Centella asiatica protects against UVB-induced HaCaT keratinocyte damage through microRNA expression changes

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) against ultraviolet B (UVB) damage in human keratinocytes using microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling analysis. Titrated extract of C. asiatica (TECA) demonstrated low cytotoxicity in normal human HaCaT keratinocytes only at low doses (<5 µg/ml). UVB (50 mJ/cm2) irradiation significantly decreased cell viability, and TECA treatment decreased the UVB toxicity. By using miRNA microarrays, we determined that 72 miRNAs had an altered expression following TECA treatment in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes (46 upregulated and 26 downregulated). Using an miRNA target gene prediction tool and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, we determined that miRNAs with altered expression were functionally related with the inhibition of apoptosis and cell proliferation. Overall, these results provide meaningful information to facilitate the understanding of TECA-mediated UVB protection in human keratinocytes.