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Assessment of Oxidative Damage in the Primary Mouse Ocular Surface Cells/Stem Cells in Response to Ultraviolet-C UV-C Damage
Published on: February 15, 2020
The properties of Ocicmum gratissimum aqueous extract against ultraviolet-C-induced inflammation
Yu-Ching Liu1, Pei-Yu Chao2, Sheng-Huang Chang3
1Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Ocimum gratissimum L. commonly known as basil, is an herb-like plant frequently mentioned in ethnopharmacological studies due to its widespread availability in local communities and its widespread use in treating inflammatory conditions. In a previous study, we demonstrated that aqueous extracts of Ocimum gratissimum (OGE), which are rich in plant polyphenols such as caffeic acid and isoflavones, can protect skin cells from UVC-induced inflammation and damage in migration and proliferation.
Aim Of The Study:
Building on these findings, this study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of OGE on UVC-treated DNA damage and its dermatological treatment potential in a mouse model.
Materials And Methods:
Wounds were treated with UVC alone or in combination with OGE, and healing outcomes were monitored over an 11-day period. Key assessments included wound appearance, wound area reduction, healing rates, and DNA damage markers.
Results:
UVC exposure prolonged the healing time of incisions to 10.00 ± 0.82 days, compared to 7.25 ± 1.26 days in the no-UVC group. However, co-treatment with 0.6 % OGE significantly reduced the healing time to 8.00 ± 1.15 days. After 24 h of UVC irradiation, keratinocytes (a marker of DNA damage) in epidermis were approximately 97.5 % cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD)-positive in the UVC-only group but decreased to 52.5 % in the 0.6 % OGE + UVC group. Experiments in vitro using HaCaT cells demonstrated that OGE pretreatment significantly preserved cell viability and promoted wound closure during UVC exposure, in addition to reducing UVC-induced PARP activity (a marker for cell apoptosis). Liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometric (LC-MS) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses further revealed that OGE increased levels of protective proteins, such as syntaxin-3, in UVC-treated HaCaT cells and mouse skin tissue. Notably, OGE did not interfere with UVC's toxicity against Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that OGE may serve as an effective prophylactic intervention against UVC-induced side effects by enhancing anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory responses, thereby promoting tissue repair during surgical site disinfection.
