• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.186-189
• /
• 2002

Many of the adverse effects of solar UV exposure appear to be directly attributable to damage to epidermal DNA. In particular, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) may initiate mutagenic changes as well as induce signal transduction responses that lead to a loss of skin immune surveillance and micro-destruction of skin structure. Our approach is to reverse the DNA damage using prokaryotic DNA repair enzymes delivered into skin using specially engineered liposomes. T4 endonuclease V encapsulated in liposomes (T4N5 liposome lotion) enhanced DNA repair by shifting repair of CPD from the nucleotide excision to the base excision repair pathway. Following topical application to humans, increased repair limited UV-induction of cytokines, many of which are immunosuppressive. In a recent clinical study, topical treatment of UV-irradiated human skin with T4N5 liposome lotion reduced the suppression of the nickel sulfate contact hypersensitivity response. Similarly, the photoreactivating enzyme enhances repair by directly reversing CPDs after absorbing activating light. Here also treatment of UV-irradiated human skin with photoreactivating enzyme in liposomes and photoreactivating light restored the response to the contact allergen nickel sulfate. These findings confirm in humans the observation in mice that UV induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity is caused in part by CPDs. We have tested the ability of T4N5 liposome lotion to prevent UV-induced skin cancer in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), who have an elevated incidence of skin cancer resulting from a genetic defect in DNA repair. Daily use of the lotion for one year in a group of 20 XP patients reduced the average number of actinic keratoses by 68% and basal cell cancers by 30% compared to 9 patients in the placebo control group. Delivery of DNA repair enzymes to skin is a promising new approach to photoprotection.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.213-216
• /
• 2002

Skin pigmentation, also known as complexion coloration, results from the biosynthesis of melanin within the melanocytes of the Stratum basalum and the subsequent transfer, translocation, and degradation of this pigment to, in, and by the neighboring keratinocytes respectively, Melanins are produced and retained in melanosomes synthesized in the cell body that are translocated along the dendrites using microtubules via motor proteins. Melanosomes are eventually captured and retained at the tips of dendrites by attachment to the peripherally localized actin. Melanosomes reaching the dendritic tips are transferred to keratinocytes, primarily via phagocytosis of released melanosomes by keratinocytes. Molecules responsible for cell/cell recognition and interaction that regulate transfer are being identified. Some of these putative mediators appear to be affected by ultraviolet radiation. After the keratinocytes receive melanosomes, the granules are distributed individually or as clusters in dark versus light skin respectively. These melanosomes are then aggregated over the nucleus for photoprotection ofkeratinocyte DNA and eventually degraded.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.445-447
• /
• 2002

The compositional changes in mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were investigated in the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sweeneyae exposed to four different spectral compositions and five relative intensities of UV-B (280-320 nm) to UV-A (320-400 nm) + photosynthetically available radiation (PAR: 400-700 nm). Neither dose nor wavelengths of UVR significantly affected the growth rates. UVR caused a significantly increase in cell volume. Cell volume in the >280nm treatment was more than two times greater at 6.8 % of UVR intensity. Production of UVR induced MAAs was dependent on the dose of UVR. However. the induction of MAAs was related to the cell growth. Greater induction of MAAs was observed at shorter wavelengths. The composition of MAAs varied with increasing light intensity of UVR.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.67-68
• /
• 1994

INTRODUCTION : The photochemistry of nitro chromophore has been the subject of intense study only in recent years. Unlike the carbonyl functional group, of which the photochemistry has been quite extensively studied and fairly well understood, as a result of excellent work done by numerous physical and organic photochemists alike, the nature of photochemistry of nitro group has only recently been systematically explored. The photochemistry of nitro group exhibits general features of the photochemistry of the carbonyl groups such as hydrogen abstraction by the diradical species generated from the n-$\pi$$^*$ excited state of the nitro group. Other photochemical pathways common to the carbonyl group such as the biradical intermidiate formation, photocycloelimination, and cydoaddition reactions are also open for the nitro group. Of all the photochemical reactions of the nitro group mentioned above, hydrogen abstraction by the n-$\pi$$^*$ excited state of the nitro group has drawn much attention by synthetic organic chemists and polymer chemists. In the field of organic synthesis, above mintioned photochemical reaction has been utilized in the photoprotection-deprotection chemistry.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
• /
• 2003.09b
• /
• pp.213-217
• /
• 2003

Antioxidants have been used in cosmetic industry for treatment of aged skin and recently have been also introduced as additives in photoprotection products. In order to determine among the Brazilian botanical species presenting interesting antioxidant activities we have screened several extracts from plants from Rain and Amazonical Tropical Forests, as well as some endemic species, using both TBARs and DPPH methods. Extracts with antioxidant activities were found with Jacaranda caroba, Veloso DL, Spilanthes oleracea (Spilanthes acmella var. oleracea), Orbignya phalerata, Pothomorphe umbellata, Chiococca brachiata and Polypodium lepidopteris. Other extracts such as Camelia sinensis, Sambucus australis, Rosmarinus officinalis L. were also studied, and showed some antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.165-174
• /
• 2003

Xanthophylls are oxygenated carotenoids that serve a variety of functions in photosynthetic organisms and are essential for survival of the organism. Within the last decade, major nor advances have been made in the elucidation of the molecular genetics and biochemistry of the xanthophyll biosynthesis pathway. Microalgae, yeast, or other microorganisms produce some of the xanthophylls that are being commercially used due to their own color and antioxidant properties. Currently, only a few microalgae are being considered or already being exploitd for the production of high-value xanthophylls. However, new developments in molecular biology have important implications for the commercialization of microalgae, and make the genetic manipulation of the xanthophyll content of microalgae mure attractive for biotechnological purposes. Accordingly, the current review summarizes the general properties of xanthophylls in microalgae and the recent developments in the biotechnological production of xanthophylls.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.775-783
• /
• 2016

The identification of novel reagents that exert a biological ultraviolet (UV)-protective effect in skin cells represents an important strategy for preventing UV-induced skin aging. To this end, we investigated the potential protective effects of Ettlia sp. YC001 extracts against UV-induced cellular damage in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). We generated four different extracts from Ettlia sp. YC001, and found that they exhibit low cytotoxicity in NHDFs. The ethyl acetate extract of Ettlia sp. YC001 markedly decreased UVB-induced cytotoxicity. Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract significantly inhibited the production of hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species. Moreover, it inhibited UVB-induced thymine dimers, as confirmed by luciferase assay and thymine dimer dot-blot assay. Thus, the study findings suggest Ettlia sp. YC001 extract as a novel photoprotective reagent on UVB-induced cell dysfunctions in NHDFs.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.191-195
• /
• 2005

In this study, we attempted to characterize the Synechococcus sp. pee 7942 mutant resultant from a disruption in the gene encoding UDP-glucose: tetrahydrobiopterin a-glucosyltransferase (BGluT). 2D­PAGE followed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that phycocyanin rod linker protein 33K was one of the proteins expressed at lower level in the BGluT mutant. BGluT mutant cells were also determined to be more sensitive to high light stress. This is because photosynthetic O$_2$ exchange rates were significantly decreased, due to the reduced number of functional PSIs relative to the wild type cells. These results suggested that, in Synechococcus sp. pee 7942, BH4-glucoside might be involved in photosynthetic photoprotection.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 1998

Changes of chlorophyll fluorescence and xanthophyll cycle pigment contents in maize leaves were investigated dunng desiccation in darkness or in the light. In darkness, a drastic dehydration of detached maize leaves down to 50% relative water content (RWC) affected photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and pht)tochemical quenching (qP) only slightly. In contrast, desiccation in the light with a moderate intensity led to a pronounced reduction in Fv/Fm with a Fo quenching when RWC was greater than 70%. This reduction in Fv/Fm could be recovered in darkness under hutrod condition. In leaves with RWC below 70%, significant reduction in Fv/Fm was accompanied by an increase of Fo, which could not be reversed within 5 h in darkness under humid condition. The nonphotochemical quenching increased during desiccation in the light with a concomitant rise in zeaxanthin at the expense of violaxanthin. Pretreatment with dithiothreitol (DTT), an inhibitor of zeaxanthin synthesis, inhibited the development of nonphotochemical quenching and prevented the xanthophyll interconversion during desiccation in the light. These results suggest that even light with a moderate intensity becomes excessive under dehydration and zeaxanthin-associated photoprotection of photosynthetic apparatus against photodamage is involved, but the protection is not complete against severe desiccation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.646-653
• /
• 1998

Because there is a great concern' today about the damaging effect of chronic exposure to sunlight the use of sunscreen providing the photoprotection effect against ultraviolet (UV) was widely increased. As a result of common use of level of photosynthetic Vit. D3 in human skin decreased these days. In our experiment the animals covered with fabrics with 50% (fabric B) and 100% (fabric A) protection rate against ultraviolet B (UVB) were used to measure serum 25(OH)D3, ALP, total clacium and phosphorus. Vitamin D deficiency diet group had no effect on concentration of serum phosphorus. But the concentrations of serum 25(OH)D9 and total calcium were more decreased in vitamin D deficiency diet rats than in normal diet rats. Alkaline phosphatase activity in sunlight irradiated groups covered with 50% (fabric B) and 100% (fabric A) WB protection fabrics was more significantly decreased than vitamin D deficiency diet group. In conclusion, sunlight irradiateted groups were compared to effective to protect born disease due to the Vit. D deficeincy group.