Department of Drug and Health Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
Research Centre on Nutraceuticals and Health Products (CERNUT), University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
Cells. 2022 Apr 25;11(9):1447. doi: 10.3390/cells11091447.
Excessive exposure to solar radiation is associated with several deleterious effects on human skin. These effects vary from the occasional simple sunburn to conditions resulting from chronic exposure such as skin aging and cancers. Secondary metabolites from the plant kingdom, including phenolic compounds, show relevant photoprotective activities. In this study, we evaluated the potential photoprotective activity of a phytocomplex derived from three varieties of red orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). We used an in vitro model of skin photoaging on two human cell lines, evaluating the protective effects of the phytocomplex in the pathways involved in the response to damage induced by UVA-B. The antioxidant capacity of the extract was determined at the same time as evaluating its influence on the cellular redox state (ROS levels and total thiol groups). In addition, the potential protective action against DNA damage induced by UVA-B and the effects on mRNA and protein expression of collagen, elastin, MMP1, and MMP9 were investigated, including some inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, and total and phospho NFkB) by ELISA. The obtained results highlight the capacity of the extract to protect cells both from oxidative stress—preserving RSH (p < 0.05) content and reducing ROS (p < 0.01) levels—and from UVA-B-induced DNA damage. Furthermore, the phytocomplex is able to counteract harmful effects through the significant downregulation of proinflammatory markers (p < 0.05) and MMPs (p < 0.05) and by promoting the remodeling of the extracellular matrix through collagen and elastin expression. This allows the conclusion that red orange extract, with its strong antioxidant and photoprotective properties, represents a safe and effective option to prevent photoaging caused by UVA-B exposure.
过度暴露于太阳辐射会对人类皮肤造成多种有害影响。这些影响从偶尔的简单晒伤到慢性暴露引起的皮肤老化和癌症等情况不等。植物界的次生代谢产物，包括酚类化合物，表现出相关的光保护活性。在这项研究中，我们评估了来自三种红橙（Citrus sinensis（L.）Osbeck）品种的植物复合物的潜在光保护活性。我们使用两种人体细胞系的皮肤光老化体外模型，评估了植物复合物在 UVA-B 诱导损伤反应途径中的保护作用。同时测定了提取物的抗氧化能力，同时评估其对细胞氧化还原状态（ROS 水平和总巯基基团）的影响。此外，还研究了植物复合物对 UVA-B 诱导的 DNA 损伤的潜在保护作用，以及对胶原、弹性蛋白、MMP1 和 MMP9 的 mRNA 和蛋白表达的影响，包括通过 ELISA 检测一些炎症标志物（TNF-α、IL-6 和总和磷酸化 NFkB）。所得结果突出了提取物保护细胞免受氧化应激的能力-保持 RSH（p<0.05）含量并降低 ROS（p<0.01）水平-以及免受 UVA-B 诱导的 DNA 损伤。此外，植物复合物能够通过显著下调促炎标志物（p<0.05）和 MMPs（p<0.05）以及通过促进胶原和弹性蛋白表达来重塑细胞外基质来对抗有害影响。这可以得出结论，红橙提取物具有强大的抗氧化和光保护特性，是预防 UVA-B 暴露引起的光老化的安全有效选择。
