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. 2025 Jan 24;23(2):57.
doi: 10.3390/md23020057.

Characterizing the Ultraviolet (UV) Screening Ability of L-5-Sulfanylhistidine Derivatives on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Affiliations

Characterizing the Ultraviolet (UV) Screening Ability of L-5-Sulfanylhistidine Derivatives on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Alessia Luccarini et al. Mar Drugs. .

Abstract

Using sunscreens is one of the most widespread measures to protect human skin from sun ultraviolet radiation (UVR) damage. However, several studies have highlighted the toxicity of certain inorganic and organic UV filters used in sunscreens for the marine environment and human health. An alternative strategy may involve the use of natural products of marine origin to counteract UVR-mediated damage. Ovothiols are sulfur-containing amino acids produced by marine invertebrates, microalgae, and bacteria, endowed with unique antioxidant and UV-absorption properties. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of synthetic L-5-sulfanyl histidine derivatives, inspired by natural ovothiols, on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) upon UVA exposure. By using a custom-made experimental set-up to assess the UV screening ability, we measured the levels of cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as cell viability and apoptosis in HDFs, in the presence of tested compounds, after UVA exposure, using flow cytometry assays with specific fluorescent probes. The results show that L-5-sulfanyl histidine derivatives display a UV screening capacity and prevent loss in cell viability, the production of cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS induced by UVA exposure in HDFs, and subsequent apoptosis. Overall, this study sheds light on the potential applications of marine-inspired sulfur-containing amino acids in developing alternative eco-safe sunscreens for UVR skin protection.

Keywords: human dermal fibroblasts; natural UV filters; ovothiol analogs; photoprotection; sulfur-containing amino acids; ultraviolet radiation (UVR) damage.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Absorbance spectra of phosphate-buffer solutions (0.5 mM) of the disulfide forms of (a) 5-thio, (b) me-5-thio, (c) iso-ovoA, and (d) 0.1 mM ovothiol A, (before (black line) and after (red line) exposure to UVA for 20 min (=~540 kJ/m2). The chemical structures of the disulfide forms are shown in each panel.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Representative scheme of the experimental set-up for UVA exposure using marine ovothiol analogs as shielding agents. (b) Time course of cell viability of HDFs exposed to UVA, assessed using the Presto Blue Assay. The effect of increasing concentrations (0.25–1 mM) of, (c) 5-thio (blue bars), (d) 5-me-thio (purple bars), and (e) iso-ovoA (green bars) used as shielding agents on cell viability determined after exposure to UVA for 15 min. Statistical significance was calculated with an ordinary one-way ANOVA using Tukey’s multiple comparison test. * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.0001 vs. CTR; ### p < 0.0001 vs. 0, i.e., in the absence of compounds exposed to UVA. CTR = non-irradiated cells used as the negative control.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Time course of cell viability in HDFs, measured by flow cytometry using the ViaCount probe, after exposure to UVA for 10, 15, and 20 min. (b) Effects on HDFs cell viability in the presence of 0.5 mM 5-thio, 5-me-thio, and iso-ovoA used as shielding agents and measured after UVA exposure for 10 min. (c) Effects of the presence of the tested compounds at 1 mM on HDFs viability. Statistical significance was calculated with Kruskal–Wallis test using Dunn’s multiple comparison test. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.0001 vs. CTR. CTR = non-irradiated cells used as negative control.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Time course of the production of cytosolic high ROS in HDFs measured after UVA exposure for 10, 15, and 20 min using a flow cytometric assay with the ROS-sensitive probe CM-H2DCFDA. (b) Percentage of cells with cytosolic high ROS measured after UVA exposure for 10 min in the presence of 0.5 mM and 1 mM 5-thio, me-5-thio, iso-ovoA used as shielding agents. (c) Percentage of cells with mitochondrial high ROS assessed in the same conditions using the probe MitoSOX Red. The statistical significance was calculated with an ordinary one-way ANOVA using Tukey’s multiple comparison test. ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.0001 vs. CTR; # p < 0.05, ## p < 0.01 vs. 0, i.e., in the absence of compounds exposed to UVA. CTR = non-irradiated cells used as negative control.

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