Influence of Radical Generation and Elimination on Sebum Production of Hamster Sebaceous Gland Cells

We focused on the effects of radical induction on cell differentiation and sebum production when antioxidants and oxidants were applied to normal hamster sebaceous gland cells. We also examined the relationship between sebum production and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging rate in these cells. Eight antioxidants (fullerene, epigallocatechin gallate, α-glucosylrutin, copper (II) gluconate, tannic acid, sodium copper-chlorophyllin, phytic acid, and ascorbyl tocopheryl phosphate) and one oxidant (hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂) were used. The number of differentiated cells was determined by counting the viable cells, the intracellular triglyceride (TG) level was determined by separation and quantification by HPTLC, and the superoxide anion radical scavenging rate, nitric oxide scavenging rate, and H₂O₂ scavenging rate were also investigated. Adding various antioxidants decreased the differentiated cell number and TG content in the hamster sebaceous gland cells. Meanwhile, adding an oxidant (H₂O₂) increased the differentiated cell number and cellular TG. Pretreatment with antioxidants also prevented the oxidants from increasing the differentiated cell number and TG level. A strong correlation between the intracellular TG content and the H₂O₂ scavenging rate was identified. These results indicate that radical generation and scavenging are involved in sebum production in hamster sebaceous gland cells, and that the scavenging rate of H₂O₂ may be particularly important.