UV-A1 cytotoxicity and antioxidant defence in keratinocytes and fibroblasts

The levels of antioxidant molecules and lipid peroxidation, under basal conditions, were measured in normal, human cutaneous keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Total glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutases are significantly higher in normal keratinocytes compared to normal fibroblasts (respectively +248%, +193% and +155%). Under the same conditions, lipid peroxidation is significantly lower in basal keratinocytes compared to fibroblasts. UV-A1 cytotoxicity was investigated in both cutaneous cell types showing that diploid keratinocytes are more resistant to UV-A1 oxidative stress than fibroblasts (by a factor of around 8). We studied the same parameters in two keratinocyte cell lines, NCTC2544 and HaCaT cells, and in MRC5 fibroblasts. Antioxidant content and lipid peroxidation under basal conditions are quite different in these cell lines compared to those of the normal corresponding cells. Furthermore, NCTC2544 keratinocytes are more sensitive to UV-A1 radiation than normal keratinocytes whereas HaCaT keratinocytes are more resistant, and MRC5 fibroblasts are more resistant than normal cutaneous fibroblasts. These findings suggest that (i) cultured epidermal and dermal cells have different sensitivities to UV-A1 radiation that may be linked to different antioxidant capacities and (ii) cell line response to UV-A1 radiation may differ from that of normal cells.