Possible treatment for UVB-induced skin injury: Anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective role of metformin in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: Excessive inflammation and cell death induced by ultraviolet (UV) cause skin photodamage. Metformin possesses anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects. However, whether metformin inhibits inflammation and cell death in UVB-induced acute skin damage is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects of metformin in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, its potential mechanism has been explored. METHODS: Transcriptome sequencing and multiplex cytokines analysis were used to evaluate the validity of in vitro UVB-induced acute damage keratinocyte model and anti-inflammatory effects of metformin. We also determined the expression and nuclear translocation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPß), an important transcriptional factor of Interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß). Cell viability and cell death of keratinocytes were evaluated upon UVB irradiation in the presence or absence of metformin. 0.6% metformin cream was applied on UVB-irradiated mice to explore its pharmacological effects in vivo. RESULTS: Transcriptional landscape of 50 mJ/cm2 UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells is typical of UVB-induced acute damage keratinocyte model in vitro. Metformin alleviated transcription and secretion of IL-1ß, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, and Fibroblast Growth Factor 2, expression and nuclear translocation of C/EBPß in this model. Metformin also protected keratinocytes from cell death caused by UVB-induced cellular secretions, which contributed to its cytoprotective effects. Topical administration of 0.6% metformin cream alleviated UVB-induced skin damage in mice. CONCLUSION: We proved the protective roles of metformin in UVB-challenged keratinocytes and UVB-irradiated mice, which indicated the potential value of metformin in topical therapy against skin photodamage.

Raffinose increases autophagy and reduces cell death in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes.

Autophagy is an important process for maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Our previous study demonstrated that autophagy was down-regulated in ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated keratinocytes. Raffinose is a natural oligosaccharide that serves as a novel activator of autophagy and as a balancing agent to regulate the diversity of environmental stress. However, whether raffinose balances ultraviolet stress through the autophagy activation pathway has yet to be established. In this study, we found that raffinose treatment inhibited the LDH release and trypan blue staining in UVB-challenged human keratinocytes cell line HaCaT but did not affect the cleavage of apoptotic markers Caspase-3 and PARP, as well as translocation into nucleus of other cell death markers Endonuclease G and AIF. Moreover, we confirmed that raffinose treatment enhanced autophagy flux in an MTOR-independent manner in HaCaT cells. Importantly, decrease of LC3-II turnover in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes could be rescued by raffinose treatment, indicating that raffinose treatment increased autophagy in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. Furthermore, the effect on cell death by raffinose was inhibited when autophagy was suppressed with either a small interfering RNA targeting ATG5 (siATG5) or autophagic inhibitor wortmannin. In conclusion, we demonstrated that raffinose increases MTOR-independent autophagy and reduces cell death in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes. Our study indicated that the natural agent raffinose presents the potential value in opposing photodamage.

Stress-glucocorticoid-TSC22D3 axis compromises therapy-induced antitumor immunity.

Psychological distress has long been suspected to influence cancer incidence and mortality. It remains largely unknown whether and how stress affects the efficacy of anticancer therapies. We observed that social defeat caused anxiety-like behaviors in mice and dampened therapeutic responses against carcinogen-induced neoplasias and transplantable tumors. Stress elevated plasma corticosterone and upregulated the expression of glucocorticoid-inducible factor Tsc22d3, which blocked type I interferon (IFN) responses in dendritic cell (DC) and IFN-γ+ T cell activation. Similarly, close correlations were discovered among plasma cortisol levels, TSC22D3 expression in circulating leukocytes and negative mood in patients with cancer. In murine models, exogenous glucocorticoid injection, or enforced expression of Tsc22d3 in DC was sufficient to abolish therapeutic control of tumors. Administration of a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist or DC-specific Tsc22d3 deletion reversed the negative impact of stress or glucocorticoid supplementation on therapeutic outcomes. Altogether, these results indicate that stress-induced glucocorticoid surge and Tsc22d3 upregulation can subvert therapy-induced anticancer immunosurveillance.

Fluorofenidone inhibits UV-A induced senescence in human dermal fibroblasts via the mammalian target of rapamycin-dependent SIRT1 pathway.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of fluorofenidone (5-methyl-1-[3-fluorophenyl]-2-[1H]-pyridone, AKF-PD) on ultraviolet (UV)-A-induced senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and examine the mechanisms involved. HDF were treated with AKF-PD. Senescence-associated (SA)-ß-galactosidase level, cell viability and expression of p16 were evaluated. In addition, UV-A-irradiated HDF were treated with AKF-PD, rapamycin and MHY1485; SA-ß-galactosidase staining, 3-(4 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and western blot for SIRT1 were performed; and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured. Intracellular ROS was detected by the 2',7'-dichlorofluroescein diacetate probe. Our results showed that AKF-PD substantially attenuated the changes of p16 expression, SA-ß-galactosidase staining and cellular proliferation induced by UV-A irradiation in HDF. AKF-PD rescued the increased mTOR phosphorylation and reduced SIRT1 expression induced by UV-A irradiation in HDF. AKF-PD and rapamycin together had a synergistic effect on p-mTOR reduction and SIRT1 increase. mTOR activator MHY1485 partly blocked the above effects. Moreover, intracellular ROS level induced by UV-A irradiation could partly decrease by AKF-PD, and MHY1485 could reduce this effect. Our results indicated that AKF-PD could alleviate HDF senescence induced by UV-A-irradiation by inhibiting the p-mTOR and increasing SIRT1. Moreover, AKF-PD may be a potential treatment material for skin.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor enhances melanogenesis via cAMP-protein kinase (PKA) by upregulating microphthalmia-related transcription factor-tyrosinase in melanoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the role and mechanism of action of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in melanogenesis. METHODS: GPER expression was detected in the A375 human melanoma cell line and B16 mouse melanoma cell line. Cell proliferation, melanin content, tyrosinase (TYR) activity, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level, and TYR and microphthalmia-related transcription factor (MITF) expression were measured. GPER activation was altered by agonist and antagonist treatment and its expression was downregulated by gene silencing. Estradiol-induced melanin synthesis and the activation of related signaling pathways were suppressed by inhibiting GPER via antagonist treatment. The relationship between GPER and TYR was evaluated in clinical chloasma samples by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Upregulation of GPER in A375 cells promoted melanogenesis, favored as indicated by increases in TYR and MITF expression and TYR activity. GPER activated melanin production via the cAMP-protein kinase (PK) A pathway, suggesting that GPER plays an important role in estrogen-induced melanin synthesis. The effect of GPER activation on cAMP-MITF-TYR signaling was also demonstrated in B16 cells. A significant association was observed between GPER and TYR expression in chloasma skin lesions relative to normal skin. CONCLUSION: GPER enhances melanin synthesis via cAMP-PKA-MITF-TYR signaling and modulates the effects of estrogen in melanogenesis. GPER is therefore a potential drug target for chloasma treatment.