and chronic (4 weeks, total dose 8.6 KJ/m2, 5 weeks, 13.17KJ/m2, 15 weeks, 55.51 KJ/m2) UVB-induced damage hairless mouse epidermis. Nonenzymic antioxidants, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol, were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography and enzymic antioxidants, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, spectrophotometrically. UVB-induced p53 and PCNA were deteted by immunohistochemical technique. The data collected here suggest that topical application of P. umbellata extract affords strong protection against UVB-induced damages in skin epidermis by either preventing DNA damage or enhancing repair and inhibiting UVB-caused apoptosis and sunburn cell formation. Moreover, the results also suggest that P. umbellata extract modulates the cutaneous antioxidant network resulting in reduced susceptibility to UVB-induced oxidative damage. Together these results contribute for the elucidation of the mechanism of action of P.umbellata on UVB exposed skin and indicate the capacity of this extract to preserve skin health after irradiation. (AU)