July 21, 2016
While ultraviolet A radiation in sunlight can
cause significant harm to the skin, the majority of sunscreens on the market
offer limited protection against such damage. But this could change;
researchers have identified a compound that they say can shield against
ultraviolet A-induced cell damage, skin aging, and skin cancer
Dr. Charareh Pourzand, of the Department of Pharmacy and
Pharmacology at the University of Bath, United Kingdom, and colleagues say they
hope the compound can be added to sunscreens and other skin care products
within 3-4 years.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, ultraviolet A (UVA)
radiation makes up around 95 percent of the UV radiation that
reaches the Earth's surface.
UVA radiation is less intense than ultraviolet B (UVB)
radiation, which is the primary cause of sunburn. However, UVA penetrates the skin
more deeply than UVB, and it is considered the dominant tanning ray.
UVA radiation - whether from sunlight or tanning booths -
penetrates cells in the dermis layer of skin, damaging the collagen fibers, which contributes to wrinkles
and liver spots. UVA rays also damage the skin's DNA, which can trigger
mutations that lead to skin cancer.
Dr. Pourzand and colleagues explain that UVA rays stimulate excess
free iron present in mitochondria, which are structures that produce energy for
cells.
This free iron stimulation fuels the production of reactive
oxygen species (ROS), which cause damage to cell components - including DNA and
proteins - and raise the risk of cell death, skin aging, and skin cancer.
"The role of iron-mediated damage induced upon exposure of
skin cells to UVA has been underestimated for many years," notes Dr.
Pourzand. "For efficient protection against UVA-induced iron damage of
skin, strong chelators are needed, but until now these risked toxic effects
caused by non-targeted iron starvation of cells."
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'Mitoiron claw' prevented UVA-induced skin
cell death
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In the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the
researchers describe the development of a compound that can prevent the free
iron in mitochondria from reacting to UVA radiation.
Referred to as "mitoiron claw," the newly created
compound travels to mitochondria within cells, where it binds to the excess
free iron.
For their study, the researchers applied the compound to human
skin fibroblast cells and exposed them to 140 minutes of continuous, sea-level
UVA radiation.
Unlike untreated skin cells, those treated with the mitoiron
claw compound were highly protected against cell damage and death.
Based on their results, the researchers believe the mitoiron
claw compound can offer significant protection against UVA radiation.
What is more, they call for the compound to be added to
sunscreen and other skin care products - something they hope will occur in the
next 3-4 years.
"Our mitochondria-targeted compound [...] can address an
unmet need in the skin care and sunscreen fields. This mitoiron claw is a highly
effective compound, offering unprecedented protection against UVA-induced
mitochondrial damage." Dr. Charareh Pourzand
As well as further investigating the mitoiron claw for its
protective effects against UVA-induced cell damage, the team plans to assess
whether the compound might be effective against diseases fueled by excess iron
in mitochondria, such as Friedreich's ataxia.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311820.php
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