The relationship between UVB screening and cytoprotection by microcorpuscular ZnO or ascorbate against DNA photodamage and membrane injuries in keratinocytes by oxidative stress

Abstract Decreased cell viability and increased formation of cyclobutane-type pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) in DNA of UVB-irradiated keratinocytes were shown to be appreciably restored by the addition of w/o emulsion of microcorpuscular zinc oxide (mcZnO) with a corpuscle diameter of 0.15 μm. The cytoprotection was exerted only by 20 wt/wt% mcZnO at levels equivalent to 40- to 100-μm-thick emulsion layers, which screened 90–92% of the incident UVB. However, protection was not seen by mcZnO below 20-μm thickness, which, unexpectedly, screened 79% of the incident radiation. This suggests that thorough UVB screening is necessary for cytoprotection. This may be attributable to involvement of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) secondarily generated from UVB-irradiated mcZnO. Intracellular ROS was increased in mcZnO-added cells in a time-dependent manner even after UVB irradiation, contrasting with reduction of intracellular ROS in ascorbic acid-added cells. UVB-induced disruption of cell membrane integrity was reduced by mcZnO at 100-μm thickness, equivalent to the addition of ascorbic acid of 50 μM. Thus, mcZnO was thought to be cytoprotective through reductions of intracellular ROS generation, CPD formation and cell membrane disintegration when added so abundantly so as to achieve UVB-screening more than 90%.