Background: Clinical, optical and histological research confirms that solar skin damage continues to pose a threat to human skin health globally despite widespread sunscreen usage and sun awareness campaigns. Despite this, very few studies examine the critical changes in gene expression and DNA repair activity following recommended topical solar protection and repair strategies to ameliorate the harmful effects of ultraviolet, visible light and near-infrared radiation.
Purpose: To investigate alterations in gene expression following topical solar protection and solar repair strategies.
Methods: Using epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts derived from a 3-dimensional reconstructed human skin model, gene expression was assessed via the Genemarkers Standard Skin Panel using 112 genes deploying two analytical techniques: DNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR exploration. Tissues were inoculated with products then collected after 24 hours following application of solar protection formulations and 16 hours following solar repair formulations (The Essential Six, RATIONALE, Victoria, Australia).
Results: A DNA microarray revealed 67 genes that were significantly up-regulated or down-regulated following the treatment. The quantitative real-time PCR revealed that, in comparison to the control, the genes encoding Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1), Metallothionein 1A (MT1A), Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase 1 (PTGS2), Late Cornified Envelope 3D (LCE3D), Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor (PPARD), and Granulocyte/Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor 2 (GM-CSF2) have been up-regulated following usage of the solar protection regime, 1.87, 861.16, 4.34, 1.91, 1.06, and 3.6, respectively. ICAM1, MT1A, PTGS2, LCE3D, PPARD, and GM-CSF2 were up-regulated following use of the solar repair regime, 3.78, 2.98, 14.89, 5.09, 2.42, and 13.51, respectively.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a specific solar protection and repair regime upregulated genes involved in photoprotection and repair mechanisms in a 3-dimensional (3D) reconstructed human-like skin model.
Keywords: gene expression, anti-photoageing, anti-photoimmunosuppression, antioxidant, photoprotection, DNA repair