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Saponins from Tribulus terrestris L. protect human keratinocytes from UVB-induced damage

Margherita Sisto1, Sabrina Lisi, Massimo D'Amore

  • 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. margherita.sisto@uniba.it

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology
|November 13, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Tribulus terrestris (TT) saponins protect normal skin cells from UVB damage by inhibiting apoptosis. They also enhance cancer cell death, suggesting TT as a potential photoprotective and anticancer agent.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Chronic sun exposure, particularly UVB radiation, elevates skin cancer risk.
  • Photoprotective compounds are crucial for preventing UV-induced skin damage.
  • Apoptosis modulation is a key factor in cancer development and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the photoprotective effects of Tribulus terrestris (TT) saponins on normal human keratinocytes (NHEK) exposed to UVB.
  • To evaluate the antitumoral properties of TT saponins in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying TT saponin's effects on UVB-induced apoptosis and carcinogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of NHEK and SCC cells to physiological doses of UVB radiation.
  • Treatment with saponins derived from Tribulus terrestris (TT).
  • Analysis of apoptosis pathways, including the intrinsic pathway, NER gene expression, and NF-κB activation.

Main Results:

  • TT saponins attenuated UVB-induced apoptosis in NHEK by inhibiting the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.
  • TT saponins did not increase SCC cell resistance to UVB and enhanced their apoptotic response.
  • The photoprotective effect of TT saponins correlated with enhanced NER gene expression and blocked UVB-mediated NF-κB activation.

Conclusions:

  • TT saponins demonstrate preventive efficacy against UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis.
  • TT saponins modulate cell death pathways, offering potential as a therapeutic agent for cancer patients.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms of TT saponins provides a basis for developing new photoprotective and anticancer medicines.

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